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Square Enix: We're Extremely Worried About Piracy

Sony have been very vocal about their piracy fears on their Playstation Portable system, and they've been trying to think of ways to counter the issue. Square Enix are obviously one of the biggest publishers in the world, and they've supported the PSP quite strongly recently, with the releases of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII and Dissidia: Final Fantasy.
mephman - contributor
Published: 232 days 16 hours ago | News | Sony PSP | Nintendo DS | Industry News | Dev News
 
 

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Selyah - 232 days 16 hours ago
1 -
Kinda surprising response, but then I suppose there's some truth to that.
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badz149 - 232 days 13 hours ago
1.1 - the truth...
yes, they might be very worried by piracy, but the irony is they are supporting only pirated platforms at the moment! but piracy is least of a concern in Japan seeing as how people over there treat piracy as a heavy crime!
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japanese_dawn - 232 days 13 hours ago
1.2 - @Suare
Interesting claim from a source who's developing a game for a console overpopulated by pirates, and a console who's main "selling factor" is piracy. If gamers know that, I bet you did a long time ago, even before you were bought by M$.

All from me...
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BattleAxe - 232 days 12 hours ago
1.3 -
If they were so concerned about it then why are they developing games for the XBOX 360.........
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caladbolg777 - 232 days 11 hours ago
1.4 -
Worried about piracy, yet they have been developing all of their recent titles on heavily pirated platforms? PSP? XBOX360? DS?
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evrfighter - 232 days 10 hours ago
1.5 -
yet don't you think its entertaining when EA comes out and says this about the one platform where piracy is believed to be at the worse.

"Very rapidly the PC is becoming the largest gaming platform in the world, just not in a packaged-good product.".

Trust me when blu-ray drives and burners for pc become dirt cheap. And trust me they will 100% guaranteed. it's going to be like it is with dvd's now. No And's If's or But's about it. I know this is unpleasant news to most fanboys. But at this moment in time while blu-ray is just looked at as overpriced storage media for pc users. When developers start using it the piracy will come.
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vhero - 232 days 10 hours ago
1.6 -
caladbolg777 you read my mind! They fear piracy and start developing there biggest nex gen game for the 360 which is the easiest console to hack since the PS1! Say 1 thing do another. It just shows what a clueless company they have become.
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Daishi - 232 days 9 hours ago
1.7 -
Am I really the only one who figures Square knows they will sell enough games on the "most pirated system" to break even with the development cost. Heck they may even make a dime or two. But wait, since their game is going to be pirated they might as well cut out an entire market... You people make sense...
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scissor_runner - 231 days 18 hours ago
1.8 -
evrfighter blue ray burners are cheap it's just the media is crazy expensive. Another thing is it's just a matter of time before the PS3 is cracked. Even though blue ray movies are 50 gigs they can be compressed down with the right codecs. The games may be trickier but Square should be worried. Real fans will pay for the full package and people just wanting to see what the fuss is will try and get a peek.

The funny thing is piracy actually does lead to game sales if you have a good product. Remember when lots of games where share ware? The same goes here. I don't like to see it but it happens and it just going to get worst with a recession.
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Raz - 231 days 17 hours ago
1.9 - since when?
"Piracy is quite concerning on the PS"? You could've fooled me - I haven't heard of a single PS3 game being pirated. I'd be more concerned about your partnership with Microsoft, Square Enix: the 360 is the one with piracy problems.
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dericb11 - 232 days 15 hours ago
2 -
Not to throw the PSP, DS, Wii, 360 or PC under the bus but those systems are hacked for the most part and they have plenty of games from SE on each of them.
As for the unhacked PS3 they don't have any games. Just weird to complain but put yourself out there.
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Microsoft Xbox 360 - 232 days 15 hours ago
2.1 -
Well said.

