Final Fantasy signs with Microsoft

[Winter]

At least, thats what I heard.

Word on the street is Sony is pissed at Square for agreeing to make the next three installments in the series simultaneously for the next gen. Microsoft console.

So angry in fact, that Sony has attempted to file unjustified lawsuits against Square.

Anyone heard about this yet? Pretty sweet if you ask me.

[TwistedMac]

on what street exactly are rumours like these flying around?
must be the cool street.

I don't really give much of a fiddle diddle. if they wanna port it to whatever nintendo machine happens to be "in" at that time aswell, that'd be great though.

[Suki-Yaki]

Nooooo NOOOOO!!!!! *dies*

[antantrevolution]

Winter, while I haven't heard this one yet, I will offer my opinion...

This could be a bad thing or a good one depending on your views. The possible good that can come from the cross platform release could be that it will grant the game more exposure to a group larger than it's original 'core' audience or those interested in the games that have had to play them on a PC but can't think to break down and buy a console. This can lead to cries of foul from the ultra hardcore, but that can be said of the launch of the X-Box being touted as proof of one of the seven signs that the antichrist would soon appear to signal Bill Gates as the one true being that could destroy the earth and make the Teletubbies into our new gods.

But all the X-Box did was up the level of awareness people had concerning videogames that Sony had started with the PSX and PS2. Not too shabby, I think.

There could be another side to it, however. With a title going multiplatform, there's always a chance that shady and secret side deals can happen that will cause a title to become platform specific for a set period of time. Look at the original Splinter Cell as an example. An X-Box exclusive at first, it pissed a lot of people off that they were unable to play the game on their PS2's and GC's. So, they were forced to buy a new X-Box or face the horrors of the half assed port that came out for the other systems months later.

Personally, I don't think that the game going multi will hurt anybody, I feel that Sony is barking up the wrong tree trying to file for anything. Last I recall, Square never signed a pact in blood with Sony to remain their b!tch for all of eternity. Maybe they feel that Sony has limited developers because of their hardware choices made for the PS2. Perhaps they felt that the jump from PSX to PS2 wasn't all that high and mighty and don't see they PS3 being the return of Christ that Sony wants everyone to believe. Emotion Chip? What was that again? Oh yeah, a marketing ploy similar to MMX technology back in the 166 days of computing.. thanks Intel.

Perhaps they feel that MS had the right idea when making a console, as the X-Box has shown. MS offered a more powerful system with a solid graphics chip, ease of programming for the system (something the PS2 is NOT known for...), a concrete online strategy and a limitless supply of money to market the hell out of the damned thing (unless you are in Japan.)

Perhaps MS felt that having an RPG giant like Square in their stable would get people in Japan excited about having the next generation of their 40 tonne gaming appliance in their homes.

Whatever the reason, it really doesn't matter at this point. We aren't that close yet to having the new X-Box, PS3 or Nintendo machines yet. I would love to see what Square could do with a powerful system running a FF game, but I will take the wait and see approach and hope that you, or anyone found something useful in my post.

Ant

[Eisuke]

At least, thats what I heard.

Word on the street is Sony is pissed at Square for agreeing to make the next three installments in the series simultaneously for the next gen. Microsoft console.

So angry in fact, that Sony has attempted to file unjustified lawsuits against Square.

Anyone heard about this yet? Pretty sweet if you ask me.

Can you post a real article that shows this is not just a rumour but actual fact?

[TwistedMac]

rumours can be facts too, if you just close your eyes and think really hard and really really want them to be facts.

[BrennaCeDria]

Meh. I'm still all fangirl over the old school FFs, but even though X and X-2 were fun they aren't enough to inspire me to buy a new system for playing future FFs. Then there's also the same complaint I had with the N64--holding the controller for more than five minutes or so cramps my hands so badly I can't concentrate on playing. If this happens, I'll just stick to my SNES carts and my PSX discs.

[Keiichi]

This has to be a rumor. If not, then it would be a pretty dumb mistake. For the fact that Xbox isn't a Japan originated console, the system still isn't as widely bought in Japan compared to their Japan-born Sony and Nintendo counterpart. Now having a Japanese company (SquareEnix) develop Final Fantasy solely for Xbox is quite a dumb move in the business world considering how many hardcore Final Fantasy fans there are in Japan with a PS2 already. If at all, SquareEnix would be more likely developing for Nintendo. If you've ever noticed the the game inventory for the Xbox, it's full of games made by American companies because people in America have lots of Xbox's to know the games will sell. If there are games for Xbox from a Japanese company, most likely that same game was probably developed for another system also.

