290°

Square Enix’s Nier Initially Was a 360 Exclusive

Square Enix’s Executive Producer Yosuke Saito, during an interview with a Japanese website Inside Games, stated the company’s original plans for Cavia’s Nier were limited to one console

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Chubear5095d ago

Imagine the success they could have had by now had they put 1/10th that effort towards the PS3

darkmurder5095d ago

Nier more like meh, never even heard of this game and as expected another subpar SE game.

Troll-without-Bridge5095d ago

Nier is from Canvia, SE is just the publisher.

Anyway Se has been having some weird platform decisions this generation.

Wrathman5095d ago

they only need to be ps3 exclusive in japan.everywhere else in the world is like 'wotever'!

zatrox5095d ago

Lemme tell ya, it's pretty much not sub par. The tracks the game has are great, and the story is really something that takes you by surprise. The whole game is filled with ideas, the characters are likeable, and overall, despite its flaws, it's a great game I found myself hooked to.

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tplarkin75095d ago ShowReplies(2)
vhero5095d ago

It was a 360 exclusive until the FFXIII sold a hell of a lot better on PS3 then they realised where there real audience lay and yet again with this game it was proven that PS3 owners prefer SE over 360 owners. This is 2 games now by S-E released on both consoles that has sold better on PS3 over 360 in Europe and USA. (sold More than double on PS3 worldwide!). So making FFXIII versus multi-platform would be a stupid move.

I think you can also kiss goodbye to future S-E 360 exclusives now as they obviously don't believe in 360 enough to make there games exclusive. Maybe its because except for big name games only shooters sell well on the 360...

Bigpappy5095d ago (Edited 5095d ago )

Now you are saying the reason it didn't sell well on 360, is because "only shooters sell well on 360". Yep, you are better than Patcher at making stuff up. Oblivion, Madden, Kung Fu Panda, Fable and Forza seem like all great shooters to you.

keysy4205094d ago

ps3 fans get pissed when they have games go multiplaform for 500,000 in sales.the game sgets lower quality and from what we've seeen isnt SE best work. so they should just have there rpg games o9n the ps3

badz1495094d ago

I remember reading about it in the PS Magazine like in 2008 or in early 2009 if I'm not mistaken. I think that the decision to make it a multiplat is a strategic plan for this new IP because unlike FF and DQ, it's not 100% a SE game because SE is just the publisher. making it exclusive to the 360 or even the PS3 is kinda risky IMO thus the multiplat status!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...

lelo2play5095d ago (Edited 5095d ago )

What's all the fuss about in this thread? Just one question... does Square have any exclusive on the X360 that didn't come on the PS3?
The X360 did have some time exclusives, but nearly all of them arrived at the PS3 sooner of later. The only one i can think of is The Last Remmnant (but it came out on the PC).

So what if Square makes some games that are time exclusives. If Sony wants some time exclusive, they should pay up like Microsoft does. Microsoft have few 1st party studios, so they have to pay up for exclusives. If Sony had lesser 1st party studios, they would be doing the same thing.
A company does not care for fanboys ranting, they simply want to make money. If they are smart, they will make a game exclusive to one console if they get paid, else the game will be multi.

EDIT... @vhero "So making FFXIII versus multi-platform would be a stupid move. "
Why is it stupid? I don't get your point!!!
So what if FF13 sold more on the PS3... but it still sold a lot on the X360. Making FF13 Versus multi would be a smart move by Square, and i believe it's going to happen. They receive money from the PS3 and X360 sales, even if the X360 sales are less.

Darrius Cole5094d ago

Maybe if SE got the same deal on ffv113 that they got for ff13, then perhaps it would be smart for SE. Even though they would not sell any extra units of the game they would get a fat check in exchange for giving Microsoft the EXCLUSIVE PRIVILEGE of trying. So, they would not have to more copies of the game in order to make profit; the profit would come from Microsoft.

