It's too early to tell; however, this patent application lists Tetsuya Nomura as the inventor of a character switching battle system for RPG/action RPG games. The system allows players to control and switch to temporary characters during combat — meaning, you can hop in the skin of another character. When time runs out, players then automatically change back to their main character and inherit the temp character's abilities.

The patent does not specify a platform, stating the combat system is designed for "a portable gaming apparatus." The apparatus included in the patent looks somewhat like the PSP.

More details in the link below.

Is This One Of Tetsuya Nomura's Unannounced Games? [Siliconera]

We forgot Final Fantasy Agito XIII! He's character designer for that, too.

In the most recent issue of Famitsu, Nomura reveals that he is working on two unannounced titles. He gives some updates, saying that they are working to bring up the quality so that the difference between real time and pre-renders in the upcoming Final Fantasy Versus XIII is seamless. He also says that development for Agito is going favorably.

"There is a still yet unannounced title that I am working on sooner than thought," he says. Voice recording for this title has begun.

"It's not a brand new title, but there is one more unannounced title."

[Pic]

Unlike last year, Square Enix will not be screening trailers for upcoming titles like Final Fantasy Versus XIII and instead will be focusing on playable demos for titles due out in the next year.

That apparently means no new trailers, screens or footage of Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Final Fantasy Agito XIII or Parasite Eve: The Third Birthday.

Final Fantasy XIII is slated for this winter in Japan, while FF Versus XIII still is TBA. Surely, people can make due with a new FFXIII demo, no?

Playstation 3 RPG Site - News: Versus XIII takes a back seat to Playable FFXIII at TGS [RPG Site via VG247]

Square Enix wanted to make a game starring Mickey Mouse, he tells Japanese game mag Famitsu, and Disney wanted a game starring Donald Duck. "Meanwhile," he says with a laugh, "I wanted neither."

What did Nomura want? "The first weapon I showed Disney was a chainsaw," he explains. He had a rough sketch of one in his first concepts he presented to Disney "Everyone got this scrunched-up look on their face and nobody said a word in the entire room. Dead silencer. And I thought, 'No, I guess this wouldn't work, huh?'"

Oh but just think of the possibilities.

Tetsuya Nomura Discusses Kingdom Hearts' Past, Present [1Up]

But where is the one everyone is waiting for, Kingdom Hearts 3?

Kingdom Hearts designer Tetsuya Nomura says he already has ideas for the next installment. "But since Birth by Sleep isn't even out yet, I don't have to think about it until awhile from now," says Nomura.

According to Nomura, people have recently been asking him what he is planning for KH3. "KH3. Even though I'm currently busy with Final Fantasy versus XIII, I'm also thinking that it's almost time to start thinking about it seriously," he adds. "Though it's entirely possible that the next game in the series won't be KH3."

When pressed about the still-undevelopment-future KH title, he's tight lipped, but does say it will be more "official" than a KH side story. "I actually told the producer this recently, and he said "...what?" It's the mystery KH," Nomura says, laughing. "Of course, I am also thinking about KH3." Of course!

Ultimania Interview [Kingdom Hearts Insider via HEARTSTATION via GoNintendo]

In the latest issue of Japanese magazine Dengeki, Tetsuya Nomura provides an update. "The progress of developing Final Fantasy Versus XIII is going well," he says.

Nomura is surrounded with much of the same staff he's been working with since the FFVII days. According to Nomura, the staff and he are in tune and very much on the same page — they even catch things before he says them.

Currently the team is testing the battle and map mechanic over and over again as well as checking the game's lighting. "We did a lighting test for the cityscape during noon and evening," Nomura says. "It really gives a good impression — of a city right before your very eyes." Things like the character's actions are coming together bit by bit.

And with Final Fantasy XIII getting a new trailer at E3, Nomura adds, "I don't want to loose [to FFXIII]." While Final Fantasy XIII has been announced for the Xbox 360 in the West, Final Fantasy Versus XIII has only been announced for the PLAYSTATION 3.

Ryu Ga Gotoku 3 (Yakuza 3) designer Toshihiro Nagoshi, White Knight Chronicles dev Akihiro Hino and Gran Turismo mastermind Kazunori Yamauchi have all appeared in the TV spots.

As expected, Square Enix's Tetsuya Nomura gets his own ad. As unexpected, he himself doesn't exactly appear in it, and he doesn't do the voice over like the other PlayStation creators did in the earlier ads. Instead, he's merely reference in this new Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete and what he hoped to convey with the movie's Blu-ray re-release. Maybe Nomura's shy, maybe he was busy. What do I look like, the boss of Tetsuya Nomura? I'm not, you know.

The upside: That's Cloud Strife voice actor Takahiro Sakurai doing the voice over work.

As has been previous announced, Square Enix has gone through and amped up Advent Children for this HD release.

Fan favorite FFVII has been revisited multiple times with the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII series, which encompasses games and movies like Advent Children. To date, there have been four Compilation of FFVII games and two films. The series is headed up by Nomura and fellow Square Enix producer Yoshinori Kitase.

When asked about the next entry in the series, Square Enix's Tetsuya Nomura replied, "We do have an idea for the next Compilation, and for the time being, that's all we can say. It won't start up anytime soon."

With Nomura busy with Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Kitase producing Final Fantasy XIII and all hands on deck for both games, Nomura's probably right.

