Final Fantasy VII Remake: Why Did Square Ditch Xbox?

IGN: “As we break in our brand-new studio, our Xbox crew discusses why Square seems to have had a change of plans with regard to an Xbox release of Final Fantasy VII Remake. Plus: the director of Halo Reach has a new first-person shooter, The Division 2's director contemplates a single-player spinoff, Gears 5 says no to smoking, and more!”

[blacktiger]

Sony will never allow that happen even though they don't own it

[InflectionPoint]

Final Fantasy 15 and Kingdom Hearts 3. It did happen.

[djplonker]

@inflectionpoint

Final fantasy 14 and kingdom hearts 1.5/2.5/2.8 are on ps4 but not xbox

Doesn't prove anything either way.

[SamPao]

ff14 isn't because they did not allow crossplay (ms)

[djplonker]

The latest expansion just came out 2 weeks ago and its subs are growing.

Microsoft are really into cross platform play now too so I don't see why it isn't on xbox unless square thought it wouldn't do so well.

[Magic_Spatula]

@SamPao The reason why 14 was never on Xbox was because at the time of negotiation with Microsoft, Microsoft didn't support crossplay and that the game on Xbox would require their own servers. Yoshida didn't want that as he wanted everyone on any platform to be able to play together. Apparently Microsoft hasn't changed that policy so until it changes, the game will never come to the Xbox.

[bouzebbal]

What I wanted to say.. These two sold so poorly..

[neutralgamer1992]

It will be down the road but won't be soon

[Godmars290]

It didn't happen well enough is the point.

When Square went near exclusive with the 360, put a flood of games on that system instead of the PS3, none of them sold well. That Square half @$$ed those games is besides the point. Meanwhile what was on the PS3 as well sold better.

[DarkZane]

Those were announced before everyone realized Xbox wasn't relevant anymore. Notice how most of AAA games from Japan that SE has released didn't come to Xbox One?

[blacktiger]

we are talking final fantasy 7

[shauzy]

they both happened like last minute or the info got leaked that it'll be on xbox, idk i think ff7 will be on xbox just not announced yet

[Juusterey]

@shauzy
Are you saying FF 15 and kh3 were announced last minute?
cos they were both announced as multiplatform years before they came out

[DillyDilly]

Its likely exclusive until it completes which will take years given its multi episodes

[Pickledpepper]

I gave you an up vote just because dillydilly lol

[Eonjay]

Square is making easy money. Its a known fact that their games sell better on PS4 so their was nothing to lose by taking whatever Sony gave them. Will it be on Xbox one day? There is a good chance, but there is no reason to believe that they are in a hurry or that it is any time soon.

[Segata]

People said the same about the original.

[Eonjay]

For 2 decades yes. So lets check back in 2040 so you can be vindicated.

[Segata]

Eonjay

This isn't exclusive. How hard is it to comprehend on stage Sony said "play it first on PS4" that's a 1-year deal. It's not exclusive. I have a PS4 but I don't like FF7 anyway but people need to stop pretending this is exclusive when neither has said that.

[milohighclub]

@segata

Since when did "play it first on ps4" mean it's coming to xbox?

It could mean its coming to ps5, pc, switch, mobile...

[Nu]

We need a Chrono Trigger Remake next

[Pedantic91]

They didn't. Technically.

It's very obviously a timed exclusive for PS and to be released later for other systems.

The original only stayed exclusive for around a year and couple of months until the PC version hit the stores.

[Elda]

It stayed exclusive to Sony's PS gaming platform & consoles for 22 years before going on another company's gaming console. PC run games to play but it's not a gaming console.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Ff7 was exclusive for less than a year because the international version launched in 1997. I remember because I tried to run it on my 486, and couldn't.