Don't forget that Versus is the spin-off; it won't do as well as ff13, which is the flagship, even though Versus will be the better game of the two, whether multi-plat or not. The only reason that this is getting so much press is because the Final Fantasy faithful have followed it from the beginning and want it really badly. 360 owners will care less about this game than they cared about FFXIII.

Who this deal makes no sense for is Microsoft. To pay money for the a multi-plat title that sell just under 1.3 million copies on you platform after 2.5 months on the market with exclusive advertising is not the best use of their money. Not to mention that Microsoft had to pay for the right to advertise exclusively and for the advertising itself. Furthermore it NEEDED to be the only one advertising in the west in order to sell that much, AND the PS3 version was competing with the biggest PS3 release this year GOWIII.

Still, paying for multi-plats and timed exclusives has been their strategy this generation. Still their money would be better spent developing and advertising their own games that they own.

I am not certain that Versus will ever come to 360. FFXIII's multi-plat announcement was made at E3 2008. That means the deal was actually made in late 2007 or early 2008. The PS3 released in Nov. 2006 in Japan and US, and April 2007 in Europe. There had to be about 10 to 15 million PS3's and 20 to 25 million 360's in existence. The Xbox 360 had to look like about 2/3's of the entire console market when SE and MS made that deal. Now the gap between the 2 systems in only about 5 million units sold. The 360 has probably had more than 5 million units fail and leave the install base. Plus, PS3 users should have more money on average as well. The 360 is and should appear to be a smaller part of FFvs13's market than it did for FF13.

When you take into account the deflation of enthusiam that a multi-platform release will cause in the most rabid fanbase, AND the erosion of the quality of the game that will come from taking the title multi-platform, AND the negative marketing that will result as the market slowly digests the downgrades that will inevitably come as a result of multi-platform development; I am not sure its worth it to make the title multi-plat.

Please forgive typos and errors.

vhero5094d ago

@lelo2play it only sold well on the 360 as it was advertised as a 360 exclusive everywhere imagine if it was advertised as a PS3 exclusive?? I reckon it wouldn't have even got a quarter of PS3 sales but we will never know.. I have been an RPG gamer since I can remember and always went the way of the RPG and PS3 is the logical choice out of the 2 nex-gen consoles. Multi platform rpgs sell better on PS3 its a fact people can ignore Japan as much as they like but they are the biggest buyers of RPGs in the world.

As for @Darrius Cole the deal on FF13? Wouldn't make sense for MS to go for that deal again for versus simply because they made the deal to get FF gamers to buy a 360 who hadn't switched from PS2 already. If they didn't switch with FF13 they are not gonna switch with Versus, thus a waste of money.

Saigon5094d ago

The reality of the fact is...SE would of never released these games on the PS3 if they would have done well on the 360...They are trying to recoup funds...your argument is mute...

People need to realize its not about the games its about how they are handling the situation and its pushing their core fans that have played every series since FF4 til FF12 and stopped because of the trash they released with FF13...maybe that's just me...

Bordel_19005095d ago (Edited 5095d ago )

I think SE are a bunch of fuckers, they've fallen from grace, they're just a struggling giant now. I don't know if I even care about what SE does anymore.

SE isn't even close to what it once was, It's just sad what they've become. Quality games isn't their priority anymore.

Bigpappy5095d ago (Edited 5095d ago )

But some of you like "Jamaicangmr" have completely lost it. Do you not realize that SE is a 3rd party developer. SE priority is not to keep PS3 fans happy. That's Sony's job. SE exsist to make money for SE. 360 is big in the west. There is a lot of money to be made if you can sell in the West. Many 3rd party Dev's are making big bucks on both console in the West, but more so on the 360. SE is trying to sell more in the West just like Xbox is trying for years to get traction in Japan. If Sony doesn't want SE to court the 360 userbase by throwing them a bone (Neir), all they have to do is pay for it to be exclusive to PS3 or buy SE out right. Until then, Other than that, I don't see where the loyalty lies. Because they are both from Japan does not mean they should limit their income potential to Japan or the PS3.

