Square Enix has put out another sneak peek of the Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster game, and while some are happy to return to the world of Luxendarc next week, others have simply decided they will not buy the game because of the – somewhat – game key card situation. Yes, one of those messy launches where excitement and venom have been going at it harder than the game’s very job system.
This remaster, which came after its release back in 2012 for 3DS, is now being given a visual makeover on the contemporary systems, but Square Enix’s decision to release this physically as a game key card (read: a box with a download code) has divided the gaming community. Some do not consider sharing an opinion concerning that but a sell-out; others could care less about the price as long as they re-experience arguably in all this past decade one of the best JRPGs.
One player named Lucidwhitey, summed up the sentiment: “I’d be excited if there was a real physical release—I would’ve bought it day one! Now I’m just waiting for a deep discount.” And they are not alone. Many of the responses to the original tweet posted by Square Enix expressed a similar ideology, one of which was from Chantal81647598: “I’m skipping this game because it’s a game key card. If the full game was on the chip, it would’ve been my first Switch 2 pre-order.”
But not everybody is upset. Some of the community members are already counting down; MikeusesAether wrote: “Can’t wait to spend a few hundred more hours in Luxendarc,” while Jeremy is just happy to have the game in his possession, even though he might not be playing it immediately (so relatable). Meanwhile, the other half of the group has begun pestering Square Enix about a PC release with comments such as “No until it’s on Steam,” and “Please bring this to @Steam and @GOGcom,” the comments pouring in.
The remaster looks great, with the updated graphics all the way, the same wonderful soundtrack, and all the Bravely Default charisma that made the original into a cult-hit. But controversy has taken center stage from the actual physical release. Reputation buffs like TN • FluXHound, even though enthusiastic about the original, said, “Damn! I loved BD—great game and story,” expressing some hesitancy towards owning it.
Meanwhile, a proper statement regarding the backlash remains in the works; given the imminent release date, this issue must either be addressed or simply swept under the rug. Will Square Enix backtrack and announce a proper physical edition, or will they decline and just let the majority liquefy away? However, this release is beginning to grow into somewhat of an occasion where outside-of-the-game controversies are becoming as loud as the ones contained within it.
So yeah, if you have been dying to dive back into Luxendarc, here comes a choice for you: accepting the key card or holding out for a miracle. Either way, Bravly Default hype train is gliding down the rails at full speed, with a few complaints from some passengers about the arrangements of the seats.
