620°

Why Final Fantasy 16 Is A PlayStation 5 Exclusive

Game Informer writes: "During my cover story trip to Square Enix’s Tokyo, Japan, offices, I asked producer Naoki Yoshida how developer Creative Business Unit III feels about the game’s PS5 exclusivity and what that does for the studio in terms of development. He says it’s important to distinguish that CBUIII doesn’t go into game development thinking it wants to limit a game to just one platform or company."

Read Full Story >>
gameinformer.com
Petebloodyonion359d ago ShowReplies(30)
coolastheycome359d ago

Definitely gonna hurt its sales being exclusive.

DarkZane359d ago

It would have costed them more money to port it on Series X and S than they would have made from the sales. Even more true with Gamepass since Xbox gamers don't buy games anymore. Plus Series S would have gimped the game.

MagUk359d ago (Edited 359d ago )

@DarkZane and all his up voters 🤦🏻‍♂️

Vizigoth04359d ago

That and reducing the resolution of the characters to stick figures.

Tacoboto359d ago

Or exclusivity on the top-selling platform heightens awareness to the title and it sells better due to more focused marketing / potential reputation being supremely polished on its target platform

andy85359d ago

It'd hurt the game more having to be adapted for Series S. What would it have sold...500k? If that. Wasn't Crisis core only about 5% sales on Xbox. It's more effort to make a whole new version for that low number

Chevalier359d ago (Edited 359d ago )

Exactly. It's not worth making 2 more versions for Xbox when you're bound to lose more money than with the extra development time. It's some crazy delusion that Xbox fans seem to think it's so easy to just release Xbox versions of games and it doesn't involve work to do it. Case in point Balders Gate 3 by Larian. Makes me wonder if co-op was scrapped for Halo Infinite for the same reason.

Pyrofire95359d ago

To a degree but the FF audience has been Playstation sided ever since FF7 in 1997 people who are fans of the series probably got a PS; at the very least fewer Xbox owners are fans.

FinalFantasyFanatic358d ago

I used to always buy the new Playstation for every new FF game, that's why I got the PS2 and PS3, can't remember what I got the PS4 for since FF15 didn't come out early in it's lifespan (I think it might have been Neptunia V2). Final Fantasy isn't a system seller anymore for me though, so I tend to look at what other exclusives are on offer now.

shinoff2183359d ago

Ff15 I think sold 15 million maybe 13 million xbox accounted for 2 of those mill. I'm sure whatever Sony gave them equaled those sales if not more.

andy85359d ago

That was also before Gamepass though, now Xbox players buy games far less because of it

FinalFantasyFanatic358d ago

Not likely, and I bet it'll come to PC at some point, maybe a year or two later like alot of the other FF games have. Xbox owners don't buy many games and they generally don't buy JRPGs, Square-Enix like any other company has probably already done a cost benefit analysis and found it wasn't going to make the return they wanted/needed. And there's no-way in hell the Switch could ever run this game, not a big surprise it's PS exclusive when you think logically about it.

ChasterMies358d ago

Where else would Square Enix release FFXVI? Nintendo Switch? This ain’t Pokémon graphics. The Series S? Probably would run like dog shit. The Series X? Too little marketshare in the jrpg market. I give Microsoft credit for courting the shooter crowd and western RPG crowed, but they left behind a lot of genres that PlayStation and Nintendo own now.

XBManiac358d ago

Being on Game Pass is what hurts sales... and income. Companies have learned about this and only some indies will be there if Microsoft money abandons Game Pass massive sponsoring plan.

neutralgamer1992358d ago

Cool

Wait for activision deal to go through and all square Enix and capcom games will be on PlayStation only. Those celebrating and defending Microsoft and their intention to buy publishers better keep up the same narrative and energy

The gaming land scape is about to change and 100% not for better. Less options aren’t good for gamers

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 358d ago
z2g359d ago

the answer is easy. Sony paid.

potatoseal359d ago (Edited 359d ago )

I don't think money would have been the deciding factor. Maybe Sony helping them with development of the game and optimization. I also remember one of the FF guys saying the game wouldn't be releasing so early without the help of Sony.

"From our point of view, the technical support we receive from the hardware manufacturer is a big factor in signing [exclusivity],”

https://www.pushsquare.com/...

Tacoboto359d ago

I replied in the chain above but wanted to do so here to highlight just how important this is.

This game needs to be performant and solid. Let's look at Starfield - the conversation isn't on the gameplay or tone or setting, it's on how much of a technical mess we think it could be. For FF16 and the first mainline attempt at action combat, the game needs to feel as polished/smooth/solid as possible.

In 2020 the Series devkits had very public performance issues. Microsoft's first party went nonexistent in 2022. Redfall was neglected by its own first party because all effort is on Starfield in 2023.

