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Square Enix favors Nintendo over Sony and Microsoft

Square Enix Chief executive Yoichi Wada believes the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3 are too complex, while the Nintendo Wii is the ideal game platform for Square Enix games.  

The hardware power of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are "over-engineered" and "there are too many specs -- and you also need a high-definition TV, a broadband connection, and a deep knowledge of gaming--these consoles are mismatched to today's environment.  In a year or two years, they will fare better," Wada added.

Video game development costs have continued to increase, and game developers are now more likely to pick one or two platforms rather than provide games for all of them. “In the old days, we could just focus on the PlayStation or (Nintendo) GameBoy, but the environment has changed completely," said Wada.

Both gamers and analysts were surprised when Square Enix announced in December that Dragon Quest IX: Guard of the Starry Night -- the latest game in the Draqon Quest series -- would be exclusively for the Nintendo DS, many were surprised -- especially since the previous games were so popular on the PlayStation and PlayStation 2 game consoles.  The game series is not overly popular in the United States, but is one of the most popular series in Japan.

Even though the hardware in the Nintendo Wii cannot compete with the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the Wiii has been able to draw in casual gamers who traditionally most likely wouldn't be playing video games at all.

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Where is he coming up with this?
By Rockjock51 on 6/13/2007 1:54:26 AM , Rating: 1
I also don't agree with any of the statements he made. You don't need HD to play on either system. To get the best graphics, yes, but you don't NEED it. Besides FFXI has Square ever made an online game? Don't need broadband to play their games. And since when do you need a deep knowledge of gaming today any more than you did 10-15 years ago? I'd say you need even less now than you did then, for PC Gaming, at least (not related, I know. But, who has trouble placing a disc in a drive and playing?) How do the specs of the system relate to the end user's experience?




RE: Where is he coming up with this?
By Rockjock51 on 6/13/07, Rating: -1
RE: Where is he coming up with this?
By Samus on 6/13/2007 1:28:44 PM , Rating: 4
Everyone loves the Wii, but honestly, I don't play mine as much as my XBOX360 or PC even. It's just a party console.


RE: Where is he coming up with this?
By MADAOO7 on 6/13/2007 2:53:42 PM , Rating: 3
It's only officially a party machine when I can play beer pong on it.


By Scorpion on 6/13/2007 2:56:29 PM , Rating: 3
Wow, I can totally see this as a Wii game! Home"brew" of course. ;P


RE: Where is he coming up with this?
By jajig on 6/13/07, Rating: 0
By Rockjock51 on 6/13/2007 3:05:44 AM , Rating: 4
And that translates to your typical Square RPG how? I can't see them making games like Wii Bowling where the focus is on the control and not the story.


RE: Where is he coming up with this?
By masher2 (blog) on 6/13/2007 9:55:03 AM , Rating: 3
> "you don't need HD to play on either system. To get the best graphics, yes, but you don't NEED it"

I think his point was that you're paying for it anyway, both in the hardware, and in the software, via game development costs.


RE: Where is he coming up with this?
By Scorpion on 6/13/2007 2:55:44 PM , Rating: 2
Sure, and why buy a color television when everything is broadcast in B&W? It's over-engineered, and a waste of money. ;)

It all has to start somewhere...


RE: Where is he coming up with this?
By masher2 (blog) on 6/13/2007 3:00:29 PM , Rating: 2
Don't get me wrong, I wasn't agreeing with his point of view; I was simply rephrasing it.


RE: Where is he coming up with this?
By 9nails on 6/20/2007 9:45:13 PM , Rating: 2
I think you're spot on. Even if you don't *need* an HD TV set to play either console, I believe it is public assumption that the games you buy for either PS3 or Xbox 360 are developed in full support of HD, if it is not already mandated by the manufactures. And that would lend to an increase in costs for the game development.


RE: Where is he coming up with this?
By ElFenix on 6/14/2007 1:15:06 PM , Rating: 2
you do realize that the company that first marketed color televisions also owned a broadcast company, and started broadcasting in color just so that there would be color broadcasts for early adopters.