Keiichi

:blush:

[Winter]

Can you post a real article that shows this is not just a rumour but actual fact?

I heard it from a co-worker at a store I work for. You'll be hardpressed to find a printed article, seeing as the information was apparently illegally leaked out of Sony's legal offices.

TwistedMac, eat sh*t and die.

Moving on, the games wont be for Xbox, they'll be for Microsofts new system slated for next winter season.

The reason why its a good thing for fans of the series, is they wont have to fork over 600 for the new faulty PS3, and on top of that, wont have to invest 80 bucks for the actual games *which is Sony's new starting rate for the new formatted red-laser discs*.

[antantrevolution]

The reason why its a good thing for fans of the series, is they wont have to fork over 600 for the new faulty PS3, and on top of that, wont have to invest 80 bucks for the actual games *which is Sony's new starting rate for the new formatted red-laser discs*.

Actually, I think that Sony is going to be the major pusher of Blu-Ray discs that will run around the same as our standard DVD's now but have more than 30GB worth of information.

Sadly, I feel you are correct in your predictions of a faulty PS3, the last two had major problems... why stop there?

Ant

[BrennaCeDria]

Moving on, the games wont be for Xbox, they'll be for Microsofts new system slated for next winter season.

The reason why its a good thing for fans of the series, is they wont have to fork over 600 for the new faulty PS3, and on top of that, wont have to invest 80 bucks for the actual games *which is Sony's new starting rate for the new formatted red-laser discs*.

Which still doesn't make sense--any XBox2 or whatever will mostly be received just the same in Japan as the first, so why would the Japanese S-E go with MS? Also, Sony knows they can't sell a game system for $600 when a PC can sell for less; and aren't the current systems on a red-laser system? I thought PS3 was a BluRay.

Edit: didn't see the other post already there that mentions the BluRays, although I'm glad I wasn't just imagining that the red laser PS3 was wrong.

[Lina Inverse]

This has to be a rumor. If not, then it would be a pretty dumb mistake. For the fact that Xbox isn't a Japan originated console, the system still isn't as widely bought in Japan compared to their Japan-born Sony and Nintendo counterpart. Now having a Japanese company (SquareEnix) develop Final Fantasy solely for Xbox is quite a dumb move in the business world considering how many hardcore Final Fantasy fans there are in Japan with a PS2 already. If at all, SquareEnix would be more likely developing for Nintendo. If you've ever noticed the the game inventory for the Xbox, it's full of games made by American companies because people in America have lots of Xbox's to know the games will sell. If there are games for Xbox from a Japanese company, most likely that same game was probably developed for another system also.
Yes, that's pretty much it. While the Xbox does fine in the US, it isn't very popular in Japan, so a great deal more people have a PS2. Switching to Xbox and having the large Japanese FF fandom getting shafted will do no good. Besides, I don't think the Xbox audience wouldn't be that well suited as the PS2 audience. There are mostly games by American companies for the Xbox, so this is what many people expect to get when they buy one, and thus a Japanese title might not sell as well. Besides, I'd say it's not too likely that Square would get together with MS... I think they would rather get together with Nintendo again with whom they already had worked a long time in the Snes age.

[Suki-Yaki]

Lina Inverse haven't heard from you for a while. Glad your back to put us on the track :(

[puKKa]

sucks *** IMHO

[forkagentsmith]

i read about this at a different site and i saw that as well
i would rather that happen because that means ffxi will be on xbox live maybe...:) and the new ff games will be for pc and xbox that is kool

[BamaFan2989]

I don't know, I hate the graphics of XBox. Also, I didn't like FFXI, not on the PC. I only played it on a bad laptop though, coughcam(forkagentsmith)cough. So I would rather see some more stuff we saw from X and X-2 that was soooooo good!!!

[Stutz]

^^^^
Why hate the Xbox graphics when they far outclass the graphics of the PS2?

And as much as Microsoft would like for it to happen, this is an absolute crock of bull$#!@ that your coworker must have searched for deep within his ***.
The only company that even has a chance for Square games outside of Sony is Nintendo and we've seen how that's went recently.

[Lina Inverse]

Lina Inverse haven't heard from you for a while. Glad your back to put us on the track :(
I hadn't left in the first place... I just don't post to this games subsection very often :relief:

[digicross]

Don't know, don't care.

If it's for real, it was probably made to tick people off, so just ignore it.

It should be noted that big time video games publishing is all about politic and propaganda (games are propaganda too you know), NOT about any making money at all from the profit of sales.

And yes, that's also apply to 90's (early, mid, and late) video games industry, so even the S.N.E.S. / Super Famicom games are also included. I would even say it goes so far as THE first video game (that would be "Space War").