The double standard is obvious with you guys. You understand why Rock star made Agent exclusive, but even though SE has yet to make an exclusive for 360, the company needs to be restructure for even considering it.

Capcom is making a killing since they made the move to Multi-plat. This is not like last gen where PS was 70% of the market their are more like 25-30% right now. How could SE expect to grow on PS3 only if they are now such a small part of the market. You guy are so selfish that you don't take a little time to think before typing fanboy junk.

What you should be worried about is the lack out quality of SE product, not who else get to play their lack luster offerings.

Cold 20005095d ago

Sony fanboys just do not understand that devs ARE NOT FANBOYS.

Not everyone has to see the world through distorted Sony fanslave goggles.

Money rules the world, not stupid sony fanboy wishes.

Pedobear Rocks5095d ago

but maybe Sony's ownership of just under 10% of SE would lead one to believe that Sony might have the inside track on something...anything..

Sarcasm5095d ago

@Cold 2000

That may be true.

But from a business perspective, Square Enix are idiots no matter how you look at it. Sony goggles or not.

The PS2 was their bread and butter console for years. If they supported the PS3 from the get go, and stick to their words. They would have had more financial success.

Instead, they spent their funds on the 360 which made them have no return on investment, especially in Japan. And how many years did it take them to release PS3 games? 3 or 4? It's ridiculous!

Youichi Wada is the problem, that idiot doesn't know what he's doing and should be removed from SE immediately. Sadly that's not going to happen, because now that they start supporting the PS3, they're making money back esp. after the release of FFXIII.

And the whole multi-platform thing isn't my argument, they are smart to do that. But from the beginning that they chose to support the 360 over the PS3 for many years is the biggest idiot business decision anyone can make.

foxxy5094d ago

Hey are you a shareholder? Do they pay you? Then stfu square should listen to their fans period. They are our bitches we buy there games listen to your fans 360 has sold shit compared to the profits they have made on playstation brand if we want to talk about profits. Look at 12 it's no joke 50 times bigger then 13 I liked 13 but I'm not blind to the fact this is a ps2 game In the style of ff x.

biggame9015094d ago

@bigpappy

Making something multiplat is not the issue, but pandering to a console where you fanbase is not, and where your sales have been weaker does not qualify as smart. You said it yourself, there is money in the 360 IF you can sell. Well, it's obvious that it isn't working. And yes, the primary concern is the lack of quality, something that SE has shown in droves this generation.

And yes, contractual agreements will keep Agent exclusive, that's understood. But your word should be just as good as any paper contract. SE has not realized this, which is why they are seen as liars and frauds.

And by the way, Capcom's profits dropped %73 in last financial year. That is far from making a killing, wouldn't you say?

@Cold 2000

Even the 360 loving fool that you are can see that their pandering to the 360, and the West at that, is obviously not working. Considering all of Microsoft's efforts regarding FFXIII, I think the sales show their efforts were in vain. But obviously, a fool as yourself cannot see this.

Darrius Cole5094d ago (Edited 5094d ago )

So if they see something that is going to result in a worse experience for their money, they should scream bloody murder. The game company is not going to give them a discount on the game. Therefore, it is in their best interest to lobby for the game to be in the best form possible when it comes to the market. (360 fans should do the same, but I suppose nothing has been promised to them so they have no sense of loss.)

The fact is as long as PS3 fans buy most of the units that they sell, it is SE's job to make them happy. That is their customer. As a profit-making corp SE is free to ignore those fans and chase other fans that they think are more profitable. However, there is a risk in that. No business can expect to make their customers unhappy and keep them at the same time.

360 is big in the west and SE is no doubt taking a risk in trying to sell more games to the western 360 market. However, that doesn't mean that their proven "western" fans, most of whom have PS3's, should not say anything as SE bends over backwards trying to court people who have 360's and does nothing to please their fans with PS3's, who just happen to be the people who constitute most of SE's western sales.