[2pacalypsenow]

FF7 came out in Jan 31st 1997 on PS1 and on June 25th 1998 on PC

[LegoIsAwesome]

One year later: "Final Fantasy VII Remake: Why did it release on XboxOne, PC, Switch"

[Asuka]

Also One year later: "why Nintendo Switch is the best way to play Final Fantasy 7 remake"

What is really funny is that I'm not even being sarcastic smh...

[LegoIsAwesome]

@Asuka Hahahahha yeahh.

"Why Nintendo Switch is the best way to play all games"

I own a Switch and I love it but those articles always made me laugh.

[jaycptza]

on Switch it would like shite and run like shite too

[InflectionPoint]

Haha you guys are funny. Have you ever noticed how every new game on the switch is a cartoon. Any realism in lighting or character design quickly destroys the consoles hardware. Witcher looks like shit on Switch. So youre saying that a NEW game (not released 5 years ago) that has realistic lighting is gonna run at 30fps. You clearly dont understand how hardware works.

[gamer7804]

when all of the installments are out they'll be on more systems for sure.

[SyntheticForm]

My feeling is that it will come to Xbox eventually.

[gamer7804]

no where did they every say it was ps exclusive, its going to be a timed exclusive, better get used to waiting on this game anyways since its coming out in installments. I'll maybe wait until there is a collection of them all together with all the stuff rather than paying 60$ for each installment.

[bluefox755]

Even if it does, it won't really matter. The primary audience is on Playstation, and if you're a big fan of the original, I doubt you're gonna wait around for years until the episodes are finished and it may or may not eventually come to Xbox. Even if it's not technically an exclusive, it might as well be at this point.

[Kavorklestein]

Some people waited until this gen's re-releases to even play thru the original. Maybe some are willing to wait for the remake, who knows?

[RedDevils]

When everyone will be enjoying on their ps5/6 and xbox 1080 (whatever they gonna name it).

[TheEnigma313]

Because it will sell better on PS and Sony probably off set the potential xbox buyers.

[jaycptza]

we have a winner!

[Magic_Spatula]

Final Fantasy has always sold better on the PlayStation.

[Magic_Spatula]

@Gahl1k Pretty much. I doubt many people outside of Japan even knew what Final Fantasy was until 7.

[RedDevils]

Xbox only owners need to understand that, no one buy JRPG on xbox so if you even interest in the genre you need to buy a PlayStation/PC or Switch to have full support for that genre.

[Lexreborn2]

You know what is a more interesting perspective? That there are people who REALLY want this game, yet they have convinced themselves that they would be okay with playing it on future devices not on the market yet then to buy it for the system it's coming on. These people are clearly the minority of the people who actually will get it regardless. But, to hate a system so badly that you have secured a future purchase in your head for a completely different device as long as it isn't the current is baffling.

[stuna1]

This^^^^^^!

[Lexreborn2]

lol I think a few people feel attacked on what I said.

[Silly gameAr]

Why does it matter? It's not like it won't be coming to the xbox eventually.

[Nitrox]

Is that confirmed anywhere?
I agree it’s certainly a possibility, but there’s no reason the expect it to be the truth...

[Magic_Spatula]

There's always that potential but until Square says otherwise, for now it's exclusive to PlayStation.

[Italiano1234567]

Maybe because when they brought over KH 3 80% of copies sold on ps4 so maybe its not worth it. Idk

[Movefasta1993]

My guesss is ff7 will sell like 10+million on PlayStation and 2+ million on xbox . 2 million is still two million, it's not like porting a ps3 game to a 360 game, it's easier now.

[Dragonscale]

As it currently stands its gonna sell 0 million on xbone lol.

[DarkZane]

2 millions copies sold isn't gonna cover the cost of porting, marketing and everything else. Plus Sony could easily cover those sales to make sure it stays exclusive if they wanted.

Also, when they said "Play it first on Playstation", it probably means it's coming to PC next and that's it. I don't see why people think this would come to Xbox, it wouldn't sell.

