New SNES, Final Fantasy-Inspired RPG on Steam Has Been in Development for 10 Years

Square Enix’s Final Fantasy series may continue to modernize, but that hasn’t erased the audience that still prefers its roots. In fact, despite how far Final Fantasy has come since its 1990 North America debut, several of its older entries remain widely regarded as its high point. One of those is Final Fantasy 6, originally released on the SNES but still regarded as the series’ peak, and its enduring reputation continues to pull other developers back toward that era in an attempt to replicate its success and recapture its magic. ONE FENIX DOWN is one such project. Inspired by that classic lineage, the upcoming RPG is currently slated to launch in Q2 2026 on Steam, marching ahead of a full decade spent in development.

ONE FENIX DOWN is an upcoming JRPG by Regalcraft Games inspired by classic Final Fantasy games, namely those from the series’ SNES golden era. By channeling that era’s emphasis on character-driven storytelling, turn-based combat, and careful pacing, the game clearly aims to appeal to those with an appetite for 90s JRPGs while simultaneously being a nostalgic throwback. What makes it such a captivating project to witness, however, is the 10 years it has spent in development. Now, with its Steam launch waiting just around the corner, those years will finally be put into perspective, as ONE FENIX DOWN prepares to move from a long-running passion project into a fleshed out release.

ONE FENIX DOWN’s Road to Release

• EARLY DEVELOPMENT BEGINS (2016) – Solo indie dev RC Dunn starts work on ONE FENIX DOWN as a passion project inspired by SNES JRPGs and Final Fantasy-style games.
• STEAM PRESENCE APPEARS (Feb 19, 2024) – Regalcraft Games officially announces ONE FENIX DOWN and its Steam store page.
• DEMO RELEASED (Jul 25, 2024) – A free Steam demo goes live, offering around a 30-minute slice of core mechanics and story.
• KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN (Aug 2024) – A crowdfunding campaign runs to support OST composers and stretch goals while demo buzz grows.
• COMMUNITY MILESTONE (Dec 12, 2025) – Dev posts major progress, including main story completion after nearly a decade.
• FULL GAME PLANNED FOR RELEASE (Q2 2026) – ONE FENIX DOWN is targeted to launch on Steam in spring/summer 2026.

ONE FENIX DOWN didn’t follow a typical indie development timeline. Work on the game began roughly a decade ago as a side project by solo dev RC Dunn, and for much of that time, it stayed behind the curtains, choosing a slower, more contemplative marathon than a sprint to the finish line. Over the years, the game grew with characters, gameplay systems, and story elements being added and reworked. More than anything, that approach has shown how seriously Dunn has taken this project, and how much it seems he wants ONE FENIX DOWN to be more than a replica and instead something that contributes a worthwhile addition to the library of classic JRPGs.

It wasn’t until 2024 that ONE FENIX DOWN actually began to feel like a project approaching the finish line. The release of a Steam demo gave players their first real opportunity to experience its combat and party systems, while the Kickstarter that followed helped support the game in its final phase of development. With a Q2 2026 launch now in sight, the game, once only an idea, is finally ready to materialize into something more, bringing nearly 10 years of development to life all at once.

ONE FENIX DOWN Looks Perfect for Classic Final Fantasy Fans

The role-playing genre has long been considered one of the few that doesn’t need groundbreaking visuals and animations to offer a worthwhile experience, and instead thrives on satisfying gameplay and compelling narratives. Games like Final Fantasy 6 embody that philosophy to a tee, and it’s the same approach RC Dunn appears to be taking with ONE FENIX DOWN. The upcoming JRPG seems comfortable in the idea that it doesn’t need to look modern to be worth playing, so long as it has the fundamentals down of what makes a game like it work.

ONE FENIX DOWN’s Features at a Glance

• STORY-DRIVEN RPG experience with narrative emphasis and emotional themes.
• CLASSIC TURN-BASED COMBAT with multiple difficulty settings.
• 16-BIT SNES-STYLE PIXEL GRAPHICS with nostalgic sprite work.
• TOP-DOWN EXPLORATION reminiscent of classic JRPGs.
• VAST WORLD spanning multiple kingdoms and continents.
• OVERWORLD MAP ENCOUNTERS and classic JRPG exploration systems.
• POWERFUL SKILLS including elemental magic, martial arts, traps, and monster abilities.
• 14+ PLAYABLE CHARACTERS with unique roles, skills, and strategic synergies.
• PARTY SWAPPING MECHANICS that keep combat and strategy fresh.
• HUNDREDS OF ITEMS AND EQUIPMENT to find throughout the world.
• 30–40 HOURS OF STORY CONTENT involving war, betrayal, redemption, and destiny.

At its core, ONE FENIX DOWN is a story-driven RPG built around turn-based combat, top-down exploration, and a world that gradually unfolds as players advance the narrative. The game takes place across multiple kingdoms and continents, and it even features the classic overworld map encounters and dungeon-focused progression associated with the games its inspirations are rooted in. ONE FENIX DOWN‘s 16-bit pixel art graphics unashamedly lean into 90s nostalgia without trying to modernize it in the slightest, which just goes to show that this game isn’t trying to be about what players see as much as it is about what they feel and experience.

Mechanically, ONE FENIX DOWN focuses on party composition and long-term strategy, and all the more as its 14+ playable character roster comes into view. Each playable character in the game possesses their own skills and combat roles as well, enhancing the game’s party-swapping system and putting it at the center of strategizing and success in combat. Elemental magic, martial arts, traps, and monster-based skills, alongside hundreds of items and equipment options will undoubtedly lend to ONE FENIX DOWN‘s experimental side too, allowing players to approach the game’s most challenging encounters in ways that complement each unique situation. Finally, its 30-to-40-hour narrative centered on war, betrayal, redemption, and destiny might sound like something that has been done before, but that’s even more evidence of the game’s desire to stay faithful to classic JRPG design—especially with its story at the center.

Given those features, ONE FENIX DOWN looks like it could genuinely contribute something worthwhile to the JRPG genre rather than simply borrow from it. Nearly 10 years of development have gone into building its story, characters, and gameplay, all with a clear focus on fundamentals that defined games like Final Fantasy 6 from the SNES era. Now, with its Q2 2026 Steam release approaching, players will finally be able to experience the culmination of those years. Whether it ultimately earns a place among the classics that inspired it remains to be seen, but the care behind its design and the commitment of its developer makes it feel like it could be more than just another retro homage.

ONE FENIX DOWN launches on Steam in Q2 2026.