If SE wants to expand their footprint into the 360's western market, they should find a way to do that that doesn't force their existing market to look elsewhere. May I suggest that they make a new, truly western-styled game that 360 fans will want from the beginning, instead of trying to sell them Japanese-styled PS3 titles that 360 fans don't really want.

P.S.

I think this fact get lost in the debate, but it is the underlying principle to this entire Final Fantasy, Square-Enix, 360 debate....

1. A PS3 fans sees a clear technical superiority that PS3 exclusives have over multi-platform titles and over 360 exclusives. That is real. They are not simply arguing the point they believe the game is better at least in a technical sense.

2. A 360 fan sees no such technical superiority. Personally, I think its just wishful thinking. Even if the artistic elements of such games are the same or even worse, the technical aspects are quantifiable and measurable. It not reasonable for anyone to argue that there is no difference in technical aspects.

Square-Enix appears to think that they can promise a PS3 exclusive game to a PS3 fan, and then at the last second, sell them multi-plat game instead without any negative repercussions. That doesn't work. Its like a car salesman letting you test drive a Lexus, and then after you sign the contract delivering you a Toyota.

pixelsword5094d ago

...then by your logic, S-E ought to be making exclusive games and focusing more on the console that they made the most money on.

Now, who do you think that is?

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Killzone3Helghast5094d ago

agreed.. when M$ speaks money.. SE takes the bait

to make a half assed game... because you know, Americans are stupid enough to buy half assed

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Jamaicangmr5095d ago

I just don't understand how they could've been this supportive of the Xbox 360 and not the PS3. Specially considering the Playstation brand has been their bread and butter for years. I know this is a business but i can't see how this wouldve been a better business plan initially. I have to agree with the general belief that Square are just back stabbers.

Don't get me wrong am not sayin it should've been PS3 exclusive just saying making it Xbox360 exclusive is the worst idea of the 3.

madkrazygames5095d ago (Edited 5095d ago )

I just don't understand any third developers this gen, from Rockstar to Square-Enix.

Jamaicangmr5095d ago

Yeah i gotta agree that they have been doing some weird sh!t this gen. However Square is the last company i expected not to be strong supporters of Sony. The Xbox360 never sold well in Japan which is where Square's fanbase is strongest.

I think they need a cooperate restructure or something.

PirateThom5095d ago

That's the thing though, Square Enix were trying to move towards a more westernised audience this gen. The quality issue isn't related to that, their games have just been lacklustre efforts, on consoles.

Ravage275095d ago

Wada will probably never be satisfied until he succeed in destroying Square's legacy completely. It's f#$%ing mindboggling when you start thinking of all the retarded decisions and missteps made by SE this gen, what the bloody hell were they trying to achieve seriously?

Nier should have OBVIOUSLY remained 360 exclusive! Why? Because by SE's logic, it's a friggin brilliant idea to forgo 70% (VG numbers) of your total sales. Well done SE, i wonder how long you can survive by ignoring your fanbase.

And now that same bunch of retards think we all want to play characters that looks like Gabe Newell

Godmars2905095d ago

That's the thing, isn't it. When the move from Nintendo to Sony happened, The fanbase not only followed but grew. Wada had that example and figured he could repeat it.

Nevermind that he seems to have no idea that it was the advancement and improvements that also came with jumping from the N64 to the PS1 that brought those things. With the example of Neir, you're lucky to get a game with PS2 graphics and form.

Then you have whatever the Hell happened with FFXIII...

MR LOOKINGBILL5095d ago

HEY DUDE money talks and BS ralks it's the new age in gaming.

inbetweener5095d ago

Does BS ralk? Does it really?

mookins5095d ago

I don't get them either. What part of 'their games won't sell well enough on the 360 in Japan' do they not understand? This is not the way to appeal to the West. :/

Saigon5094d ago

But I would have understood more if they went back to Nintendo...That would have been a sound decisions that would have sold Millions upon Millions...I wouldn't of complained...the 360 on the other hand hasn't showed them a significant profit in anything they released...