By sxr7171 on 6/16/2007 1:17:54 PM , Rating: 2
I think he was being sarcastic.


By CollegeTechGuy on 6/13/2007 9:29:41 PM , Rating: 3
lol, and since you bring up FFXI, that game is more complex than any other game I have ever played. I would honestly say its probly the most complex MMORPG. There is more strategy, and controls, and spells, and movement positioning than any other MMORPG. And they say that PS3 and XBox 360 games are too complex...why don't they look at their own game that they just keep making more complex.


RE: Where is he coming up with this?
By chick0n on 6/15/07, Rating: -1
By GlassHouse69 on 6/15/2007 10:18:45 AM , Rating: 2
uh, you do need an hd tv in order to make a ps3 or xbox360 not look like crap. pixel for pixel is completely lost. you just dont own a hdtv


RE: Where is he coming up with this?
By mars777 on 6/15/2007 1:13:12 PM , Rating: 1
The ONLY thing they are trying to say (but hiding true true sentences) is:

"We must make multithreaded games for the Xbox360."

and

"We must make compiler optimizations and program the SPEs in the PS3."

Ultimately:

"It is harder to program for them since programming for the Wii is like programming for the GameCube."

... they should remember times when programmers had to write graphic drivers for most hardware out there (the DOS age)...

Well they should know that programming isn't allways easy if you want to make a TOP product.

If they want to make easy programming then program only for the Wii and step out of the way so the competition blast them... but do not whine .


RE: Where is he coming up with this?
By hrah20 on 6/16/2007 1:38:51 PM , Rating: 2
You took the words out of my mouth, Square/enix has lots of lazy programmers these days, they want money but they don't want to work for it, they can have it , I don't care for their games !!!


Wow
By drebo on 6/13/2007 2:04:33 AM , Rating: 2
Hopefully this means that FFXIII will no longer be an exclusive PS3 title. I'd love to play that game on my PC, as I have no intention of ever owning a PS3.

I don't think the game would make it far on the Wii, even using the classic controller...but it'd be wonderful on the PC.




RE: Wow
By hadifa on 6/13/2007 5:40:19 AM , Rating: 2
Keep dreaming, The only way you are going to play FFXIII on a PC is to use an emulator.


RE: Wow
By hadifa on 6/13/2007 5:44:45 AM , Rating: 1
Or alternatively you can borrow a PS3 and hook it to your PC's TV tuner!!! Then you are playing on a "PC". ;-)


RE: Wow
By Duraz0rz on 6/13/2007 9:33:58 AM , Rating: 3
I don't see why they couldn't develop it for the PC. That would increase their user base even more. All the content is pretty much done on PC anyway.

And they DID do FF7 and FF8 ports to the PC haha.


RE: Wow
By GlassHouse69 on 6/15/2007 10:23:59 AM , Rating: 2
yeah, I agree. people MAKE these games on pc's, so this idea is totally feasible. pc's are the origin point but often they dont make a finished product for them. The lack of graphics is often the case (halo2 looks like poop). ALso, a mouse/keyboard is superior in shooter tournaments and the like and normally isnt meant for console games. ALso, no one would be buying (except for young kids) a console over a 700 dollar pc if all console games were allowed to be sold on pc format. Right now, you can build a strong pc for under 900 that blows away the specs and ability of a console. You still need the pc though for life's duties so it would make a console superfluous. yo.


RE: Wow
By stepheno on 6/13/2007 6:20:16 PM , Rating: 2
No worries, they will make a Wii version, since Wii is cheap. And they will not make a PS3 version, so the rest will flame... lol


Multi-platform
By oTAL (blog) on 6/13/2007 3:46:28 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Video game development costs have continued to increase, and game developers are now more likely to pick one or two platforms rather than provide games for all of them. “In the old days, we could just focus on the PlayStation or (Nintendo) GameBoy, but the environment has changed completely," said Wada.