The PS3 is piracy free. Doesn't make sense for SE to not publish more games for the PS3.
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evilmonkey501 - 232 days 15 hours ago
2.2 - I was gonna say the same thing....
They only support the systems that are hacked and you can download games for...hmm...go ps3 exclusive and viola! you just circumvented any piracy. Sound like they need a clue.
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97gsx - 232 days 7 hours ago
2.3 -
Something happened behind the scenes that square is teaching sony a lesson for. Either that or they are the worst run company in the world.
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SpoonyRedMage - 232 days 7 hours ago
2.4 -
97gsx: I've thought that as well, everyone blames SE or MS for the lack of support for the PS3 without ever considering that Sony might be responsible. Sakaguchi(now the head of Mistwalker) hates Sony as well so it seems the relationship between SE and Sony was not perfect.
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10 Steps Back - 232 days 3 hours ago
2.5 - @Spoony
Sakaguchi does not hate Sony he only hates Ken Kutaragi, can't blame him during the early years of PS3 Ken Kutaragi acted like a freaking dictator and dislikes the "tricky" PS3 architecture something everybody already knows.

You make it sound as if Sakaguchi has a personal vendetta against the Sony brand.
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SpoonyRedMage - 232 days 3 hours ago
2.6 -
Well then hate was too strong a word by the looks of it, how about dislikes?
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97gsx - 232 days 3 hours ago
2.7 -
Sakaguchi has a personal grudge against ken kutaragi nothing really against sony in general. Sakaguchi is given too much freedom from microsoft and I doubt he had that freedom at square. His company is also fully funded by microsoft so A little bias is probably smiled upon.

As for sony pissing off square I think its weird sony keeps quiet when it owns 10% of square. Wada has shown a huge disrespect to sony and sony kinda shrugs it off. I have not heard 1 bad thing from sony about square. Wada knew before the ps3 was released that he wanted sony to fail. Wada once said he did not want sony to be the obvious winner and would help make sure of that!!

Another weird thing is that The compilation of ff7 is finished?? They created so many more questions with dirge of cerberus and crisis core. I was fully expecting FF7-2 for the ps3 since sony owns publishing rights. But instead of making a guaranteed system seller they decided abrubtly finish off the series.

Regardless wada wont last long making decisions like this even if sony did him wrong.
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SpoonyRedMage - 232 days 2 hours ago
2.8 -
Well when Wada said he didn't want the PS3 to be the obvious winner, he also said he didn't want it to be the obvious loser. He never said he was sabotaging it.

Kitase also said the FFVII compilation was finished for now but if they ever have any more ideas for it they'll make use of them. It surprised me as well though.

The thing is Kutaragi reflects on Sony as a whole like Wada reflects on Square Enix.

EDIT: Also about Mistwalker being funded by MS. Think of it this way. Sony owns 8.26% of Square Enix and exercises some degree of control over them and had FF as exclusive. Whereas MS funded Mistwalker, funded Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey, funded the production companies that BD and LO were outsourced to and in return got LO and BD as exclusives.

The two have really different relationships.
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evilmonkey501 - 231 days 17 hours ago
2.9 - @ spoony and gsx
Thanks for the history lesson. I agree that something is going on behind the scenes....remember how square did the same thing to Nintendo when the ps1 came out? These guys don't stay friends for long...
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mirroredderorrim - 232 days 15 hours ago
3 -
Thank you Square Enix. Proceed to follow the diagram where you insert your foot into your mouth.
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pixelsword - 232 days 15 hours ago
3.1 - I was thinking about another place for them to put their foot
...in their collective buns.


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FF7numbaone - 232 days 15 hours ago
4 -
360,psp,ds and PC hmm sqaure
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sukru - 232 days 14 hours ago
4.1 - They are not all the same
The piracy ratios are different. In pirated platforms 360 sells games, so does DS. Unfortunately PSP does not (that really is sad, since PSP is much better than DS).

And or course PC with a %90 percent ratio (from several developer figures), is not good for game publishers.
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jams_shop - 232 days 15 hours ago
5 - I call it bull$hit!
I could had sworn they didn't care about piracy, because they haven't support the system with the least piracy issues, but yet they release all their big titles on the system with the most piracy problems.
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Gun_Senshi - 232 days 15 hours ago
6 - Isn't it funny
That they are worried about piracy yet they suppose the easiest to hack and mod console.
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mirroredderorrim - 232 days 15 hours ago
7 - @3.1
I see your 'collective buns' and raise you a:
http://farm1.static.flickr....
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pixelsword - 232 days 15 hours ago
7.1 - good one!
I don't know if I can top that
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evilmonkey501 - 231 days 17 hours ago
7.2 - lol
I dunno if im turned on or hungry.
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theEnemy - 232 days 14 hours ago
8 - They didn't mention
the impending piracy of the hyped Final Fantasy XIII ??

