Japanese soundtrack + Blu-ray format = steep price tag
Square Enix has strangely avoided releasing the Final Fantasy XIVsoundtrack despite promoting the fact that series composer Nobuo Uematsu was returning to take up composition duties.When asked, we’d been told that they were waiting for the “right time” before releasing it, which I thought would be the launch of the PlayStation 3 version, but it looks like A Realm Reborn is the event they were referring to.
Now, Square Enix did release the soundtrack on iTunes some time ago (which we reviewed), but those looking to have it in a physical format will now have that chance. It comes housed on a single Blu-ray disc featuring music by Uematsu and the Square Enix team along with a 5.1 trailer. It’s currently available for pre-order on CD Japan for about $50, with first press editions coming with a code for an in-game item, and will ship on August 14, 2013.
This certainly beats the strange Hot Pocket-shaped mini albums released many years ago, but is Blu-ray the way to go? Is this too little, too late?