'Fantasian' Part 2 release date, story, and platforms for Sakaguchi's masterpiece

Fantasian launched on Apple Arcade in April 2021, but this was actually just the first part of a larger game. Fantasian Part One ends abruptly with a pivotal cliffhanger, so you might already be wondering what’s in store for the second part of this love letter to classic role-playing games.

Fantasian Part Two will continue Leo’s adventure as he regroups with his companions to save the multiverse from a god who threatens to destroy everything. Here’s everything we know about the follow-up, including info gained from our interview with Game Director Hironobu Sakaguchi.

When is the Fantasian Part 2 release date?

A Mistwalker PR representative confirmed to Inverse that the Fantasian Part 2 release window: It’s “coming later this year,” so we can expect it before the end of 2021. The developers are currently putting the polishing the game, so hopefully, we won’t have to wait too long for it.

On April 27, Mistwalker provided an update on Part Two. “We are working on Part Two of the game as we speak,” a tweet says. “The app's future updates will give you access to the second half of the game, so please do not delete your save data after you complete Part One.

Why is Fantasian two parts?

The decision to split Fantasian into two parts is somewhat confusing, but Sakaguchi explains his reasoning well: “This goes back to one of the inspirations of the game, Final Fantasy 6, which had a very similar structure [to Fantasian],” Sakaguchi said. “At about the midpoint, there’s a dramatic shift in the way the game is experienced and played.” It’s also conveniently fitting for a mobile-based RPG to be split into two more digestible chunks.

“The first half is much more narrative-driven,” Sakaguchi said. “You’re following the protagonists’ story and experiencing the game that way, whereas the latter half is much more quest-driven.” Sakaguchi makes it clear that the endpoint of Part One was deliberately chosen so players aren’t confused by the shift in focus as the game opens up.

“The player has more options in where they want to go and which areas of the world they want to explore,” Sakaguchi said. “I thought that dramatic shift in flow would be a little confusing for players all at once. Because of that difference, we thought it would be a better experience for the players if they played Part One and then got to experience Part Two after they had a break.”

Will Fantasian Part 2 be a separate game?

Sakaguchi himself has confirmed to Inverse that Part 2 will be a “massive update to the existing app” and not a completely separate title on Apple Aracde. “Think of it as a big expansion pack,” he said. “You’re going to be able to carry over your save data and all of the progress that you’ve built in the first half.”

The game’s file size will grow and take up more space on your iPhone, Mac, or Apple TV, but if you want to wait, you can then get through the whole adventure at once.

Will Fantasian Part 2 come to consoles?

Currently, Fantasian is an Apple Arcade exclusive. Sakaguchi tells Inverse that he has no plans to bring Fantasian to more platforms at this time: “We’re working really hard to finish Part Two of Fantasian right now, so what’s going to happen after that, including any potential ports, we really haven’t thought about.”

Intriguingly, Sakaguchi did inspire a bit of hope when he explains that Fantasian was designed to work on consoles.

“We approached this game as though it was going to be on a console platform, and we really didn’t have it in our mind that we’re making this to cater to mobile,” he said. “UI elements were taken into account, but with the experience itself, we always wanted to bring this fully fleshed-out console experience onto Apple Arcade.”

While Fantasian itself will stay an Apple exclusive through the launch of Fantasian Part Two, this approach to design still does instill a bit of hope for a potential console release, even if ports aren’t currently being worked on.

Fantasian Part Two will be released via Apple Arcade for iOS, Mac, and Apple TV in 2021.