They could have gotten a game that won't get pirated but I guess money talks right ?

:)
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knightoftears - 232 days 14 hours ago
9 -
They seriously need to stop worrying about piracy if they are going to cont8inue to release games for systems that are hacked.
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Close_Second - 232 days 12 hours ago
10 - I wish...
...Sony, MS and Nintendo would start locking consoles when it has been detected that they have been hacked to play pirate software.

Obviously they need to entice more people to connect to on-line services in order for the detection to take place. It may not prevent piracy entirely but it should help prevent it from being mainstream.
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evilmonkey501 - 231 days 17 hours ago
10.1 - um
I thought they already did this.You just cant keep a good haquer down.
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waljaber - 232 days 11 hours ago
11 - What about the 360
i only have 3 original games on the 360^^ i dont think it's a bad thing since the xbox 360 games are sucks but i bought the same games on the PC and it works better, i got most of the PS3 games which worth buying.
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sukru - 232 days 10 hours ago
11.1 - so...
You do pirate games, and admit it. And even call it "not a bad thing".

Many game developers were laid off, and several studios were closed because of economical situations. If a game is worth your time, why aren't its developers worth compensating with your money?

Yes, I know, you've better ways to spend your hard earned cash.
11.2 Axecution | 232 days 2 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show
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kaveti6616 - 231 days 21 hours ago
11.3 - @axecution. It's not your brother's fault?
Microsoft made an easily hackable hardware, and somehow you think that justifies your actions? Hmm, if the state of California made guns very easy to get and I obtained one and shot one of your relatives, would it be my fault or California's fault? Just because it's easy to commit a crime doesn't mean you're not responsible when you commit it. For all the people who say 360 is easy to mod, yes it is. But the people who actually mod the box and steal the games are the ones to blame for the shutting down of dev companies, not MS. And playstation 3 can be hacked but it's not as easy and blu ray discs cost some more money. I've seen it been done, but there is hassle and Sony can detect it sooner or later.
11.4 Axecution | 230 days 14 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show
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Eagle_of_Heaven - 232 days 10 hours ago
12 - lol
they should have thought of it before accepting the cheque...guess money makes you do crazy stuff :P
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The_Kills - 232 days 10 hours ago
13 - how how...
You stop making games on platforms that are pirated, anf get your butts in gear and release FF13 or better yet... A FF7 remake, you would basically be printing money you dumb morons. And then perhaps you wouldn't be so worried about piracy
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koehler83 - 232 days 9 hours ago
14 -
They keep making great stuff like they have been, I'll keep paying. Dissidia, Birth by Sleep and Agito are day 1 buys for me, as was Crisis Core.

Ports: Paid for them already, not paying again.
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SpoonyRedMage - 232 days 8 hours ago
15 -
God, why does everything have to be about how they have two more games on the 360 than the PS3!?

Well as long as they make great games I'll buy them, same as koehler83.
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The_Kills - 232 days 8 hours ago
16 - spoonyredmage
Because they are whining about piracy. And since the PS3 is immune of that issue it safe to point fingers at 360. Its also nice to hear that you will buy the games but some people won't and instead pirate them, especially in todays economy
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SpoonyRedMage - 232 days 7 hours ago
16.1 -
They're not whining though, they just said they're worried about the effect it will have on the games so they try to make sure that the games are actually worth a purchase.

It's not like they're going "PIRATES STOLES R SALES!!!!1!!!".

PS3 games don't seem to be selling too hot either and that's apparently immune to piracy.
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Sarick - 232 days 6 hours ago
17 - What sony did to hurt SE, and why they moved to a pirated 360.
You all, don't realize things that Sony did to eat into SE's profits.

