SQUARE-ENIX DITCHES SONY FOR MICROSOFT?

[MAGNUShunter]

Some intresting news regarding Sony, Square-enix, and Microsoft:
http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/rpg/untitledsquareenixnextgenmmorpg/news.html?sid=6147946

Would be wierd, if in the future, Square-Enix was associated with Microsoft and not Sony.

What is the world coming to?! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif
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Original "PS2 MUST DIE" thread: http://www.pso-world.com/viewtopic.php?topic=115125&forum=20&473

[MaximusLight]

No they aready made plan for the next generation game, they are just commenting on why FFXI will not be on PS3, and that point go figure.

[MAGNUShunter]

I just think it's intresting that when making the decision between the two, they chose 360 over ps3. That is a big thing for Square (big enough for the article) not to mention that now they have shown why making games for more western oriented platforms (PC/360) have a major advantage over making games for ps3. They will have to choose from now on, "will we make more money on the ps3, or both pc and 360 together?

[DizzyDi]

Those FF character quiz results are spreading all over PSO-W.

Its like a fhkn plague man.

I got Tifa when I did it. WTFX man.

[Wyndham]

I got Vincent.
meh.

[AlaskaMan]

I play ffxi on comp, but later on SE is gonna make the new ff games for the xbox now?

[MaximusLight]

That is a good point I wonder why it could carry over in the first place.

[CherryLunar]

I got Laguna... But anyways...

FFXI is no big deal (http://objection.mrdictionary.net/go.php?n=596421)

[HUnewearl_Meira]

I'm not clear that it should come to any surprise that Square should move on to Microsoft. After all, before they were associated with Sony, they were associated with Nintendo. When Sony produced a console they felt would allow them to stretch their legs a bit better, they moved to Sony, and now, come to find out that Microsoft's console is a better deal than Sony's console, they're moving to Microsoft. I don't see that there's anything wrong with that.

[DizzyDi]

Cause we're used to Squeenix backing Sony for all these years. Just like it was probably a surprise to people when they moved from Nintendo to Sony.

BUT! I don't think that they're actually GIVING UP on Sony all together. Its just that to ensure they get more monies out of us they moved it to 360, especially since Sony pulled out on the HDD, the PS2 community is pretty much dead.

[Roffkaiser]

I think it would be suicide for Square almost, unless M$ is paying them ALOT of money, considering they lose the majority of their market, Japanese gamers. You go from Sony to M$ and at most you are selling 300,000 games compared to in the millions. Not to mention Sony is already planning two FF13 games on PS3 so I doubt it.

[ABDUR101]

On 2006-08-03 20:17, HUnewearl_Meira wrote:
I'm not clear that it should come to any surprise that Square should move on to Microsoft. After all, before they were associated with Sony, they were associated with Nintendo. When Sony produced a console they felt would allow them to stretch their legs a bit better, they moved to Sony, and now, come to find out that Microsoft's console is a better deal than Sony's console, they're moving to Microsoft. I don't see that there's anything wrong with that.


Psssst, alot of these guys aren't as old as us. They grew up with Square and Sony going hand in hand. =x


As for what it's worth. To me I don't really care. Just one of those things, eb and flow really.

[RuneLateralus]

While I don't think Square Enix will give up Sony all together, I don't think it would be smart of them to ignore the 360 audience.

And besides, they are making a 360 exclusive title (as of now).



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: RuneLateralus on 2006-08-03 20:32 ]</font>

[isahn80]

On 2006-08-03 20:25, Roffkaiser wrote:
I think it would be suicide for Square almost, unless M$ is paying them ALOT of money, considering they lose the majority of their market, Japanese gamers. You go from Sony to M$ and at most you are selling 300,000 games compared to in the millions. Not to mention Sony is already planning two FF13 games on PS3 so I doubt it.



It occured to me after reading this that perhaps by developing games like FF on the 360, this could attract Japanese gamers that ordinarily wouldn't have anything to do with Microsoft. If so, it would definately be a smart move on Microsoft's part, and eventually sqaure-enix's as well.

