Like many PS3 owners, I flipped my shit when the FFXIII bombshell announcement was made. However, given a day to reflect and think about everything, I realize that it isn’t all that bad. While I would have liked to have this upper edge on 360 owners, everything is well in the sense that we’re still gonna be getting the game.
The biggest problem most PS3 owners had with the announcement, I think, was the fact that we lost this leverage against 360 owners. Sure, 360 owners can say shit like “HA! Looks like we CAN handle games that were originally thought to only be achieved on the PS3.” But the thing with that is that, in actuality, they can’t; what we can achieve on one dual-layered BD-ROM, they have to emulate on various DVDs. This isn’t meant as a swipe at 360 owners, but just to bring things to perspective.
Another point was the fact that PS3 sales, and indirectly, PS3 support will take a huge hit because of the news. Instead of all the Final Fantasy fanboys saving up for the PS3, they can simply turn to a 360. While FFXIII won’t be selling PS3s the same way we all expected it to, I think it’s still assumed that the PS3 version will be the superior version. (Note: For those with their marshmallows ready, I specifically noted that that note was just an assumption, not fact.)
However, what makes me feel better about the whole ordeal is the fact that Final Fantasy XIII won’t even appeal to a majority of the 360 fanbase. Of course, like all things, exceptions are made and present. But come on, up to this point, the Xbox line hasn’t been known as an RPG haven the same way the Playstation line has. Granted, the tides may potentially change with the onslaught of 360 RPGs coming out. BUT, I think, this announcement will affect FUTURE 360 owners, or at least a small percentage of current 360 owners. Square-Enix acknowledges this fact as well as the shitty 360 support in Japan, which makes sense for them to not release FFXIII on the 360 there. Yet, I think they overestimate their flagship title’s pulling power with a fanbase which is known more for their action and sports leanings. Sure, it looks enticing to want to spread your wings with an install base that’s [whatever the 360 ownership base is], but to test it out with a group that isn’t really RPG-centric is a bit iffy. As stated, this is just my opinion and how I view the situation.
Whatever happens in the future, only the positives lay true:
- Square-Enix will hopefully rebound from such a shitty fiscal year, which could potentially lead to some more innovative games.
- Final Fantasy Versus XIII is still a PS3 exclusive for now (and hopefully forever.)
- My Dual Shock 3 fits a lot more comfortably in my hands than a 360 controller. ;)
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They know most 360 hardcore people are Halo people,
I doubt they have high expectations of the sales of the game. FF12 did good, but paled in comparison of the sales of FF10. I just think JRPGS had their time, after 10, the FF series went, kinda stale :(.
It's all about the shooters these days, sadly.
I agrre with your point, however like you already stated, the first thing for ANY publisher is to break even, Squeenix
needs to do that.
We all know that ff13 will be a very expensive title to develop, we all know the costs of HD gaming. So even though the 360 is NOT the tradtional RPG market by far, FF13 on 360 is way of getting the production costs back, profit IS important, but expect Sqeenix to be wanting to get all the money to break even first.
IT IS a risk developing for the 360, but a bigger risk is developing for the ps3 alone, in Squeenix eyes anyway.
They made Crystal Tools(the next-gen Square engine) easy to make PC/PS3/X360 games multiplatform.