It should be noted that the originial post was talking about "the next three installments in the series simultaneously for the next gen. Microsoft console", a.k.a. both the PS2 and the Xbox version released at the same time, not necessary a bad thing, unless either Sony or Microsoft want to be first, but hey, these two (Sony and MicroSoft) are only tools used by the same tool user, so don't give much thought about it.

[Japanimaniac]

It's not as improbable as everyone says it is. Just because they signed with Microsoft doesn't mean FFXIII is going to be an XBox (or XBox2, or whatever) exclusive. And besides, Final Fantasy Mystic Quest and Final Fantasy Tactics were both american-made games, made for americans, so Square Enix signing with Microsoft isn't drop-dead crazy (the fact that Mystic Quest sucked, however, could mean something).

If it's true, just expect even more games that have the Final Fantasy name meaninglessly slapped onto them, like Crystal Chronicles, along with releases of "numbered" games that are also on the PS(insert number here).

[antantrevolution]

Neither FF Tactics, nor FF Mystic Quest were American made games. Mystic Quest was released in America first, but it was ultimately a Japanese game first and foremost. It is also regarded as the worst FF game ever made. Tactics was a 100% Japanese game that was rushed over to the US and poorly translated in more than a few spots, making the text a pain to read into at times.

Ant

[Lina Inverse]

Neither FF Tactics, nor FF Mystic Quest were American made games. Mystic Quest was released in America first, but it was ultimately a Japanese game first and foremost. It is also regarded as the worst FF game ever made. Tactics was a 100% Japanese game that was rushed over to the US and poorly translated in more than a few spots, making the text a pain to read into at times.
While MQ was not made by Americans, it was made for Americans - that's why they released it in America first, because that was their primary target group.

If that deal story should really be true, then MS surely paid a huge amount of money for it - probably just to boost the rep of their console in Japan.

[antantrevolution]

While MQ was not made by Americans, it was made for Americans - that's why they released it in America first, because that was their primary target group.


Well, you have to realise that made by Americans and made for Americans are two different beasts altogether. The reasoning behind the game was so younger gamers would be able to play a FF game. Why this thought process was even used, I have no idea. Maybe Square thought American children stupid, I don't know. Then again, during the SNES/Super Fami days, anything was quite possible.


If that deal story should really be true, then MS surely paid a huge amount of money for it - probably just to boost the rep of their console in Japan.

It's gonna be hard to speculate on this until we have more concrete evidence.

Ant

[Japanimaniac]

I'm not sure about where Mystic Quest was made (I no longer have the booklet), but it was intended to be for americans. It was a watered down, less-confusing, simplified FF made to lure americans into the genre at the time. But for those who like the way japanese RPGs are, it sucks. Game Players had a really good article on pretty much every FF title, and where it was released. I had all three pages on my computer before it crashed.

Tactics, you could be right, but I could've sworn it was american-made. Most of the credits are american...except for the main Square staff.

I'll admit the "by americans, for americans" thing was more or less to push my point. You caught me. :p

[Stutz]

It's been about two weeks since this rumor was posted and I'm pretty sure this can be debunked. If this would have been true, about every Xbox fanatic would have been making a thread on IGN on how Xbox 2 will overtake the PS3 because of FF. These guys seem to get their info before the big news sites themselves get ahold of info. The original poster looks like he wanted to stir up some trouble.

[antantrevolution]

I'm not sure about where Mystic Quest was made (I no longer have the booklet), but it was intended to be for americans. It was a watered down, less-confusing, simplified FF made to lure americans into the genre at the time. But for those who like the way japanese RPGs are, it sucks. Game Players had a really good article on pretty much every FF title, and where it was released. I had all three pages on my computer before it crashed.


Actually, not to be a dick, but the game was produced in Japan for American children because somehow, the Japanese thought the youth of our country back then as, shall we say, dumb as a brick? They should see the youth of today! Haha.

Not many people seemed to pay much attention to the 'For younger player' moniker and dismissed it as a crappy title meant for older audiences. Again, not trying to be a dick, just letting you know what most have forgotten.



Tactics, you could be right, but I could've sworn it was american-made. Most of the credits are american...except for the main Square staff.

I'll admit the "by americans, for americans" thing was more or less to push my point. You caught me. :p

This shall entertain you, I think...