This doesn't make sense. Your statement contradicts the quote...
Truth is these days companies are more likely to produce multi-platform games to improve costumer base. A slightly larger effort (quite large, but a LOT less than the effort require for a new game) to adapt to all platforms allows for a larger amount of potential clients, improving sales. Right now there are many games that come out for all platforms, including PC. Some companies even provide mobile phone versions (usually nothing related to the others, by catching the hype around them).

The problem is that the current Nintendo platforms are fundamentally different and (usually) require changes in some game concepts. Still, it's pretty surprising to see a game series that established a success on a given platform switch to another platform and give it an exclusive. Must be good for Nintedo, since this may drive Dragon Quest fans to buy the DS.

.

P.S. Michael, I know people keep bugging DT because of spelling and grammar errors, but some do make an article less pleasing to read.
quote:
analysts were surprised when Square Enix announced in December that Dragon Quest IX: Guard of the Starry Night -- the latest game in the Draqon Quest series -- would be exclusively for the Nintendo DS, many were surprised

Of course I understand what you wanted to say... but rereading before (or even after) posting would be enough to solve 90% of these problems.




RE: Multi-platform
By encryptkeeper on 6/13/2007 10:57:56 AM , Rating: 4
This doesn't make sense. Your statement contradicts the quote...
Truth is these days companies are more likely to produce multi-platform games to improve costumer base. A slightly larger effort (quite large, but a LOT less than the effort require for a new game) to adapt to all platforms allows for a larger amount of potential clients, improving sales.

Your contradiction can actually be contradicted...uh, if that's possible. But I'll show you how! There is one basic point that works against your theory. Cost. Many companies do develop multiplatform games, but with the new systems the costs have skyrocketed not just because the differences between the systems, it's that developing costs for games for the 360 and PS3 are roughly 10 million per game. If you weren't paying attention, that's a lot of money. Development costs for the Wii may be around say 3 million. And since it's the best selling console on the market, with no signs of slowing down, why NOT complain about the huge development costs of the other consoles if they have a lower return! Multiplatform games were a great way to make extra money without greatly increasing development costs in the days of the last generation, but now the systems have skewed into their own tangents. Square Enix knows the Wii and DS are HUGE in Japan right now, and unless I'm mistaken, that's where most of their sales come from (unless it's the US and I'm incorrect) and the development costs are smaller. The funny thing is, Nintendo proved that video gaming technology didn't have to make huge leaps forward to be successful. Microsoft and Sony are working a lot harder just to make money, and for Nintendo, it's just rolling in.


RE: Multi-platform
By michal1980 on 6/13/07, Rating: -1
RE: Multi-platform
By jajig on 6/13/07, Rating: 0
RE: Multi-platform
By Rockjock51 on 6/13/2007 7:26:47 PM , Rating: 2
I don't mind the N64 graphics either, as long as the game is fun. Haven't played anything besides Zelda on the Wii to convince me it's worth buying.


RE: Multi-platform
By Nesretep on 6/14/2007 9:52:30 AM , Rating: 2
Not only does it cost a lot to develop for multiple platforms, but when doing a title for both consoles and PC also often results in a game where they have to make compromises in game design or mechanics based on the fact that one set of users is limited to a controller and the other has a keyboard, mouse, gamepad, etc. An example of this is Deus Ex: Invisible War, the sequel to the hit Deus Ex on the PC. They developed it for the XBOX and PC at the same time and it ended up very watered down from the original and some of the things that people liked most about the original were either gone or watered down so much that they weren't as fun anymore. PC Gamer magazine described it as being very consolish as if the XBOX development had been done first and then they ported it to PC.


Yeah but would he have said this if.......
By MDme on 6/13/2007 10:14:25 AM , Rating: 3
IF the PS3 was selling well, I'm sure we'd not even hear this comment. He'd probably be praising Sony for the "most advanced and powerful console experience on the planet". I think Squeenix just doesn't want to support the 360 so they're putting their eggs on the Wii-basket. In two/three years time IF (and only if) the PS3 climbs up, then they'd be releasing future FF/DQ titles on PS3 then maybe give the 360 some old dragon quest or FF port.