1st when FF11 was to be released they deliberately delayed the launch of the HDD product with FF11 to extend the Everquest Online audience. By the time the HDD was released the system was to mainstream developed without the HDD for anyone to care.

2nd after they launched FF11 Sony soon discontinued the PS2 with HDD expansion. Sony unintentionally/intentionality gave SE the big FU because the online game required the older HDD compatible PS2. Shortly after this cost cutting PS2 slim model Square announced the 360 version of FFXI for obvious reasons.

3rd When PS3 came out, SE wanted to create a PS3 FFXI version. Somewhere along the lines both companies stalled and it never happened. Apparently they where finalizing the deal and then the guy that was working with SE on the project quit. SE decided to stick with the BC version for the PS3. Shortly after PS3 launch Sony started stripping BC from the PS3. The first step to partial emulation. This change failed bad at the start but Sony eventually fixed it so FF11 could be played on the ps3 using ps2 emulation mode.

4th The forth and final straw was when Sony decided to totally remove PS2 compatibility. Not only did this insure FF11 no longer worked on new PS2's but new PS3's. At this time Microsoft stepped in and PC/360 became the lead cash cows for the FF11 online.

People need to realize although FF11 isn't the best online game it is in fact one of SE's biggest cash cows. This single game generates a constant income that's allowed SE to grow.

Put yourself in SE's shoes a moment. Think about how pissed you'd be if you created a product that was a $$$ cash cow and suddenly the grass was burned out from underneath you on multiple occasions. Since the cow loses is feed it moves to greener pastures. Microsoft insured future support for FF online service. This includes PC and consoles.

If you was in SE's position I don't think you'd be to happy when your biggest money maker keeps getting it's compatibility and audience striped out. Microsoft filled the gaps that Sony created when they pulled FF11 compatibility. This made those products more profitable on the 360/PC causing SE to lose loyalty. It's easy to see why things happened this way once you read this post.

BTW, I'm not a MS fanboy, I'm just stating the facts. I'd love to see better Sony support for FF online on the PS3 but. I guess that's to late to fix. I'll continue playing it on my PS2 for now.
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Enate - 232 days 6 hours ago
18 - SpoonyRedMage
You know seriously You've got your head so far up Microsofts wanna be J-RPG *** you can't see a thing. Which is evident by you thinking every J-RPG this gen is great provided its on a 360 Mainly because you don't own/can't afford a PS3(you've admitted to not owning a ps3 don't lie). You try your hardest to down play everything anytime people get on SE about their retarded decisions. An you play that more people can enjoy it bs on almost ever SE article. Please, your so full of it you don't care who plays it as long as you can.

ANYWAY besides the obvious bser above the rest of us clearly live in reality an know you have no room to complain. When your complaining about having to walk on the street when there's a sidewalk. An that is exactly what SE is doing right now.
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SpoonyRedMage - 232 days 5 hours ago
18.1 -
I don't care what platform games are on actually, even if I can't play them as long as they're good. If I get to play them well good for me but if I don't then that's my fault for not owning the system they're on. By the way you won't ever catch me insulting games like Demon Soul's, Valkyria Chronicles or Disgaea 3 because quite simply they're good games.

And you're right I don't have a PS3, not because I can't afford one but because the only games available in the UK that I'd play are LBP, Valkyria Chronicles and Disgaea 3(which funnily enough is published by SE here).

And yes I do defend SE becuase I'm sick of nearly every comment being about the fact that they haven't released a game on the PS3 yet! Get over it!

Oh yes, if you read the article you could see that they're not actually complaining. They just said it's a concern when they make their games.
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ironmonkey - 232 days 3 hours ago
19 -
exactly ps3 is immune to everything get over it!
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ReaperXL7 - 232 days 2 hours ago
20 - kind of funny really....
Square would have to release games that people actually want to play, before anyone would actually pirate them in the first place.

FF 3 for the 10th time won't cut it.
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Minimox16 - 231 days 22 hours ago
21 - Out of topic, but a little in topic
SE its not worried about piracy cuz they make many games and exclusive games for a console that can easily get piracy games... (ahem xbox360 ahem)
:P
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