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blizzard_cool5095d ago

For some strange reason I started to laugh out loud when I saw the tittle...

DelbertGrady5095d ago

You shouldn't look at your avatar while writing comments. I see a Freudian slip.

ssipmraw5095d ago (Edited 5095d ago )

the game is still a turd, should have kept it on the 360 seeing as majority of people supposedly own a 360 in sqaures eyes and they can profit off the players choice of masculine beefcake men protagonists and f-bombs

sqaure sold their souls and are now paying the price especially in the quality department, even if the game was outsourced
i cant believe there was once a time in which you could buy any sqaure game without any doubt of it being a good game

5095d ago
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200°

Remembering the Best JRPGs on the PS3

Get ready to embark on a journey filled with monsters, magic, and overpowered haircuts, because this list features the best JRPGs on the PS3.

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altarofgaming.com
shinoff2183271d ago (Edited 271d ago )

There wasn't that many. Thanks to the west's criticism. It was definitely lacking compared to every other ps system. Dont get me wrong there were a few good ones i know that.

jznrpg271d ago

Nier, Valkyrie Chronciles, Tales games , Ni No Kuni, Resonance of Fate, FF13’s, Ys8 just a few off the top of my head and there were a lot more.

CrimsonWing69271d ago (Edited 271d ago )

Not nearly to the degree of PS1 and PS2.

@shinoff2183 makes a good point that around the PS3/Xbox 360 gen is when the genre wasn’t as prevalent and began to shy away from turn-based. There’s some standouts for sure, but look at the PS1 and PS2 JRPG library and then compare that to the PS3 and PS4’s.

Theres definitely a decline in a selection of titles. Even worse was the quality seemed to take a massive hit as well. I think Lost Odyssey was a huge standout for that gen when you look at production values, then you look at something like Fairy Fencer on the PS3 and it’s kind of depressing.

But by that generation there was a shift from western developed games overtaking Japanese developed games. Back from the NES to PS2 Japanese games were the cream of the crop… I don’t know what happened but like midway into the PS3/360 life-time they became less so.

shinoff2183271d ago (Edited 271d ago )

Compared to the ps1 ps2 and he'll even ps4 ps3 doesn't hold a candle to either imo. It's also when turn based damn near disappeared. Again thanks to the west's criticism

Crimson I'd put money on the west being at fault, guys like Phil phish, and numerous others at that time were attacking jrpg and Japanese games in general pretty hard.

Ni no kuni was probably my fav jrpg back then , and the blue dragon

GameBoyColor271d ago

Tales got kinda lucky here. When they took a chance and finally brought tales of graces f over west it sold like 250k lmao a lot of jrpgs did 500k or below. Disgaea was worse i think. Bamco decided to keep bringing more games over though.

Tapani271d ago (Edited 271d ago )

Demon's Souls, Dark Souls and Dark Souls II were the best RPGs on PS3 made by Japanese developers. Everything else just fell short always. Ni No Kuni was a full package, an okayish game as well. Nier and Drakengard III had superb writing, setting and voice acting, however, the performance was a real drag on the gameplay. Traditional RPG-wise I'd actually say 360 had better JRPGs, and think that Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon were the best traditional JRPGs of the era. PS3 Valkyria Chronicles was okay, but it is closer to an SRPG.

Ryu Ga Gotoku games were also solid, they were still finding their footing and breaking new ground with new cities and formats.

PS3 was the era that almost made me quit gaming and I started playing on PC because I could not find good performance nor games on the system. PS4 got me back into it, and now PS5 is a mix in and between, I just play my PS4 library on the PS5 and rest on PC, just like during the PS3 era. The only new exclusive Sony JRPG is pretty much FFXVI and it is so streamlined and simplified from the normal RPG experience that I can't fit it into the genre anymore. Dragon Quest XII hopefully remedies all of this, but it is just one game.