RE: Yeah but would he have said this if.......
By IndyJoe on 6/13/2007 2:03:40 PM , Rating: 2
I would just like to point out they have 2 titles headed to the 360 already. The Last Remnant and Sylpheed.


RE: Yeah but would he have said this if.......
By Timeless on 6/13/2007 2:30:27 PM , Rating: 2
If I'm not mistaken, Last Remnant is also a PS3 title. I don't really know about Sylpheed. Is it any good?


By 9nails on 6/20/2007 9:49:14 PM , Rating: 2
Wasn't Sylpheed a space shooter for the Sega CD platform?

IIRC, its kind of like Star Fox with polygons and such...


Wii!!M
By sortitus on 6/13/2007 4:54:16 AM , Rating: 2
Square is just talking about cutting down a percentage of their production costs for a game by developing for only one console while excluding less than that percentage of their market. I'm just assuming that they did their homework and decided that sticking to Nintendo would get them more profit.

Seems like a reasonable business decision to me, but will they stick to what they are saying and produce for Nintendo products exclusively? I doubt it. Most RPG players are not in the Wii crowd, and choose platforms capable of better visuals. I may be wrong on this, but I suppose profits will tell.

Didn't Square decide that the PlayStation was their console a while ago by releasing FF exclusively for PS-series products? Ah well, you can't blame them. Capitalism and all that jazz...




RE: Wii!!M
By Tbonus on 6/13/2007 12:11:42 PM , Rating: 2
I can see what you are saying, but I it goes even futher than what we are hearing right now. Do you remember back when PS2 was king and the new kid Xbox came out ready to pick a fight? One of Microsoft's big selling point's on the Xbox was that it wouldd make it easier for the developers to make games for there system. If you are a game maker what does that translates into more money. If the game developers spends all of his trying to get one game to do what he wants it to do on one system he looses money every second spent with that game.
There is also something else that I don't think people take into consideration. That is the fact Microsoft and Sony are both selling there system at a loss, because the technology is still really high. So it stands to reason that if the technology is high, than softwear developement for that technology is also high. To make my point there was one comment I read on this story were the person was saying that you do not have to have an HDTV to play the on these systems, but developer still has to make the game HD quality at the very least.


I think...
By leidegre on 6/13/2007 5:03:59 AM , Rating: 2
Actually, I think that he's more or less open to the idea of a lightweight framework for game development on these platforms. As he is not very careful to point out, the complexity and costs of developing on these platforms is something he likes to avoid.

So why not? PS3 and Xbox 360 are both two very powerful consoles, and if you don't need that power, you certainly do not need that complexity.

It's a well motivated tradeoff between performance and development costs.




No More FF for PS3 and XBOX360
By stepheno on 6/13/2007 6:38:29 PM , Rating: 2
What he meant is no more Square's RPG for XBOX360 and PS3. But they will make PS2 and XBOX and Wii, and PSP and DS...

Happy? I am. LOL.. a poor student like me has no $ to buy PS3 or XBOX360, i might have enough for Wii in Xmas, so I am happy to see FF not in PS3 or XBOX360...(loser...)




Who cares about Square
By exdeath on 6/13/2007 9:54:50 PM , Rating: 2
They haven't made a good game since Xenogears and Chronotrigger and Final Fantasy 6 was the last FF game before they started sucking and catering to the 733t akuma/sephiroth worshipping blue-led raving ricer crowd.




By Setsunayaki on 6/16/2007 1:41:51 AM , Rating: 2
I have problems with Sony because for the last five years, they have maintained a poor track records. Their Laptop batteries were prone to leaking and explosions. Their Cybershot cameras were prone to their lens falling off and unit locking up. Their Playstation 2s had more than 10 revisions and the hard drive lowered performance because of the 300mhz processor. (My source of information is the actual modchip sites that ask which PS2 version you own for modchip compatability.) We all remember the PSX for its overheating problems (putting the vents on the bottom of the system).