According to game site 1Up, Nomura states at the end of a 704-page DISSIDIA strategy guide: "There are no current plans for a sequel. To be honest, I wanted to do one up until a few months ago. I even called [Mitsunori] Takahashi, the planning director, and [Ryuji] Ikeda, the lead programmer, to talk about sequel concepts — I told them to think about what they were going to do and prepare themselves [to make a sequel]. However, circumstances inside the company wiped that idea out... to actually make [a sequel] happen would be very difficult given the situation."

(That situation is probably, what, the development of mega title Final Fantasy XIII?)

"If a lot of fans ask for a DISSIDIA II, circumstances might change. I'd like to think about the matter again if that happens," Nomura added. With the way DISSIDIA is selling and with Square Enix's proclivity for sequels, DISSIDIA II seems like no-brainer — and is.

Nomura: No Plans For Dissidia Sequel [1Up] [Pic]

There will absolutely not be an Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII for Japan.

Obviously Toriyama is not mincing words. He's being crystal clear. But, really, why not release it on the Xbox 360 in Japan? Sales of the game in both America and Europe (in multiple languages) on both platforms are likely to exceed the Japanese sales markets — so what's the point of no mulit-platform for domestic consumers? From a business stand point, Toriyama's statement seems rather odd.

Worse yet, I'm beginning to think that asking Square Enix if the game is coming out on the Xbox 360 in Japan will be the Is-MGS4-Coming-Out-On-Xbox-360 of this and next year. Ungh.

Dengeki Scan [2ch.net]

Dissidia Final Fantasy [Videogamerx via PSP Hyper via PSP Fanboy]

Given that it's been over two years since Square Enix first showed off its FFXIII offerings and we're still getting trailers devoid of gameplay, we certainly don't expect to see Final Fantasy XIII until well into 2009. We'll pencil in Versus for 2013 or so.

Let's give it up for ten-year console life cycles!

Nomura: Square Enix blow-out at TGS, Versus XIII on hold [Forever Fantasy]

Haha, no... hmm, how am I going to explain this? Let me begin by pointing out that Nomura is designing characters both for FFXIII and FFvXIII and that it’s absolutely not a matter of us not being able to work together. But ok, there are differences between us, what we want to accomplish and how we create games. It’s not a hostile rivalry, but we don’t share the exact same goal. But wouldn’t it be boring if that was the case? My view of it is that we’re two creative minds who work together sometimes and then move on on different paths, but always meet up again.
When we started to plan for FFXIII, I told Nomura that there were certain ideals that we had to attain. There’s a standard we follow when we develop a new mainline FF. Back then, the plan was to develop the game for the PS2 and we decided that Nomura would make FFvXIII for the PS3. With that, he could do something different; that game wouldn’t have to follow the traditional FF format. And I’ve always encouraged him to experiment and try out completely new ideas. He’s allowed to take risks; it’s almost an end in itself with that project.

In fact, both recently had sushi together a few weeks back, where they talking about "how RPGs could evolve and how the command-based system is in need of renewal, all while being an important part of the genre’s popularity." Bet that was truly an interesting conversation. Too bad only some sushi chiefs and nearby customers were able to overhear it. That's a shame.

New Kitase Interview [NeoGAF]

In related Subarashiki Kono Sekai, Square Enix still hasn't secured the US rights to the title "It's A Wonderful World," the game's English language moniker. Though, apparently Square Enix's Tetsuya Nomura is dead set on getting that English title so watch as his minions make it happen.
Hori Case [Famitsu]

The stories from the past entries in the Final Fantasy series are not exactly as I would have done, but that's as it should be because I didn't direct them.

So what if Square Enix isn't gracing the PS3 with a game until 2008? So what. Final Fantasy XIII is married to PS3 hardware. Just listen to Square Enix character creator Tetsuya Nomura (above, into jewerly) drone on about the PLAYSTATION 3:

It's not just about how pretty the graphics are but more of how much limited amount of movement we can put in one go and how big our imagination and ideas are. The PS3 is the machine that is closest to being able to express our imagination.

Nomura On PS3 [FF7AC reunion via QJ.Net]

With all these new Final Fantasy, it's hard to keep from mixing up your Versus and Agito with your Revenant Wings and your Crisis Core. To keep us on our toes, the new Final Fantasy: Dissidia will be shown at the upcoming Final Fantasy Party (clip above) in Chiba, Japan It's for the PSP apparently and will feature character design by Square-Enix mainstay Tetsuya Nomura. The tag for the game is "Fantasy is endless. Fantasy has no limited form." In Final Fantasy's case, apparently! Brian Ashcraft

Dissidia [Square-Enix via The Platformers]

Square-Enix's Tetsuya Nomura previously revealed that he wasn't making straight out Kingdom Hearts III. No, his next title sounded like it was going to be in the Disney/Square-Enix KH universe — A spin off of sorts. (Can you imagine Square making a spin-off? Impossible!) Nomura further explains:

It is not Kingdom Hearts III, but it is an anecdote... I want to explain what Mickey did in the World of Darkness, and also how he got his keyblade... I want to make this [new project] slightly different from the Kingdom Hearts' series, and change the system a little... The multi-developing makes me want to put it on something else... If we follow this idea, it would be hard to choose if to make the game for the "PSP", "NDS" or the cell phone.

Tetsuya, no need to be picky! Make it on all three. With tons of sequels. Brian Ashcraft

More KH Info [KHN via Dark Diamond]