In a recent interview, Square producer Yasumi Matsuno maintained that production on a Game Boy Advance remake of Final Fantasy Tactics is 30 percent complete and that the company is shooting for a winter release for the game. This report contradicts an interview with a Square representative last month, who went on record saying that while Square was interested in the prospect of extending its Final Fantasy brand to the GBA, it had not yet committed to the project.

Matsuno said that the idea for a Final Fantasy Tactics remake originated with the many requests for remakes and sequels that began after the original's release. When Square re-established relations with Nintendo it was decided that a handheld version was the best way to go. He said that the limitations of the GBA precluded the full-blown sequel that FFT deserves and called the GBA version a "re-envisioning," in which certain gameplay elements like the frequency of battles will change. Matsuno also maintained that an interrupt system will be implemented, allowing players to save mid-battle.

Matsuno's current main project is Final Fantasy XII, which began development for the PlayStation 2 last fall. As previously reported, he said that Square's focus remains with the PS2, and it hopes to continue support for the WonderSwan Color and GBA handhelds. He is intrigued by possible development opportunities for the GameCube and Xbox and would especially like to develop a "completely new game" that makes use of the link-up capability between the GC and GBA.