TheThreadsThatBindUs
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Square Enix's global aspirations hindered by PlayStation exclusivity
remember_spinal
Banned
The gulf between xbox and playstation in japan is almost as big as the gulf between switch and playstation. The playstation still at least has the potential to sell a half a million games in japan between PS4 and PS5, xbox just doesn’t even exist
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sandbood
Banned
He's right.
Elden Rings, simultaneously released on five platforms, was a great success for Bandai Namco, with nearly 20 million copies sold in less than a year.
Meanwhile, the most-awaited Final Fantasy remake of all time only sold around 5 million copies on PS4 because of the time-exclusive deal. They thought PC versions could salvage the situation, but the interest in that game was greatly diminished over time as we've seen to its lukewarm performance on Steam and EGS.
Instead of following Elden Rings's strategy of releasing the game on many platforms at the same time for the growth of the franchise, they decided a time-exclusive deal on a single platform is better for the next mainline game.
Final Fantasy used to be the biggest 3rd party game from Japan but now it's trailing behind Souls games and Monster Hunter.
Elden Rings, simultaneously released on five platforms, was a great success for Bandai Namco, with nearly 20 million copies sold in less than a year.
Meanwhile, the most-awaited Final Fantasy remake of all time only sold around 5 million copies on PS4 because of the time-exclusive deal. They thought PC versions could salvage the situation, but the interest in that game was greatly diminished over time as we've seen to its lukewarm performance on Steam and EGS.
Instead of following Elden Rings's strategy of releasing the game on many platforms at the same time for the growth of the franchise, they decided a time-exclusive deal on a single platform is better for the next mainline game.
Final Fantasy used to be the biggest 3rd party game from Japan but now it's trailing behind Souls games and Monster Hunter.
Yeah SE aren't stupid. They get more exposure in a given platform with an exclusive marketing agreement and possibly less risky cash but it's not like they weren't going after a "global audience" already with Guardians of the galaxy, outriders, and Tomb Raider. Could they be regretting some long ago contract they are stuck in? Possibly, but the article doesn't point to any evidence of the sort. Seems like just the authors feelings.
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DeepEnigma
Gold Member
Danjin44
The nicest person on this forum
Xbox is getting Bethesda games and Playstation is getting Final Fantasy games. The fact is majority of FF fan base are in Playstation rather than Xbox and Square is aware of this which is why they are willing do this deal.
My personal take its waste of money, even without exclusive deal FF just sales better on Playstation system.
My personal take its waste of money, even without exclusive deal FF just sales better on Playstation system.
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anthony2690
Member
I do think the only people we can blame though is sqaure enix, they keep making these strange/stupid deals.
If your highly anticipated game comes out years later to other platforms the hype has most likely died down by then too.
People have moved on and are enjoying the next big hyped up title.
I am thankful Diofield Chronicles came to all platforms though, whilst a much smaller budget game that I imagine most here won't care for or have played, I personally really enjoyed it
remember_spinal
Banned
Yep, thats what turned tomb raider, deus ex, guardians of the galaxy, and avengers into global smash hits on the level of elden ring. Square Enix is really shooting themselves in the foot by not following their western studios multiplatform rollout
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remember_spinal
Banned
Not to mention it was Sony’s enormous marketing budget that put final fantasy on the map to begin with.
nocsi
Member
Yup. Sony took the risks and debuted a jrpg commercial during American primetime. Hindered my ass
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Right.... since the franchise was completely irrelevant before then, just like Dragon Quest.
What revisionist garbage.
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Lucifers Beard
Member
Only Square Enix know how their aspirations are working out for them. This is just an opinion piece and Square Enix wouldn't be purposefully be releasing PlayStation exclusives if it hurt their bottom line.
remember_spinal
Banned
Final Fantasy 6 sold 3 million copies world wide, ff7 sold 15 million and became a global phenomenon, it sold consoles. Theres a reason we are still getting big budget ff7 games today
Monokrom
Member
It surely was the case in Europe. We we were really happy to get the FF games on Playstation.
Only a small group knew about the franchise before then. Imports at very high prices was the only option.
poppabk
Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
Let's not go to crazy.
lyan
Member
I mean the obvious answer is that the exclusive cheque is fat enough to make it worth taking even if it means selling millions less copies.
Demon2blades
Member
FF games don't sell well on Xbox it's as simple as that .
That's how you think if you chase short term profit.
Including re-releases and and combined sales accross all versions. FF7 was a huge departure for the series. I find it ridiculous to credit Sony solely for its success, since the series had always been popular, though mostly in Japan.
Danjin44
The nicest person on this forum
This, I mean if you fan of FF games or any JRPG, Xbox is is very unreliable what games it gets.
