Why is Ariana Grande in Final Fantasy?
Ariana Grande’s inclusion in the popular fantasy role-playing game (JRPG) series, Final Fantasy, has taken the gaming community by storm. The pop sensation collaborated with Square Enix’s Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, a tactical role-playing game, for an event called "Duel of the Guardians.". This event brought together multiple worlds and characters from other Final Fantasy series. In this article, we’ll delve into Ariana Grande’s involvement, the event, and the collaboration that made it possible. What is Final Fantasy?
Final Fantasy is a legendary JRPG series first introduced in 1987. The series has enjoyed a massive following worldwide with various games, movies, spin-offs, and other merchandising. The term "Final Fantasy" might have originated from the fears that the game’s producer, Hironobu Sakaguchi, could lose his job if Final Fantasy did poorly.
Why did Final Fantasy Brave Exvius partner with Ariana Grande?
Final Fantasy Brave Exvius is a sequel to Final Fantasy: Record Keeper, another 2015 mobile game produced by Alim and Sphere, in collaboration with Square Enix and Cygames. The events leading up to the 2017 collaboration with Ariana Grande began in 2016: when the game’s event calendar was announced, offering limited-time characters, themed events, and collaborations featuring characters from other JRPG series.
This event, called "Duel of the Guardians," was designed around a storyline where the various Final Fantasy character groups, including the Cloud and Tifa duo (Cloud Strife and Barret Wallace from FFVII), Squall Leonhart from FFVIII, Sora from Kingdom Hearts, and even guest star Ariana Grande, join forces under a mysterious force to determine which group is the dominant one.
What Does the Collaboration Mean?
The collaboration between Final Fantasy Brave Exvius and Ariana Grande presents several opportunities for both entertainment and marketing. Here is what it means:
This crossover event allowed Square Enix to reach a wide audience, including non gamers who are fans of Ms. Grande. It generated publicity and increased interest and hype around the game:
For Ariana Grande herself, this collaboration offered immense exposure to a new base, the gaming community in addition to her existing audiences in the music and broader pop culture.
Will we see more collaborations similar to this?
Without question, the success and buzz generated by this pairing might lead to future projects. The possibilities are tremendous for both the gaming market and the music industry and both worlds. Tentative plans have actually already been announced. Fans of both the Final Fantasy series as well as Ms. Grande will always look forward to future cooperations.
Inferences for the Future
One cannot help but wonder – where will this new boundary-crossing trend lead? Considering that the music industry sees growth in the gaming demographics and vice versa, even the most unlikely of musical stars could find themselves being in a game or have a game inspired by, based on, or featuring any kind of music they sing, write, or produce.