[Roffkaiser]

Like i was saying the only way Square-Enix has anything to gain from this is with M$ giving them a butt load of money. Which as you said would be pretty smart for M$ to do, but I hope they don't M$ like EA usually ruins everything they touch.

[MaximusLight]

I remember reading an interveiw that a site did accually, it confirmed that they would stick with sony, I'll have to look it up again for this I guess.

(by the way I'm a Cloud http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif)

[HUnewearl_Meira]

On 2006-08-03 20:41, Roffkaiser wrote:
Like i was saying the only way Square-Enix has anything to gain from this is with M$ giving them a butt load of money. Which as you said would be pretty smart for M$ to do, but I hope they don't M$ like EA usually ruins everything they touch.



A dollar sign is a broken 8, not an S. I advise you to recognize this distinction.

I rather expect that the change comes largely from recent details reveiled by Sony to developers that indicate that the PS3 will be even more annoying to develop for than even the PS2 was, and in conjunction with Sony's declining popularity not being likely to enable the PS3 to be a successful system (especially with its unreasonable price tag), the Xbox360 becomes a clear choice for a next generation platform for Square to emphasize. When you look at the facts, the reasons become clear.

[MaximusLight]

Here is and articel I found on FFExtreme, I have only brought the facts

Japan's Nikkei Net news service ran a story yesterday containing what appeared to be the first confirmation of a sequel to Final Fantasy XI. Square Enix responded to the Nikkei Net article today, denying the development of an FFXI sequel altogether. Instead, the company restated what it has been saying all along since E3 2005 -- that the next-generation massively multiplayer online RPG footage presented at the show is from a completely different and original title. "Details and compatible systems will be revealed as soon as possible," read the company's denunciation.

This is giving more credit to them moving to the xbox360 clearly but this also tells of another MMORPG they are making for the PS3 so where their support is going still seems unclear.

[Roffkaiser]

M$ is the generally accepted symbol for microsoft among the internet community, you see it everywhere so I use it by habit, sorry if it annoys you HUnewearl_Meira.

Still it is marketing suicide for Square to move to a very unpopular system, in the transition phase anyway, after a year and a half at most though most Japanese would probably own all three systems and be playing all the games, though that would be a pretty lack luster year and a half for Square as their audience would be pretty small until more people buy the system in Japan.

[MaximusLight]

http://www.square-enix.com/jp/company/e/news/2006/download/release_060718en.pdf

Offical statement of previous post.

I agree completely, however, I do think they will expand their marketing alot more in the future.

[AlaskaMan]

Yeah the japanese dont really like xbox much. Wouldnt that make SE get a lower profit?

[Roffkaiser]

Well I think they are waiting to see how well Blue Dragon and Lost Odessey do before putting too much into the xbox, I for one am not looking forward to Blue Dragon too much since the main character looks like little Goku lol, but LO might be worth it, though i hear that is coming out a ways down the road.

[Zelutos]

Arg! I will die is Square Enix moves away from my Sony consoles :'(

[Blitzkommando]

On 2006-08-03 22:38, Roffkaiser wrote:
M$ is the generally accepted symbol for microsoft among the internet community, you see it everywhere so I use it by habit, sorry if it annoys you HUnewearl_Meira.

Still it is marketing suicide for Square to move to a very unpopular system, in the transition phase anyway, after a year and a half at most though most Japanese would probably own all three systems and be playing all the games, though that would be a pretty lack luster year and a half for Square as their audience would be pretty small until more people buy the system in Japan.


Which is a worse business decision:

A: Stick with the company you have been working with for the last decade (Has it really been that long? How time flies!) and risk insane development costs, an unpopular hardware which leads to a smaller audience.

OR

B: Go with a new company that has a much easier to develop for hardware, an increasing fanbase, a reasonable hardware cost, and a huge market outside of Japan.

Really, it boils down to simple economics which Square historically has played very well at. They chose Nintendo because Nintendo had the hardware and the userbase. They moved to Sony when the hardware and userbase moved there. Now with the inevitable transition to new consoles that is proving to be key in hardware development history they are hedging bets on the company that has the most to offer. I see no surprises here. As a matter of fact it is really great to see some closer relationships developing between the Japanese developers and US hardware.