For the Playstation 3. They attempted to use Cell technology with LOW BUS numbers. In order to make the Blu-ray safe from overheating, they lowered the clock speed of the video graphics card within the PS3 as it was the hottest piece of hardware. Sony even claimed that RSX processors were "NEW" and "Revolutionary" when in truth they were first made by Nvidia in 2003 and sold in their video cards in 2004. They downclocked the video card to the point you have an expensive piece of technology performing at the level of something 2 generations old.

I hated how the playstation 3 itself is also expensive in the US, but a lot cheaper in Japan and China. Granted that I don't see an impressive library of games for the console yet.

Microsoft didn't do any better. They tried to tell us that there are three processors in there. This means that we split the bus three ways and add a lot of latency. It also means that although three processors exist, more power is consumed and most games use 1 processor since most games when the console was made was single core programming.

Microsoft annoys me because they talk about PIRACY, but they were the ones who sold WINDOWS XP PRO in China, Vietnam and other Asian nations (except Japan) for the equivalent for $30 - 40 while we had to pay $150 for an upgrade and 300 - 400 for a FULL VERSION.

Most 360 video games are just games that are on PC itself. For the price of a 360, 2 games, controllers and the xbox live junk....I can build a PC more powerful than the Xbox 360 and play the games I like. The same is true for Sony.

Dont get me wrong...I like Consoles...I just finished playing through volume 2 of .hack G.U I just arent impressed with any next generation consoles since more than half the titles are ported PC games while of the titles that exist that are not Ported PC titles, there are like 10 - 20% that are actually good.

Just wanted to state my piece. I like consoles, but right now it seems that more versatility exists with previous generation consoles (Playstation 2, Xbox 1) as well as PC than the consoles that exist today.

Why should I buy an expensive TV to play games at the right aspect ratio just to suffer overall performance? For the price of everything I need to get started on console to make the games play nicely...I would pay as much as me creating a top of the line PC.




Dragon Quest and the DS - Japan
By Zensen on 6/16/2007 5:57:54 AM , Rating: 2
Okay, I've not played the dragon quest games nor do i have an inkling to do so - mind you if its anything like final fantasy then i might want to.

Firstly, the DQ series seems to be very popular in japan and vastly popular with its previous games on the Playstation platform.

DS is immensely popular in japan and so i can see the reasons behind making it exclusive since the title is not very big in the states and i assume europe as well.

So from a financial point of view i can see it probably doing well on the DS but whats not to say it shouldn't see the light of day on the playstation 2?

Would dragon quest suffer a lot if it didnt make the graphical 'upgrade' to the ps3/xbox360 if it stayed on the ps2. There is still a lot of playstation 2 users out there. Have a looked at gods of war 2 for that example of a successful franchise that is doing well.

playstation 3 may not have the user base as of yet and so perhaps testing the waters with the latest FF franchise may determine where the franchise for DQ and whatever else from square enix goes - exclusivity or not.

I don't exactly agree with the over-engineered. perhaps there's a lot more to the machines then their primary purpose and thus you pay more for the machine and devlopment cost shoot up for the game companies. Square enix games rely very much on their user experiences and so do the ps3 and xbox not provide that extra bit. I know wii definitely gives you another take on the user experience and thats great!

but to whine about the next gen consoles is cutting themselve short. Some users come to expect the latest and greatest plus extra bits and so not everyone is just a casual gamer. I dont consider myself a gamer at all but i do like pretty things :P

enuff said!




By Link on 6/19/2007 2:13:14 PM , Rating: 2
The statement he made shows that he clearly understands MS' and Sony's intention. MS and Sony want their consoles to last many years while Nintendo's would last a year or two, and would have to come up with a new console to match them. I wonder how much Nintendo would charge customers for their new console with HD and Online gaming enabled.




By lompocus on 6/13/2007 5:14:15 PM , Rating: 1
So,how could this guy say these things, when it would be terrible for the companies (sony and micromoney) to deny their customers new features?
Heck, my top of hte line $1700 PC is already having to tone down the AA levels on some DX10 games.




