Square Enix's Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series of games have been a surprising and delightful way to re-experience the older titles. The remasters update the first six games of the franchise, with the latest release being Final Fantasy 4 Pixel Remaster. This remaster has everything from the original SNES game, though there are a few things missing from this version of Final Fantasy 4. One of these is the iconic and beloved Easter Egg known as the Developer's Office.
In the original game, this was a secret area that was hidden off to the side of a pub that can be found in the Dwarven Castle. If players entered this area, they'd be able to meet with members of the game's development team. They'd then break the fourth wall, giving several messages to the player about the game. This room and messages were recreated in different re-releases of Final Fantasy 4, including its 3D remake, but it is sadly omitted from the Pixel Remaster.
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A supervisor of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters and Lead Designer of the original Final Fantasy 4, Takashi Tokita, explained how this Easter Egg ended up being omitted in an interview with Famitsu. He says that while he actually wanted the original dev room Easter Egg to be retained in this remaster, it ultimately boiled down to the fact that including the messages would require confirmation from staff members who had worked on the original version.
He mentions that these members were also consulted on the matter on whether to include their messages in the remaster, making note of one comment from the dev team would probably not be used due to the "current era" as he puts it. Considering some of the original messages in Final Fantasy 4's dev room made references to being overworked, not enough vacation time, and a gender imbalance on the team, it might not be appropriate to include them in their original form.
Other questions in the interview with Tokita revolved around his role as a supervisor on the Final Fantasy 4 Pixel Remaster. This includes consulation on the new pixel art done for the game, as well as some of the re-arranged music. He even comments on the sequel of the game, Final Fantasy 4 The After Years, where he would love to do a full 3D remake of the game - or even just another Pixel Remaster project. Regardless, fans now know why this easter egg was left out.
Final Fantasy 4 Pixel Remaster is available now on Mobile and PC.
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