Kitase: FFXIII to hit Europe within 12 months of Japanese release

FFXIII producer Yoshinori Kitase has told Videogamer that the European version of FFXIII should release within a year of the game hitting Japan.

“Obviously we would like to release it over here as soon as possible," he said. Traditionally the Final Fantasy numbered series, it takes about half a year between the release in Japan and the release in North America, and another half a year before it's released in Europe. But we would like to minimise this, this time.

“For example we have already started recording English voices, and also the text localisation has been in progress, too. Normally we complete the Japanese version first, then move on to the US and EU versions, but this time there are some tasks that are happening simultaneously. So this time we're hoping to release sooner than a year later than the Japanese release.”

That's Christmas 2010, European people. If you speak English you'll be able to get your US imports on sooner from the sound of it. If you don't, looks as though you'll just have to wait.