By Lord Banshee on 6/16/2007 2:43:38 PM , Rating: 1
According to the news report the FF13 is using the proprietary
engine, White Engine.

But they did buy a license for the Unreal 3 Engine,http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=... so i do not know what they are bitching at now? This engine has already done a lot of the hard work for the PS3, PC, XBOX360, not sure if it is for the Wii but most likely not. But still they only need to create one master set of graphics in the best res for the PC of coarse. Then scale it down for the PS3 and XBOX360.

To me this adds less work, no millions on Engine design, just initial testing to get all the in and outs working. So if one problem is they have to still make a proprietary engine for the Wii if they do want to make wii games, but i don't see RPGs doing very well on it.

Maybe someone can clue me in on what the problem, maybe they don't like the Unreal Engine or maybe they can not adopt it for RPG?

Well i wish them the best of luck as i think Square still and has always made the best Single player RPGs, my favs being Chrono Trigger, FF5,6,7 and 12. I hope for more and maybe some remakes in 3D such as Chrono Trigger :p.




?
By fishmonger12 on 6/13/07, Rating: -1
RE: ?
By AndreasM on 6/13/2007 2:51:34 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
over generalized comment on how the Wii is so innovative and attractive to normal people.


Would that imply that Xbox360 and PS3 gamers are abnormal? ;)


RE: ?
By encryptkeeper on 6/13/2007 11:51:46 AM , Rating: 2
I hate to be the one to tell you, but the older you get, the more often it is considered abnormal to be playing video games. But hell, who wants to be normal?


"there are too many specs"
By ZimZum on 6/13/07, Rating: -1
RE: "there are too many specs"
By sscilli on 6/13/2007 2:32:22 AM , Rating: 5
Yeah, I'm sure that's it. He must be piss poor coder. I bet you can code a complex, graphically superior, multi-threaded game with one hand tied behind your back.


RE: "there are too many specs"
By ZimZum on 6/13/2007 2:38:46 AM , Rating: 2
I did a multi-threaded Tetris, it rocks balls. MineSweeper is still in Beta.


RE: "there are too many specs"
By jajig on 6/13/07, Rating: -1
RE: "there are too many specs"
By masher2 (blog) on 6/13/2007 10:28:50 AM , Rating: 3
> "If you're so good at multi-threaded coding why don't you go show Square-Enix how it done? I'm sure they'd pay you a fortune."

Square Enix doesn't pay anyone a fortune...no game developer does. For the amount of work they do, they get paid beans and beer money.

The good multithreaded programmers are working on RTOSes, where they draw three times the salary for about half the hours :p


RE: "there are too many specs"
By DingieM on 6/13/2007 3:31:48 AM , Rating: 2
It rocks blocks hehe


RE: "there are too many specs"
By Rockjock51 on 6/13/2007 3:08:54 AM , Rating: 1
Just because a person isn't good at something doesn't mean they can't comment on someone else's work. I'm no cook, but I can still say when something tastes bad. Just because he isn't a game developer, doesn't mean he should accept a lack of effort on Square's part. Square is the only company I've seen complain about developing for the 360. Just seems so out of sync with the rest of the industry.


RE: "there are too many specs"
By Anonimous on 6/13/2007 3:17:55 AM , Rating: 1
Why would he tie a hand behind ZimZums back?


RE: "there are too many specs"
By sortitus on 6/13/2007 5:01:27 AM , Rating: 2
Umm, I think you'd better take a quick review on "The Birds and the Bees"... I have no problem explaining it to you, but sometimes children read these 'blog' thingies too.


RE: "there are too many specs"
By bkm32 on 6/13/2007 11:31:59 AM , Rating: 5
This goes for anyone critisizing Mr. Wada--HE'S THE CEO! That means he probably doesn't code anything. He's responsible for the business direction of the company, which happens to be Square-Enix. They develop and sell videogames, very costly (to develop) videogames. He's responsible for keeping costs down and revenues up, which increases profits and makes shareholders (his bosses) happy and continually investing, which keeps the doors of Square-Enix open to develop and sell videogames, very costly (to develop) videogames.