Also, the idea that they will easily port the code between console and PC is also a very intelligent move. Windows is the platform for PC gaming and having a one-up in that is a wise business move. Last I checked there were more PCs in the world than, well, all of the consoles combined. What's wrong with working with the company that has 90% of that market? Seems like they might be back into PC game development which I see as great as it means I can play their games without having to buy a console.

[Roffkaiser]

I don't understand why people keep saying it is so much harder to develope on the PS3 than the 360, I know it would be somewhat harder just because the technology is so new, but it must not be that hard since it seems every keeps on doing it.

Like I said it will take Squares next two games to really give them a feel for the market. All in all though there isn't a HUGE market for Square outside of Japan compared to Japan. I mean how many players on the xbox 360 would choose FFXIII over Halo 3? I doubt many. Right now the Xbox 360 has shipped 5 million units, which is a pretty sizable number, when you consider Dream Cast only sold just over a million in its career.

So I am not saying it is impossible, nor am I saying I wouldn't want it (Actually I am a bit torn between awsome graphics or holding off even longer on buying a PS3) but I just think with the current terrible market for Microsoft in Japan, short of a massive amount of cash being thrown at Square, they won't move.

[DizzyDi]

Square is not pulling support from Sony! They're just going even more multi-platform than what they used to be. With the rising cost of developing games, AND the time it takes, porting games over to multiple platforms is just another way to ensure that you profit off the games you make. A lot of developers are already doing it, Squeenix is just following suit.

[Luis]

They may be concern of the ps3 costs and probably they think that the ps3 will got lower sales, so they are moving slowly for not sink with sony (just in case)

[DonRoyale]

Good for them, Sony phails.

And this ain't the only site where those stupid FF quiz result thing is spreading like wildfire. :

[MaximusLight]

Okay, there are alot of opinions here as to what Square would or should do for the time being unless you can find evidence that they are making a descion to go one way or the other no more speculation please, it is too confusing for me.

[Split]

Lots of Japanese developers are deciding to move to, or (in Tomonobu Itagaki's case) stay with M$ because it is still very powerful but much easier to develop for than the ps3

[Blitzkommando]

On 2006-08-04 01:36, Roffkaiser wrote:
I don't understand why people keep saying it is so much harder to develope on the PS3 than the 360, I know it would be somewhat harder just because the technology is so new, but it must not be that hard since it seems every keeps on doing it.

Like I said it will take Squares next two games to really give them a feel for the market. All in all though there isn't a HUGE market for Square outside of Japan compared to Japan. I mean how many players on the xbox 360 would choose FFXIII over Halo 3? I doubt many. Right now the Xbox 360 has shipped 5 million units, which is a pretty sizable number, when you consider Dream Cast only sold just over a million in its career.

So I am not saying it is impossible, nor am I saying I wouldn't want it (Actually I am a bit torn between awsome graphics or holding off even longer on buying a PS3) but I just think with the current terrible market for Microsoft in Japan, short of a massive amount of cash being thrown at Square, they won't move.


The difference in development costs is big between Sony and Microsoft. The hardware is much more complex and is not exactly based off of any current standards. The same problems happened with the PS2. It used overly complex methods that took years to reach optimum results, just in time for the console to go the way of the Dodo. I think Square-Enix is getting that "Deja vu all over again" feeling (borrowing from Yogi there) and rightfully so. And, like I say, if they are wanting a quick and easy route into truly marketing towards PC gamers the Xbox360 is the best way to do so.

[MAGNUShunter]

Wow, I can't belive I didnt get mauled for posting this like I did by ps2-fanboys in another thread ("PS2 MUST DIE! Long live the Future!" http://pso-world.com/viewtopic.php?topic=115125&forum=20&475 )

You guys have GOT to be older than them! http://www.pso-world.com/images/phpbb/icons/smiles/icon_razz.gif

I'm actually excited about the news cause it means one thing to me...
BETTER GAMES.

P.S.
Go Rush!

[MaximusLight]

Or we are more mature....