Popular JRPG development and publishing studio Square Enix is threatening to ban streamers who broadcast the ending sequences of its newest title, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. The game, which officially launches on March 18, is currently open to players who pre-ordered the title digitally, but cannot be streamed in its entirety due to restrictions put in place by Square Enix.
Developed by Team Ninja, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is an action-based JRPG that takes players back to the world of the very first Final Fantasy game. Like all Final Fantasy games, Stranger of Paradise is a story-driven adventure that delivers a prominent narrative combined with combat sequences. The game is centered around Jack Garland, a man determined to destroy Chaos, and his companions who aid him on his journey. Stranger of Paradise has been well reviewed ahead of its upcoming launch.
Due to the narrative-heavy nature of the game, publisher Square Enix has decided to place restrictions on what parts of Stranger of Paradise content creators are able to show the public. According to Game Rant, Square Enix has published a set of “Gameplay Video & Livestreaming Guidelines” aimed to deter streamers from broadcasting the final act of the game. Square Enix's official website outlines specifically which parts of the game are prohibited from being shared: “Do not livestream, post videos, or post anything from the ending of the Game – including, without limitation, the content following the final battle up until “The End”, “To be Continued”, “Fin” or similar messaging is displayed.” The guideline message above does not go into great detail about when the footage restrictions expire, but popular streamer Cohh Carnage claimed on Twitter that the rules are set to be indefinite, as per a conversation he had with a Square Enix representative.
The ban on Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin ending scenes may not be a surprise to many, as Square Enix made it a point to take down footage of Final Fantasy VII Remake’s ending sequences from YouTube, even months after the game was released to the public. It is a remarkably harsh punishment for creators of video content, though, and one that doesn't make much sense in the grand scheme of things; if potential fans wish to avoid spoilers, they can simply avoid looking at such videos.
Should any content creators choose to ignore Square Enix’s warnings, it is unclear what repercussions they would have to face. The “Gameplay Video & Livestreaming Guidelines” do not mention any specific penalties that Square Enix would exercise, though it would be reasonable to assume that any released footage would be taken down, and a ban on early-copy access would also be applied to the malefactor. With the number of Final Fantasy enthusiasts streaming their Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin playthroughs, it is only a matter of time before someone ignores Square Enix’s threats.
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin releases March 18 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Sources: Game Rant, Square Enix, Cohh Carnage/Twitter