Valkyria Chronicles was originally an Xbox 360 exclusive

According to a Japanese developer blog the game Valkyria Chronicles was originally planned as an Xbox 360 exclusive game. When the game was announced however, development had already switched to the Playstation 3 platform. According to publisher SEGA the game has been in development for over three years, and had switched platform early on in development. The exact reason why the developer switched to Playstation 3 was not mentioned.

Valkyria Chronicles is currently slated to hit store shelves this Fall exclusively on Playstation 3.

[SUP3R]

360's Japanese sales could play a part in their decision to switch platforms.
That and/or Sony paid them.

[Scott_Steinberg]

Naw its sales.Look at NAMCO BANDAI sales in japan on the 360 its horrible.

[marinelife9]

Obviously because they wanted to sell some copies of the game in Japan. The wii wouldn't have the technology and the 360 doesn't have the sales.

[sonarus]

lol can't believe scott steinberg is famous enough to get on n4g already

[ianp622]

Sony never pays anyone, which is why they lose exclusives to Microsoft, who pays everyone. Although sometimes I wish Sony would pay for big exclusives, not paying anyone fosters a better long term relationship with developers. Notice how many developers that made games on the PS2 are going to make games exclusively on the PS3.

Anyway, of course the sales made them choose the PS3. Why would they make it on the 360 if their core market is Japan? It would be suicide.

[sonarus]

don't buy that sony doesn't pay anyone crap. Sony might not pay to the extent of microsoft. 50 million for DLC is a bit too much considering you could probably make a really really big game with that budget. However there is more than one way to pay for exclusives. Different incentives, more profitability for publishers e.t.c. Sony probably does this more that just out right coming out and saying here is 50 million make us an exclusive game

[Palodios]

Well, I get the striking feeling that Sony may have paid some big money for MGS4, but for the most part they save their resources for 1st and 2nd party these days. Name some big third-party exclusives (that have already been released) that have come out for the ps3. There are a lot more coming (tekken 6, and FF13 come to mind) but lately... nothing. They paid Epic to make the UE3 engine more compatible with the ps3, and I think making Unreal Tournament a timed exclusive may have been part of that, but that's the only one I can think of right now.

[sonarus]

I don't know if sony paid for MGS4 because it was exclusive from the start. On the other hand, sony may have paid to KEEP it exclusive or offered some other incentives

[Palodios]

Well, with the way things are, "exclusive from the start" doesn't mean anything. We've seen piles of games like Lost Planet, DMC, GTA, and so on, but considering the way third parties are, it costs much much less and makes much more profit to make a multiplatform game than make two exclusive games. There are exceptions ofcourse, like Kojima and a few other game directors that prefer to keep the integrity of the game intact and making it for one console to make it the best it can be, but for the most part games aren't developed like that. When we see a game like MGS4 that would potentially sell 5 million copies on the 360, that's a lot of cash, and I feel like Sony needed to put an incentive for them to keep it exclusive. There is no proof obviously, but it seems like NOT releasing it on the 360 would make little sense otherwise.

[Lucreto]

I say Sony pay for some exclusives but they keep it quiet unlike MS.

[gaffyh]

Obviously they switched because of the sales of 360 in Japan.

I really would like to see Sega join forces with Sony. Or with apple and make the Apple iGame or something, that would be awesome...

[niall77]

the game looks very "japanese" and games with that style bomb on 360.

and Im sure the ultra poor sales of the 360 in japan also had something to do with it.

[DEADEND]

I really can't wait to get my hands on this game this fall, I've been waiting a long time to play a really good JRPG for the PS3 and this will hold me until FFXIII comes out next year.

[J@D]

Hmmmmm, that' a interesting comment and easily explain my actual mind state. ButI never thought such a good game will arrive on xbox360 ^__^. But, anyway now it's on the way to be a PS3 tittle and that's what I like even if it was a xbox360 tittle at first now it's the future a PS3 exclusive so far and one of my most buy this year ^__^.