[derektweed1]

@DarkZane

How expensive do you think porting from playstation to Xbox is?
The marketing is already existing, just use the existing material and put an xbox symbol on it.

2 million units sold won't cover that?

[TeamIcoFan]

Waiting for those gifs of Barret shooting the xbox logo.
Come on, you know damn well some fanboy's working on it right now.

[Saranya]

Thats because Sony paid them.

[jaycptza]

possibly but we don't know what the remakes sold like on XB and the cost of getting the game on XB versus the potential revenue is the likely factor

[Magic_Spatula]

Nah. It's most likely like what @jaycptza said. It's all based on potential revenue. Square Enix games (specifically Final Fantasy) has always sold significantly less on Xbox. Square is just going off of their sales history and made decisions based on that.

[Dragonscale]

Evidence ?

[FGHFGHFGH]

xbox had marketing rights for ffxiii in the us. I saw a commercial when I was watching nba all star week and it only showed xbox logo. PS version outsold it like 3 to 1. This was on the 360 which wasn't selling like crap either.

[Asuka]

It will come to other platforms eventually. Whether it be a year or two who knows, but eventually. But you can be assured that the marketing campaign is all going to be about PlayStation and continue to be.

[XiNatsuDragnel]

Fps from halo reach director, SP spin off is interesting

[CurbStompin]

It will come out next year on XBOX Scarlet im sure.

[Thundercat77]

You wish... you mean

[AspiringProGenji]

It was announced as a “PS4 first” which people assumed that it would also come to PC, then maybe XBoX. This is how it was before with PS1 and then PC (back when PC wasn’t even taken seriously for gaming). FF VII is a PS classic do why would anyone not see this coming? Especially, with how expensive this game is and the episodic crap? I’m pretty sure either episodes will come later to Xbox or they will release it once the entire game is finished. Either eay, not only FFVII is a Ps classic, but PS4 has the most sales. Yet another perk of having the most sold console in the market. Whether you think Sony payed or not, those two points I mentioned are most likely the reason

The Xbox version was never ditched as it was never announced for it. Get over it!

[quenomamen]

Relax, it’ll hit Xbix one day, just like PUBG came to PS4 after all everybody swore it wouldn’t.

[InflectionPoint]

Lets just get in on the PC where all games belong.

[Intentions]

Cause Sony funded it for timed exclusive. Case closed

[TheHateTheyGive]

The best console with the best exclusives gets the best games first, i doubt it will come out on xbxox because most their players expect every game to be on game pass, it might come to pc in a few years.

[Flewid638]

Not enough people have one for them to spend the resources making it for Xbox.

Plus that demographic prefers FPS over third-person genres of all types.

[akbennyewu]

Maybe because it is the platform with the smallest install base, which of that base is the least likely to dive into games of JRPG descent.

Believe me, I want it to come to the box and think it still may far down the road, but does this really require an article pretending that critical thinking is needed?

[wheresmymonkey]

Because Sony have helped fund the development of it. I thought that was fairly common knowledge.

[WickedLester]

I think the better question is, if you're a big fan of Final Fantasy or JRPG's in general, why in hell are you gaming on Xbox anyway?

[FanboysKiller]

To trick consumers.

[djl3485]

Because fuck yo Xbox.

[AK91]

Publishing deal with Sony, personally I think it’s a Nier Automata and Hellblade situation which was a PS4 exclusive for its first year but eventually came to PC and XB1

[masterfox]

because they don't deserve it .

[StormSailor]

What is an Xbox?

[Miacosa]

Sony helped to make it happen but its only a time exclusive.

[JunMei]

It'll end up on XBOX and PC in due time. Perhaps by the time the second installment comes out.

[Soybetaboy]

Xbox Nation, nee don't need FF7

[ACEMANWISE]

Will there be voices this time around or text to read?

[Juusterey]

It didn't
it "ditched" in the same way i ditched my uncle for dinner last night
it was never something that was happenign in the first place