Art Direction Hiroshi Minagawa
Battle Maps Hideo Minaba
Character Design Akihiko Yoshida
Character Animation Rumiyasu Sasaki
Visual Effects Jiro Mifune
Visual Effect Artist Yoshimasa Furukawa
Visual Effect Artist Noriko Ikeda
Visual Effect Artist Taizo Inukai
Visual Effect Artist Yuko Hatae
Battle Map Creator Yuko Abini
Battle Map Creator Yuki Aguma
Battle Map Creator Akane Haruki
Battle Map Creator Nobuyuki Ikeda
Battle Map Creator Akiyoshi Masuda
Battle Map Creator Koji Matsuhita
Battle Map Creator Yuka Miyamoto
Battle Map Creator Toshiyuki Mogi
Battle Map Creator Tsutomo Mouri
Battle Map Creator Rena Sasaki
Battle Map Creator Sachiko Tanabe
Battle Map Creator Takaharu Tanaka
Battle Map Creator Misako Tsutsui
Battle Map Creator Takahiro Yamashita
Character Animator Mieko Hoshino
Character Animator Konomi Ishizuka
Character Animator Hiyofumi Kato
Character Animator Toshiaki Matsumoto
Character Animator Eiichiro Nakatsu
Character Animator Tsuyoshi Namiki
Character Animator Makato Sawano
Character Animator Yuichi Shiota
Director of Movies Toshiyuki Momose
Production Coordinator (Movie) Keiko M. Randolph
Production (Movie) Animatek International
Main Program Taku Murata
Visual Effect Program Satoshi Ogata
Event Program Tetsuji Iwasaki
World Map Program Hiroshi Ono
Additional Program Masaaki Kubo
Additional Program Kazuhisa Murakami
Additional Program Kazuo Suzuki
Additional Program Yoshinori Tsuchida
Music & Original Score Masaharu "Rezon" Iwata
Music & Original Score Hitoshi "YmoH.S" Sakimoto
Sound Engineer Motoko Watanabe
Sound Programmer Hidenori Suzuki
Recording & Mixed Engineer Kenji Nagashima
Planner Tsukasa Fujita
Planner Daisuke Fukugawa
Planner Nobuyumi Inoue
Planner Kazutoyo Maehiro
Planner Kiminori Ono
Planner Takayuki Suguro
Executive Producer Tetsuo Mizuno
Executive Producer Tomoyuki Takechi
Co-Producer Michio Okamiya
Game Design Hiroshi Ito
Written & Directed Yasumi Matsuno
Produced by Hironobu Sakaguchi

Sorry, I had to.

Please don't be pissed!

Ant

[Japanimaniac]

Not pissed at all! I'd rather have my facts straight than sound like an idiot (see previous posts) XD. Thanks for the info! :cool:

[antantrevolution]

I don't know, I think the only reason I posted so much info is because I couldn't sleep!

Ant

[Knives]

personally i think Final fantasy should move to PC's much more can be done on a pc. **just my opinion**

[Reiku]

Yeah, if you've got the cash for a top ofthe line machine...

...as far as pure gaming rigs are concerned, consoles seem to have a better performance-to-cost ratio.

That's kind of what ticks me off about the X-Box: It isn't a console, it's a stripped down gaming pc.

Bill "I'm riiiiiiiich biiiiiiiiiaaaach" Gates wanted to corner another market, so he called the X-Box a console instead of the bagain basement PC it is. Now suddenly everyone's oohing and awwing over it because it has a hard drive and internet support--something PC's have had for half my lifetime.

Sorry for the rant, when I don't get enough sleep I tend to rag about things like that--just be glad I didn't launch into a tirade about the sad fate of the Atari Jaguar... :relief:

[Japanimaniac]

Yeah, Final Fantasy as a PC exclusive would be a bad move. Even with XI, a large group of FF lovers were left in the cold (I still don't have it, and I've made it a point to own them all). Final Fantasy fans (making a generalization here) are usually geared towards console RPGs, while PC gamers mostly like MMORPGs. Moving a game that's been a console series for so long into the PC realm, or the online gaming realm, would leave quite a few fans behind. Me included. ^.^"

[Faustianideals]

If this is true then praise allah. I am excited about Final Fantasy going on the X-Box. I was about 75% done with Final Fantasy X, then I was disgusted with the way the game was going.
SPOILER:
Tidus is a dream about his monster dad which was a dream of a dead civilization.
What the hell.

[Lina Inverse]

Yeah, Final Fantasy as a PC exclusive would be a bad move. Even with XI, a large group of FF lovers were left in the cold (I still don't have it, and I've made it a point to own them all). Final Fantasy fans (making a generalization here) are usually geared towards console RPGs, while PC gamers mostly like MMORPGs. Moving a game that's been a console series for so long into the PC realm, or the online gaming realm, would leave quite a few fans behind. Me included. ^.^"
Yes, making it a PC exclusive wouldn't be smart, but what would be smart is to develop it for the PC first, making full use of the possibilities, and then convert it for PS2. The other way round, it would look rather lame (at least graphical-wise) compared to other actual PC games and thus probably would only sell poorly - which probably is why recent FF parts aren't ported to the PC.