[BeaArthur]

This is why it's good to own both. Just incase.

[ceedubya9]

having both isn't it. You don't miss out on games unless you want to, and you don't have to get involved in the "my console is better than yours" debate because you really shouldn't care.

[leon76]

Talking about losing exclusives........

[pwnmaster3000]

haha funny but unlike micro rich ass sony doesnt have to pay for anything. devs just choices the right and better machine

[The Wood]

and therein lies the problem, the demographic maybe?

EDIT

True Jenzo but wouldn't you rather the game be there in the first place for you to then decide whether its to your particular liking or not.

A game not selling well shouldnt be a reason for another game not to be there. Thank 'whoever' that the modest sales of ico didn't stop the creation of SOTC.

[InMyOpinion]

Depends on wether the game proves to be good or bad =)

[OoLegendoO]

thank you Sega for bringing this on Ps3. It was the right decision ;)

[callahan09]

I think this game looks really cool, but I'm still more excited for Disgaea 3.

[PStriple703]

sony has game's rolling in!

[sonyfanonly]

omg stop with the sony buying it thing if they didnt pay for the exclusivity deal for gta 4 they wouldnt pay them for this - sales is simple as that they know the 360 is in trouble yeah sure its doing good in the US but the US isnt the only country out there

[Palodios]

The thing is, big games like GTA cost a lot more to keep exclusive than a game like this. Considering it cost Microsoft 50 million JUST to get exclusive content (and not even exclusivity of the game) imagine what it would have cost Sony to have made the game ps3 exlusive, despite their late start, smaller installed base, etc etc. Considering that the most expensive game ever made cost 70 million, its pretty clear that a lot of these 3rd party developers are profit-minded and have a lot more to gain by just releasing their big games multi-platform, and its more practical for companies to just have their 1st parties make games for them.

[heyheyhey]

same happened with heavenly sword, same is happening with WarDevil

pwned

[poos3]

bad moms on the loose again hahahah ,the ps3 is a pile of crap this game looks twrrible lair will be a better game than valkir

[bootsielon]

That would have been a really stupid idea

[destroyah]

Well that's too bad because Valkyria Chronicles has the prettiest cel-shaded graphics I've ever seen in my life and the gameplay looks amazingly unique and fun. And the game has multi-player online with over 100 customizable characters, different character classes, etc etc. And don't even get me started on the music, the music score is being composed by one of my favorites.

[Kaz Hirai]

Looks like developers aren't exactly "Jumping In" right, Nazisoft?

MWAH-HA-HA-HA!!!

[meepmoopmeep]

nice, hope this game turns out awesome. i like the art style of it.
can't wait to get it.

[crck]

nevermind

[midgard229]

look at how bad lost oddesy, blue dragon and eternal sonata sold on 360, why wud u put it on a shooter system. most peeps just wanna shoot, unless they are like everyone at this site which enjoys multiple games like mass effect, oblivion, shooters, racers, mech and jrpgs. the average guy just wants his GTA and call of duty.

no lie, i work at game crazy and a guy returned mass effect because he had to read. morons like this plague our generation which is why jrpgs are staying mostly with sony in the future, tho it doesnt hurt to go multi

[Tommie]

Is actually selling very good, it passed 500.000 worldwide last week in only 7 weeks in America and Europe. And this despite the 360 is a 'shooter' console like everyone is saying.

[RIPHDDVD]

Lost Odyssey flopped where it was supposed to be selling well (Japan).

The only reason Lost Odyssey is selling well in North America is because of all the brain dead Americans, believing the hype that 360 fanboys created, about Flop Odyssey being a FF killer. Just look at the reviews. Every single one of them complains about last gen uninspired gameplay that can't even match up to most PS2 games.

LO = Last gen mediocrity cloaked with nice graphics.