Square has every reason to be cautious around Xbox as a platform. That's not even touching on potential language barriers that could make any tech assistance difficult to even start. Money and time down the drain

Pyrofire95359d ago

The answer is somewhat more complex. It's not a long article. And it's such a clear and obvious answer that I don't think a reasonable person could say it's just about the money.

NotoriousWhiz358d ago (Edited 358d ago )

Developer support definitely can't be understated. Sony had their devs involved all through the process to ensure that they could meet their goals and optimize as best as they could. Microsoft probably did not have any devs helping Arkane and so we all know how that story ended. But on the other hand, Microsoft devs also did Halo infinite, so Microsoft devs may just not have the same level of talent as Sony's devs.

Maybe they should spend more money hiring and recruiting new talent and less money buying existing companies.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 358d ago
P_Bomb359d ago (Edited 359d ago )

Square weighs multiple offers. Sony won the FF roulette. Someone else won Redfall. That’s life 🤷🏻

rlow1359d ago

Do really believe that any other platform had a chance? If you do, then where is the FF remake? After Square left Nintendo it’s been pretty much all PlayStation.

Hell, Xbox would have had better odds if it had been roulette.

P_Bomb359d ago

Hmm. Well, we know XB has the money. But there were also those rumblings of a soured relationship with Square. Phil seems pro-Japan tho. He seems the type that would’ve liked to have FF. For whatever reason(s) it didn’t work out. The future is wide open tho.

Pyrofire95359d ago

FF has SUCH a history with PS it would have taken a LOT for anyone else to partner. SE probably had some intentions from the start and are smart enough to get some cash and resources out of SONY up front.

shadowT359d ago

maybe Xbox Series S was the problem

Pyrofire95359d ago

I wouldn't place it high up in the list of reasons but I could seeing it being a factor.

FinalFantasyFanatic358d ago

I suspect Gamepass deals or sales numbers personally, they did say support was a big deciding factor and I suspect Xbox gives little to none to developers.

Show all comments (157)
70°

Interview: ExoCross Is A New Take On Arcade Racing

Insider Gaming sits down with ExoCross creative director Paul Coleman to talk about the game's development, features, gameplay, and more.

Read Full Story >>
insider-gaming.com
190°

Nintendo confirms its commitment to physical games

In an era dominated by digital downloads and streaming services, the importance of physical media in gaming remains a topic of discussion.

Read Full Story >>
mynintendonews.com
Chocoburger1d 3h ago

Of course, Nintendo has always preferred physical sales, especially since they skew to a younger audience, and kids want games for their birthdays and holidays. They go to the store and pick the game they want.

Since the Wii they have always been the last major publisher to support modern tech or concepts, and they will be the last to support physical if it ever goes away. Which I hope it doesn't.

darthv7213h ago

Nintendo just likes sales in general. If they can sell digital more, they would because the 2nd hand market they do not get a cut of. For me, i tend to buy more physical switch games than I do other platforms. I do have my fair share of digital deals from the eshop though. Especially if its something that i have a sealed physical copy of and dont want to reduce its value.

Cacabunga12h ago

Then I know for sure who I will be supporting

neutralgamer199213h ago

OK, but you need better format where these games could actually fit instead of half of the game being in physical form and all I have being on a digital code or have to download

Hofstaderman13h ago

The one caveat with cartridges. If the leaks are true the internal storage stands at 256gb plus SD card support too.

franwex9h ago

You could have a 256gb card and a 10gb card. Publishers will simply use the 10gb one and make you download the rest.

Inverno12h ago

There are cards that can fit all of a game but those cost more, and publishers are cheap. It's weird cause with how much the switch has sold and how long it's been on the market the costs to manufacture these cards should've been much lower by now. It's a publisher issue cause there has only been very few exceptions on PS and Xbox, rest of the industry would rather force a download despite Blu-ray being cheap.

shinoff218311h ago

Your right. It's definitely a publisher issue. From my time collecting that's what I've come across. Just always remember

Doesitplay.org

Tell you everything you need to know about releases.

Flakegriffin9h ago

Pretty sure most, if not all, of Nintendo first party titles are all on cartridge. It’s the third parties.

Neonridr4h ago

that's on devs who opt for cheaper sized cartridges to save on manufacturing costs.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4h ago
ActualWhiteMan13h ago

Yeah it artificially retains the high prices for their software. Hence Pirates will always have their day with them.

Show all comments (26)
80°

Hades 2 devs are "worried" about Hephaestus boons, expect a nerf soon

Supergiant Games' Studio Director, Amir Rao, has said that he's worried about some unbalanced boons in-game, with nerfs coming soon.

Read Full Story >>
videogamer.com