Is Final Fantasy pixel remaster is releasing on Xbox or is it skipping as usual?
remember_spinal
Banned
FF6 had a bunch of releases also, literally just got re-released last year and this year. I doubt many gamers under the age of 30 can even name one character from FF6
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remember_spinal
Banned
Skipping, and im sure if xbox gamers wanted to actually play it they’d blame that on sony also
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T4keD0wN
Member
The only one who hinders square enix global aspirations is square enix themselves. They got rid of their western studios for peanuts to fund their nft scams and then published a dozen of below average quality jrpgs like babylons fall, star ocean divine force, valkyrie elysium, some obscure ancient remasters that nobody cares about in 2022
and limp bizkit games last year.
If they have a clue they will attempt to pump up their value short-term with ff7 rebirth 2, maybe forspoken and ff16 before selling off to someone.
and limp bizkit games last year.
If they have a clue they will attempt to pump up their value short-term with ff7 rebirth 2, maybe forspoken and ff16 before selling off to someone.
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akaFullmetal
Member
Such a weird article, square made these deals, they have no one to blame but themselves then. This are fanboy shit theories
Danjin44
The nicest person on this forum
Roxkis_ii
Member
Microsoft money at work.
Every year they keep that old Steve Jobs video relevant.
Most companies do what makes them the most money. The bean counters found that they would make more money going exclusive with PS then they would order wise.
Bet Phil wished they didn't train Xbox fans to just wait until games come out on game pass.
Every year they keep that old Steve Jobs video relevant.
Most companies do what makes them the most money. The bean counters found that they would make more money going exclusive with PS then they would order wise.
Bet Phil wished they didn't train Xbox fans to just wait until games come out on game pass.
Wikipedia has the snes version at 3.48m as of March 2003. FF7 didn't sell 15m copies on the original PS. I don't know where you got that number from. Total combined sales are at 13.9m as of March 2022.
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El Pistolero
Banned
FfXVI would have been outsold by all those big IPs regardless...
remember_spinal
Banned
And this changes, what?
Iced Arcade
Member
Don't worry, Square is going to save itself by turning to the NFT market.
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
What global aspirations?
They sold off the entirety of the Western IPs, which are what arguably reaches more gamers globally.
Stupid "article" is stupid.
They sold off the entirety of the Western IPs, which are what arguably reaches more gamers globally.
Stupid "article" is stupid.
Just posting correct sales data. Should have done that from the beginning.
mckmas8808
Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
Title makes it sound like Playstation is holding SE at gunpoint and forcing them go exclusivity route.
Exactly! Square agree to those deals and Sony is giving them cash in return.
mckmas8808
Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
This sarcasm shows that it probably better for Square to keep doing exclusive deals with platform holders. Because the multiplat games are the ones that aren't selling or doing well.
yurinka
Member
Japan only represents a small part of the worldwide market and the Switch can't handle AAA games.
So if PS and PC are the main platforms where 3rd party AAA sell worldwide I understand why they go console exclusive: their sales would be more or less the same and on top of that they get money from Sony. I don't think that exclusivity would really hurt them or slow down their growth at all.
And well, nobody forces them to go exclusive. They release some AAA exclusive and other AAA games multiplatform. If Square Enix continues choosing to go exclusive it's because they see it's a good idea for them. If not, they would go full multiplatform.
So if PS and PC are the main platforms where 3rd party AAA sell worldwide I understand why they go console exclusive: their sales would be more or less the same and on top of that they get money from Sony. I don't think that exclusivity would really hurt them or slow down their growth at all.
And well, nobody forces them to go exclusive. They release some AAA exclusive and other AAA games multiplatform. If Square Enix continues choosing to go exclusive it's because they see it's a good idea for them. If not, they would go full multiplatform.
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killatopak
Member
They sold them at Xbox. They sold like shit. Like 10:1 shit. No wonder they took the deals. Xbox simply isn't very receptive of Japanese games. Those at Xbox know too since they tried their absolute best in the 360 gen with nothing to show for it the gen after.
cireza
Gold Member
Pretty sure everybody agrees with this.
mansoor1980
Gold Member
cireza
Gold Member
Nobody knows exactly why, as pretty much every other FF game finally made it to Xbox after Sony gave up on all the shares they had in Square-Enix many years ago (only to buy exclusive deals afterwards, theirony.gif). And we are getting Crisis Core. Who tells you they won't be released on Xbox as well ? Who tells you Sony did not pay something to prevent this ? You have no clue.
As usual, you see the same people enforcing the idea that Xbox is not getting JRPGs (and Japanese games as a whole), as if they cared when they actually play on other consoles. How about letting Xbox players enjoy what they get and letting them show their support by buying these games, so that they actually have a chance to get more games like these (virtuous circle), rather than constantly enforcing the idea everywhere that these games don't sell on Xbox and are not profitable for the publisher (quick reminder : you have absolutely no clue about this). This is called propaganda.
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