In the Japanese market, about 2.5 million copies were sold in the first four days after release. Even in the wake of the North American launch of the Dreamcast on the same day, Final Fantasy VIII became the top-selling video game in the US just two days after its release, and it held that position for more than three weeks.

Reception of Final Fantasy VIII was largely positive both critically and commercially. Along the way, the game's playable cast unravels their forgotten past while learning the values of friendship, compassion and sacrifice. SeeD's involvement with a small resistance group struggling against the oppressive Galbadian government escalates into an international crisis in which Squall's relatively inexperienced squad must protect the world from the wrath of an evil sorceress.

The plot focuses on Squall Leonhart, a cadet training at the Balamb Garden military academy in order to join 'SeeD,' Balamb's elite mercenary force. Final Fantasy VIII carries the series' role-playing legacy forward with a number of elements found in previous games, as well as an improved polygonal 3D engine, new pre-rendered cutscenes and an expansive original story. It was initially released only on PlayStation in 1999 before later being ported to Windows-based PCs in 2000. Final Fantasy VIII is the eighth numbered console installment in the Final Fantasy franchise developed and published by Squaresoft (now Square Enix).

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