Modders are already breathing new life into the upcoming Final Fantasy Resonance demo, bringing back beloved characters from the defunct mobile game Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, most notably pop superstar Ariana Grande. Final Fantasy Resonance, slated for a full launch next month, is a reconstruction of the original Brave Exvius, expanding on its narrative and mechanics.
One of Resonance's unique features is the inclusion of 'Visions,' characters from across the Final Fantasy series that players can summon in battle. While official additions include established characters like Cloud and Lightning, a fan-made mod, dubbed the FFR Vision Studio, aims to reinstate nearly all 1,300 units that appeared in Brave Exvius but were not selected for Resonance's roster. This opens the door for characters like Kingdom Hearts' Sora and Nier Automata's 2B to potentially appear.
Brave Exvius faced criticism in the past, partly due to its inclusion of seemingly incongruous guest characters such as Ariana Grande and Katy Perry. However, some fans have since developed an appreciation for the campy nature of these crossovers. Despite this, Final Fantasy Resonance producer Keisuke Nakashima stated that "Ariana Grande's character would not fit within the vibe that we've created for Final Fantasy Resonance."
Work on the FFR Vision Studio mod is ongoing, as detailed in a recent blog post and roadmap. The modder is focusing on improving character animations and implementing a skill dictionary for Brave Exvius abilities. Future updates may even include side quests tied to the acquisition of specific Visions.