I’ll admit, I was a bit cheeky with the headline. You clicked on it, hoping to find news about a brand-new video game in Square’s iconic franchise.
Unfortunately, the news only concerns the fact that Square Enix has a new Final Fantasy IX release in the form of an official picture book centered on Vivi and Grandpa Quan, framed as a small prequel story set before the game’s opening.
In English, the book is titled Final Fantasy IX Picture Book: Vivi and Grandpa’s Memories for the Sky and it is slated for May 19, 2026 in hardcover. Square Enix lists it as a 17.99 USD release, and it notes the cover art is not final. A separate major book listing for the same edition matches the May 19, 2026 date and the 17.99 USD price.
Vivi is pulled from the sea by Quan, who first clocks him as potential food, then realizes he is a kid and raises him. The story focuses on their quiet everyday life, with Quan teaching Vivi how to live well, and it builds toward Vivi leaving home on the day of his departure. If you have a soft spot for the game’s slower scenes, this is that vibe on purpose.
The credits make it feel like a deliberate nod to the original. The story is by Kazuhiko Aoki, who worked as an event designer on Final Fantasy IX. The art is by Toshiyuki Itahana, the game’s character designer, so Vivi should look like Vivi, not a modern reinterpretation.
A couple of details vary across storefronts. Square Enix’s US store lists 48 pages and a square trim size of 8.625 inches by 8.625 inches, while the Penguin Random House listing shows 44 pages for the same English hardcover.
Square Enix warns that release dates can change, and it will update the listing if they do. In Europe, the Italian Square Enix Store page has it priced at 16.99 EUR.
Square Enix’s Japanese store lists the Japanese picture book release date as July 2, 2025, at 1,320 yen, and the official Final Fantasy portal has the same date and price while describing it as a gentle lead-in to the events of Final Fantasy IX.