[Japanimaniac]

Tidus is a dream about his monster dad which was a dream of a dead civilization.
What the hell.

Actually, Tidus and Jecht are both part of the same dreamworld, which was created by the Fayth. The dreamworld Zanarkand is the world that the Fayth lived in all those years ago. :cool:

How that ties into the Microsoft thing...I dunno. But I do agree with the PC first thing. As long as it's not an exclusive!

[Raymond]

hmm.. FF was born on a nintendo console.. So.. Get the hell back to nintendo.. and stay there!

[Eternal Wind]

I can't believe this but it's unstoppable...square is wise if they were to sign up with microsoft...make big money~

This kinda thing is inevitable...lol

[Chiaki_Kuriyama_Fan]

if sqaure-enix sell their souls to microsoft, i'll cry =( :(

[kevinsano]

if PS2 has the largest user base of all consoles, how would SquareEnix make more money by going to XBOX? Something doesn't make sense. There's only one japanese developer that is almost Xbox exclusive (Tecmo) so I don't think that SE will jump ship soon.

[Chiaki_Kuriyama_Fan]

you see i hate it that i cant play ff11 making it only online was a bad move because most peeps cant play it online, and they should have made a console version, anyone getting 12??

[Stutz]

I can't believe this false rumor thread is still going. Squareenix didn't do any deal with Microsoft, but Sakaguchi (the creator of the Final Fantasy Franchise) signed a deal with Microsoft to have his new studio that is independent of SE make 2 games for Xbox 2.

[Lacan]

please check these links
http://www.rpgamer.com/news/Q1-2005/022405b.html
http://www.rpgamer.com/news/Q1-2005/022505b.html

[smoke]

i'm pretty sure it is true...i say a headline on http://ign.xbox.com sometime in the last couple of days! i was quite surprised, but i haven't played a final fantasy game in years (because i now own an x-box...used to have ps2). i must admit, that my personal opinion is that x-box graphically has the upper hand, and the on board memory is way cool and saves you buying memory cards...but PS2 has the back-catalogue of games! anyway, this isn't a debate...

as far as i'm aware the 'rumour' is true

[Damicci]

Die thread.
FF did not sign with MS a major staff member of the FF games signed a 2 game deal with MS FF is SE property. So the rumor is not true.

Die THREAD.

[Doc]

Dude, Mistwater signed with Microsoft not SquareEnix get it right! Yes the creator of the series signed on, but with his company Mistwater! Damn people need to stop this stupid rumors and get the facts straight!

Doc

[Darshari]

I'm glad the rumor is not true.:relief:

But now I'm curious about these two new RPG games that are going to be on the X-box 360/ X-box. Even though I will never end up playing them because I have no intention to buy the system. I must admit that even though they are not Final Fantasy I wouldn't be surprised that these future games will be as good as your typical FF game. I mean, with the creator of the series working on these games why wouldn't they be.

[RabidPinata]

Its good news for xbox owners

[DarkSharingan]

square + sony :D


square + microsoft :(


death to Microsoft!!!!

[xlogicx]

You all seem to be forgetting the real point here, in the past games were released on specific systems for loyalty reasons or whatever the contract said today though the game companies don't care anymore as long as they can have more profit they will release to all consoles currently in use if they can. Nintendo is unique in this matter just because it is so powerful and it has a lot of titles under it's belly remember what happened to Sega.....!

[Derfel]

Hey, here's an even older topic, why don't you give it a shot? :D
http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1044
You know... they're like wine, they get better with the years.

[Hollow_Desires]

this won't happen, Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy versus XIII will both be Ps3 exclusives, I don't believe Sony would let M$ steal this exclusive, its just as ridiculous as the Xbot fanboys thinking they were getting Metal Gear Solid 4. :-)

[Derfel]

Lol let them think what they want, their theories have a higher fail rate than their console if they underestimate Square-Enix so much.

[DarkSharingan]

Square just announced:

FFXIII is no longer exclusive to PS3. It will available on the X360. Truly a sad day for all PS fans.

[SusuShun]

I'm really happy when I heard this on E3 ..Cuz I didn't get PS3 yet .. but I have XBOX360 .. so I can say that all the games on Ps3 is on XBOX360 too ,, except Metal gear solid ... I can't wait until FF released on xbox360 XD