Final Fantasy 15’s director Hajime Tabata is working on a new game, currently calledProject Jewel(formerlyShallah), but it seems like the title already has the same problem that Square Enix’s RPG faced, which led to mixed reception at the hands of players back in 2016.Project Jewelis an RPG being developed by JP Games, Tabata’s new studio, in cooperation with the AI development company Quantum Solutions. The title was announced in 2024 and is said to draw inspiration from theOne Thousand and One Nightsfolktale compilation.
Little else has been revealed about the game, aside from the fact that it is described as a “cutting-edge” RPG for adult audiences. The game is being funded by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment thanks to a partnership established by Quantum Solutions.This is JP Games’ second project following Tabata’s departure from Square Enix in 2018, with the first of them beingThe Pegasus Dream Tour. While Tabata’sFF15was an important gamein the series, it was met with some controversy over the years, and it seems likeProject Jewelis heading down the same path.
Progress On Project Jewel Has Stopped
A new report by the Japanese media outletGameBiz(viaAutomaton) states thatthe development ofProject Jewelhas come to a halt, and there is currently no prospect of it returning. According to the report, Quantum Solutions evaluated the demo presented by JP Games and decided that the studio needs to make changes to the game to “better fit market needs.” The report also says that Quantum Solutions claims that JP Games hasn’t provided “a clear response” to the demands.
This is the reason the development ofProject Jewelhas stopped. According to Quantum Solutions, the company is still evaluating the possibility of using the assets provided by JP Games in the future. However, there will be “no further development or investment is expected to progress at this stage.”For now, the game hasn’t been canceled, and there is a chance that Tabata’s team will revise what was asked. However, fans ofFinal Fantasy 15may have a feeling of past mistakes repeating themselves in the new venture.
Hajime Tabata’s New Game Is Repeating Final Fantasy 15’s Development Story
FF15 Underwent A Troublesome Development Process That Affected The Final Version
Themishaps presented inFF15are many, but one of the central ones is how rushed the game feels at some points, not clearly exploring certain plot points that were built in the early game, and ignoring others altogether. A lot of this is due to howchaotic the development process forFinal Fantasy 15was.The game went through years of development hell, initially asFinal Fantasy Versus XIIIin 2006, and later rebranded asFF15in 2012, when Tetsuya Nomura was replaced by Tabata as the director.
The project was disastrous when it came to its development cycle, and while the game was eventually released in 2016, it still carried notable scars from the problems that affected it. This can be seen in its story, which was rewritten, as well as underdeveloped characters, for example. IfProject Jewelis going through a similar problem in terms of development, then the title may be another stain on Tabata’s legacy. However, there’s a chance thatProject Jewelmay not even see the light of day likeFinal Fantasy 15eventually did.
