Decades before the high-production livestream events of the modern era, E3 was a venue for publishers to pitch directly to retail buyers and the media. A newly surfaced video from the Video Game History Foundation offers a rare, unflattering look at this era, specifically the 1998 US debut of Final Fantasy 8, which turned into a prolonged technical disaster.

Quick Facts

  • Event: E3 1998 press conference.
  • Key Subject: The North American reveal of Final Fantasy 8.
  • Source: Digital archive footage captured by attendee Anthony Parisi.
  • Context: The event introduced the Square Electronic Arts partnership.

In 1998, Square was riding the momentum of Final Fantasy 7 and moving to establish "Square Electronic Arts," a joint venture intended to handle North American distribution. During an E3 press conference that was never intended for public consumption, executives from Square and EA gathered to discuss their lineup, including Parasite Eve, Xenogears, and the highly anticipated Final Fantasy 8.

When the trailer finally played, it did so without any soundtrack, only showing roughly a minute of CG footage featuring the protagonist, Squall. The event highlights a stark contrast to modern industry standards, both in production value and corporate rhetoric.

Labor and Industry Shifts

The footage also captures a notable moment regarding industry labor. During the presentation, then-EA president John Riccitiello defended the joint venture by claiming it would "create jobs, as opposed to reduce jobs in the industry." He framed the partnership as an "effectiveness proposition" rather than an efficiency-driven merger. Given the subsequent history of studio closures and layoffs under his leadership in the late 2000s, the comment serves as a jarring historical footnote on the evolution of publisher consolidation.

While Square Electronic Arts eventually dissolved following the merger with Enix, the archival footage provides a candid, human look at the mechanics of the industry in the late 90s, far removed from the polished, rehearsed marketing cycles that define today’s game reveals.