So, if you want to continue to enjoy Square-Enix videogames, Mr. Wada has to determine which development platforms are going keep costs down and revenues up. That's his job.

Keep in mind, kiddies, FF13 is about four years and close to $100M (if not more) in the making (that's without marketing and royalties to Sony). Mr. Wada is hoping for a huge turnout on its opening day. This game will determine the PS3's future. However, its a catch-22. If there is no PS3 consumer base (currently about 3-4M), then it will be impossible to recoup the costs of developing FF13. At the same time, Sony is hoping that FF13 will sell its very expensive console.

The Nintendo Wii has a consumer base of ~6M (and climbing at 5 times the rate of the PS3 with the DS even more). It is just plain good business sense to switch gears and develop for a system with a clearly larger consumer base and is easy to develop for. This keeps costs down and revenues up, which increases profits and keeps shareholders happy (and rich).

Class dismissed.


RE: "there are too many specs"
By sladeviper on 6/13/2007 5:49:08 PM , Rating: 1
I don't see the Wii's "new" audience buying too much Final Fantasy.

I think SE has just gotten lazy over the last few years. Half-assed remake after remake. Last Remnant looks alright, but I wonder when we'll see the next game like Xenogears or Vagrant Story.


RE: "there are too many specs"
By blckgrffn on 6/13/2007 5:57:40 PM , Rating: 3
lol, the kind of audience that isn't re-purchasing the FF series on their advances and DS's? There are plenty of people out there who remember the FF greatness on NES and Super Nintendo. Many of these people also own Wii's (isn't it great how it reaches out to all demographics?) and would purchase a new product of the series.

In fact, it would likely be better if they could spend less time doing CGI & art and focus on the game mechanics. FF4, which I am currently playing for the first time on my micro, is so simple yet deep... well, I really can't imagine how I went so long without playing it!

I know I would. And I am not buying a $600 console to play one game.


RE: "there are too many specs"
By GlassHouse69 on 6/15/2007 10:25:53 AM , Rating: 2
you have a point there. no new person to consoles without a hdtv as well would ever consider the kekekekeke games of FF.

still, its nice to know its cheaper to play it now.


RE: "there are too many specs"
By blckgrffn on 6/13/2007 5:53:25 PM , Rating: 2
Exactly. I didn't think this concept was that hard to grasp, but evidently some people had issues.

Thanks for the well written post :)

Nat


RE: "there are too many specs"
By dude on 6/13/2007 11:45:03 PM , Rating: 2
Isn't Square like 20% owned by Sony? Or did Sony bail out already? If they haven't, this has got to be a blow on their self esteem!

Also, alot of times, a major game can make people swing to another console. This only helps with the low price of the Wii to get your foot in the door, along with the currently largest installed base on the newest consoles currently out.

Maybe Square just wanted to return to their roots?


RE: "there are too many specs"
By Ickus on 6/16/2007 4:20:31 AM , Rating: 2
Yerrrr - of course...
Average console lifetime?=~5 yrs.
If they didn't over-spec it now, it's be pi$$ poor half-way through it's operative / scheduled / intended lifetime.
The Wii is kicking @ss atm (cos it's cheap), but as per previous sony consoles, the ps3 (which hardware wise ime/h/o was a bad / bit of a gamble decision btw) will turn out to be the market-share winner. Money and exclusive-to-platform(console) titles always win out. Not wanting to really help Sony or anything, but the GT series is dead. This compay (Square Onix) know exactly where they stand in the industry (bottom line (read: profit) wise) and I'm sure this "we just felt like it" submission to the on-line community is a tactical move.
Well, that's me done.
Anonymous.


"Game reviewers fought each other to write the most glowing coverage possible for the powerhouse Sony, MS systems. Reviewers flipped coins to see who would review the Nintendo Wii. The losers got stuck with the job." -- Andy Marken









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