[midgard229]

its true, i really dont see why LO couldnt have been a ps2 game, it does nothing new except bring back 4 disc games. good game, sure, next gen? absolutley not. FF killer?, F*** no.

tommie, ur right, but i disagree slightly. while 500,000 is an ok number, it pales when u say world wide. meanin japan and americas sales combined, which make it sad, but still its pretty good for a 360 rpg. to bad to many people are stuck with shooters, we are flooded with them.

like i said, us as n4g gamers are the only ones who play a variety of games and that sux cuz what we are only a few thousand strong? lol

least alot of the good games are almost done and will smash ashores soon, white knight, ff13, ff versus, Valkryia etc here we come!

[ceedubya9]

Since we're on the subject of LO, I don't recall anyone ever saying it was going to be a Final Fantasy killer. Now as far as it being a game similar to Final Fantasy, yes. But killer, NO. The Fact that you, RIP, called it "Flop Odessey," doesn't even give me the impression that you played the game or even thought about giving it a chance. The general word going around from people that HAVE played it, is that the game is good and worth a look.

Midgard, I understand your points. But although 500,000 does seem small compared to worldwide right now, who's to say that it won't sell 500,00 more before the end of 08? It is a new franchise, JRPG franchise, on a console that doesn't sell in Japan. I'd say that LO is doing OK considering the odds.

Also, when you think about it, how many JRPGs NOT labeled Final Fantasy actually sell multimillions, let alone 1 million units. Probably not many. As long as there are gamers like us out there, that actually like variety, I think there is room for anything on any console.

[Sayai jin]

Japanese Dev going exclusive on the PS3, not suprise. Sales in Japan were a huge part and I have a weird feeling about the game if MS did not put up a big fight for it.

[pwnsause]

heres a reason why, look at Japan Sales Charts,I dont have to state anything if you are looking at their sales charts. look what next-gen console is not selling. PS3 was the obvious platform to choose if they were going with next-gen hardware.

[HarryEtTubMan]

PS3 RPG's coming in 2008: Eteranl Sonata, Fallout 3, Overlord, Disgea 3, Valkyrie Profile, The Agency(maybe), maybe White Knight Chroncles, Last Remnant.... I know there are quite a few more and just can't remember.

2009 AND BEYOND = PS3 is taking over the RPG's

[Fux4Bux]

Guess they're finally realizing what a stupid idea it was to be making Japanese style games for the 360.

[AllroundGamer]

maybe the devs are finally seeing, that the history will repeat itself once again, so they are jumping ship...

[akaFullMetal]

wow, didn't know that, well that is good for ps3 fans

[jackdoe]

Well, kind of obvious that it has to do with sales of the 360 in Japan.

[Pain]

.

[bioshock]

they must have seen the future...360 is doomed..hahahahaha

[ELite_Ghost]

OWNED!

[hazbaz]

Smart move indeed. Look at how well Yakuza 3 sold in Japan in it's first week. Let's just hope this one will be a worthy game for an exclusive.

Now, Iwish if Namco was this smart...

[Obama]

If it remains a 360 exclusive, then it would have sold like crap. Sega made the right decision to develop the game for the ps3.

[ceedubya9]

They won't move a lot of units in the long run. However, if you put a big one on there, a TRUE Final Fantasy game, then you can count on big sales. Believe it or not, there are 360 gamers that are PS gamers as well, and would love a good quality RPG on the 360. I just believe that for the most part, the game needs to have some type of name recognition to be really effective.

[Gitaroo]

Sega has said it before that they think PS3 will eventually be the winner of the race. Its normal to see them betting on PS3 this time around. Another thing is most the sales for any non FF jrpg come from JP, espeially like Tales series. Namco is just digging their own grave if they made the new Tales completely 360 exclusive. Which is also why the creator said he is alreading looking into porting the game.

[Snukadaman]

This is hilarious....off a blog as well.

[Asurastrike]

lol we know why the switched platforms. Games like this mostly appeal to the Japanese market, and the 360 doesn't appeal to the Japanese market.