These new games will all be on PC (while it does take 2-3 years to wait, and 6-12 months from launch to have them patched + fixed by modders) and they perform better on it. The only point in owning a PS5 is to play games a couple of years earlier, but for a hard-working family man like me, the quality of the experience is more important than playing it as soon as possible. And I can't do modern games at 30fps 720p after playing 120fps at 4K. For older games, that's okay.

PSX and PS2 though, those were the days...Still have a massive collections of classic RPGs in CD and DVD format and a phat PS3 to play them!

FinalFantasyFanatic271d ago

It's kinda like that, the PS3 generation was a bad time for JRPGs, especially with the Japanese feeling the need to westernize their games, shooters dominating that gen, the racism from western game journalists (it was bad, between G4, Phill Fish, and a slew of others), and the higher development costs...

It really made me miss the PS1/PS2 days of JRPGs, even the quality of half of those games during the 7th gen weren't as good. The 360 tried, but Microsoft's consoles weren't popular in Japan and no body in the West bought a Xbox for JRPGs (despite Xbox having Vesperia, Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey).

on_line_forever271d ago

" It's kinda like that, the PS3 generation was a bad time for JRPGs, especially with the Japanese feeling the need to westernize their games "

This is when everything fall down and games looks not fun to play anymore except for few games like demon and dark souls for example

-Foxtrot271d ago (Edited 271d ago )

Nah. It's a bad trilogy of games

The only reason XIII-2 stands out is because XIII was so bad

When the bar is so low, anything after feels better.

goldwyncq271d ago

The monster catching mechanic was nice.

Eonjay271d ago

Don't understand the hate for it at all. Seems forced.

shinoff2183271d ago

Watching the credits roll on ff16 now it is good but , I'd really like to re try ff13 least it's turn based and would fill that gap for me.

FinalFantasyFanatic271d ago

They got better after the first one in the trilogy, not outstanding game though.

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CS7271d ago

Honestly, I played FFXIII a few years after release and maybe because it was after the hype cycle and I knew the flaws of the game, it actually became my favorite FF after VII.

I took off the mini map and never used auto battle and the stuff that mattered to me in an FF was just so well done.

The art and graphics were insane at the time
The music is still special
The story still lingers in memory more than a decade later
The RPG systems were decent

I never really got the hate for it, still have a soft spot for that game inside me.

goldwyncq271d ago

Still better than XV and XVI.

Yui_Suzumiya271d ago

Drakengard 3 goes for a small fortune nowadays

Knightofelemia271d ago (Edited 271d ago )

Only gripe I have with Ar Tonelico 3 is that Saki is annoying as hell whether English or in Japanese. Then Saki's English voice actor became Ionasal on Ar Nosurge she was a little annoying but not as bad. Johnny Young Bosch voicing Tatsumi I thought he did a great job. And Akiko Shikata with her vocals and the music from the games just went hand and hand.

DarkZane271d ago

I wish Ar No Surge and Ar Tonelico 3 would be remastered on PS4/PS5.

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70°

How Nier Connects to the Drakengard Series

Nier and Drakengard are two series that couldn't be more different in their setting and stories, but somehow they are still linked.

vTuro24445d ago

The world needs a Drakengard 1 and 3 remake.

80°

'NieR': Why the Gameplay Does Not Need to Be Great

Whether intended or not, NieR makes a strong case that good gameplay is not everything, especially if a game has larger goals in mind.

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goombastomp.com
gold_drake1089d ago

i mean ... it depends right. when i think about drakengard 1s combat .. damn. its god awful. the game is great but its very charring to get through because of it.

good combat helps a game tremendously

Lighter91089d ago

The gameplay doesn't need to be great?! Trying to justify a lot of jrpgs.

Elda1089d ago

I just finished it a few days ago.