The Last Story Entering Extended Production

While Nintendo never really provided the public with a release date for The Last Story, a column on the design studio Mistwalker’s blog, by director Hironobu Sakaguchi, reveals that the game’s production schedule is extending out longer than expected. In one column, Sakaguchi writes:

The development of the last story is at its climax. It’s taking longer than I thought. After seeking the new style, I could see many directions of how to strengthen the balance adjustment and system in detail; moreover I would like to try them at some degree. However, just a little bit longer. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I step on the gas quietly and calmly.

Judging by Mistwalker’s Twitter feed, things have been rather busy of late. It would appear that the development team — Artoon perhaps? — has been spending quite a few late nights at the office to work on the game, as there have been numerous in-studio dinners this month. This is further evidenced in another quote from Sakaguchi, who goes on:

I can see that the team members are losing their physical power, so today, Saturday is a day off. I am thankful of having a 2 day weekend. But somehow, I still find myself starting up the build of LS in the morning. It’s just like the sense of I can’t take my eyes off of the sleeping face of a newborn child. Surely, she will open her eyes really soon. I am feeling the button of the controller in my fingertip instead of feeling the breath of the sleeping baby on my palm. (^_^;

And finally, in a Japanese column that has yet to be translated as of this post, Sakaguchi confirms that The Last Story is entering extended production. Keep your fingers crossed for E3 two weeks from now, and hope that the game is present at Nintendo’s press conference in some form.