By now, word has spread like wildfire across the internet that Final Fantasy XV is just under six months away from its worldwide release. At its Uncovered: Final Fantasy XV event yesterday, Square Enix confirmed what was, by and large, already known: September 30, 2016 is the release date for one of the most anticipated games in history.

Square Enix’s event, which I was lucky enough to attend, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA started off on an unexpected note when Hironobu Sakaguchi took to the stage to address Final Fantasy XV’s core mission: to return the series to its challenger roots. His introduction was an unusual but welcome admission that the beloved franchise has lost its way in recent years.

And if there was anything that Square Enix proved as the event proceeded from one knockout punch to another in rapid succession, it was that the series’ return to form will be crowned by Final Fantasy XV.

Whether it was Florence and the Machine’s cover of Stand By Me, which is the game’s official theme, or the anime Brotherhood, or the CGI film Kingsglaive, or the reveal of the game’s various editions, Square Enix unleashed one surprise after another. By the end of the event the release date was almost the least important thing revealed. Square Enix managed to keep a movie, an anime, and a popular artist’s involvement in the theme a complete secret.

Oh, and the Regalia flies. That happened too.

I estimated that only a third of the venue was full but the crowd was certainly lively. And why not? Square Enix personnel were out in force to celebrate alongside the fans. Marketing Manager Akio Ofuji actually greeted fans as they walked into the Shrine—I spent 30 seconds debating whether or not to ask the man for a photo and decided to let him enjoy his night. Yoshitaka Amano and Yoko Shimomura were in the audience and received uproarious applause.

Square Enix went for an Apple-esque reveal event and basically nailed it. I’ll be uploading articles that recap the cornerstone announcements from the event.