FFXIII Going Multiplatform, How does it Really Affect Sony?
Posted on April 19, 2009 by Shak

I’m sure many readers may think this is a damage control article, but rest assured, it’s not. When Microsoft secured a multiplatform release for Final Fantasy XIII on the Xbox 360, it definitely damaged Sony (and Square Enix to a certain extent). However, in hindsight, it may not be a bad thing for Sony that Final Fantasy XIII went multiplatform. Let me explain why.

1. At the moment Final Fantasy XIII is secured as exclusive to the PlayStation 3 in Japan, although it has been rumored that Microsoft may announce a Japanese release of FFXIII on Xbox 360 at E3. If this happens though, it will not be day and date; there will be a severe delay. Previous Final Fantasy games have consistently shifted approximately 2 million units in the first 5 days, each time with an install base of about 4 million. Unusually, Japan is the region where Final Fantasy performs the best, so having exclusive rights to a Final Fantasy game there means that it will definitely push console sales up. Also, bear in mind that by the time FFXIII is released, there will almost definitely have been a PS3 price cut, so expect good sales. Read more