Square Enix hesitant to bring titles to Japan Virtual Console
by Ross Miller 
{ Apr 23rd 2007 at 8:58PM }
It sounds like Chrono Triggers' auction value won't be waning anytime soon. In an interview with Japanese magazine Nintendo Dream (translated by IGN), 12-year Square Enix employee and Final Fantasy Versus XIII producer Shinji Hashimoto makes strong assertions that we won't be seeing many Square Enix titles on Nintendo's Virtual Console for awhile."We feel that the Japanese game market still requires media," he said. "Also, FF and Dragon Quest are played by a wide range of users, from children to adults, so there are limitations when you consider the problems that we would have with billing systems."
So the prospects of Square Enix's pre-FFVII catalog arriving in Wii's online store shelves are pretty grim in Japan, but what about elsewhere? It's certainly not ruled out by Hashimoto's words, but Europe and to a greater extent North America are much lower on the pecking order in terms of Virtual Console releases.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Gavin @ Apr 23rd 2007 9:03PM
Translation: "We think the high prices of the VC aren't high enough, because we make more money recycling those old games on portables and make more profit that way."
vidGuy @ Apr 23rd 2007 9:04PM
Hmmm, let's see, we could give consumers what they want and make truck-fulls of profit or we can sit here and be asshats about it and not make any cash.
cheater @ Apr 23rd 2007 9:06PM
I argeed with Gavin, because they rather remake it.
But I think Nintendo won't let them to remaster it like 360 and PS3 will get the SFII remix.
Kinjor @ Apr 23rd 2007 9:16PM
Ok this had better not be a surprise to anyone who has been following square enix's news for the past week. If remaking old IP is going to profitable you have to capture everyone with one release, and i think they have "dabbled" in it too much as is. Each half-ass remake they put out, weakens the reception of a good full fledged remake they can put out in the future.
If Johnny wants the game, and it comes out on VC then Johnny is going to buy it off of VC and the chances will be lower for Johnny to buy it off the shelves in a brick and mortar store that happens to have "additional" content. Unless Johnny is SquareEnix's bitch in which he owns all the possible iterations of FF and DQ and owns every system they come out on.
p.s. no offense johnny... i'm SQ-En's bitch as well..
NoHitHair @ Apr 23rd 2007 9:22PM
As generally stated by other posters above, this hardly comes as a surprise. Square is well aware of their remake cashcow and thus there is little reason for them to offer an alternative on the Virtual Console.
http://blog.myspace.com/nohithair
Crushed @ Apr 23rd 2007 9:22PM
ActRaiser was released on the European/Australia VC over a week ago.
Super Mario RPG was confirmed for release a while ago as well: http://wii.ign.com/articles/744/744751p1.html
Bluebreaker @ Apr 23rd 2007 9:22PM
Read: "People buy our remakes at near the same price as the original. Why should we put it out cheaper on the VC?"
However depressing that sounds, it does sound like they're not finished on their remake kick by a longshot too so I hope Secret of Mana and the lost Dragon Quest games could get an offical release.
Rubang B @ Apr 23rd 2007 9:24PM
The first 6 FF games are now available for the GBA and DS, so they won't put them on the VC because it will hurt those sales. This is why the Zelda collection for GC had the 2 NES Zeldas and the 2 N64 Zeldas but not A Link to the Past. It was still new for GBA with 4 Swords. But after that wasn't new any more, Link to the Past was one of the early VC releases. I predict the first 6 FF games will be released on the VC maybe a year or 2 from now when the GBA and DS copies stop selling.
But they had BETTER but the Dragon Quests on there. I still haven't played as Erdrick in the 3rd one! RAghghaghah!!!
djricekcn @ Apr 23rd 2007 9:30PM
The 3rd Dragon Quest was the best for me and aws most memorable one.
samfish @ Apr 23rd 2007 9:48PM
There goes my hopes of ever playing Illusion Of Gaia and Chrono Trigger ever again :(
Still...#1 hit the nail SQUARELY on the head!
HAHA! Get it? Squarely?
...
It...it's a joke, see?
BloodyDuck @ Apr 23rd 2007 9:50PM
It does make you wonder if there are planned remakes of Chrono Trigger, etc. in the works already though. Otherwise there wouldn't be much reason to hold them off the VC.
-Geoff
http://www.alinktothefuture.com
Joshua @ Apr 23rd 2007 9:51PM
A loose Chrono Trigger cartridge is dirt cheap in Japan. Like, $4 cheap...
Too bad I don't know the language! :D
dsub @ Apr 23rd 2007 10:06PM
Translation:
"We would rather repackage them with slight redesigns and sell them for PSP and DS for $35."
Revo @ Apr 23rd 2007 10:11PM
I like how in the span of thirteen comments there's already been three "translations" of Hashimoto's statement. Not that I don't agree with you guys, I just think it's funny.
Chris Furniss @ Apr 23rd 2007 10:15PM
I read that more as they won't do digital distribution for new games. Why would any company balk at the free money opportunity that putting games on the VC is? It basically requires NO effort.
MoreInformed @ Apr 24th 2007 4:12PM
"Why would any company balk at the free money opportunity that putting games on the VC?"
Because they know that there are plenty of people willing to pay $39.99 for the games that wouldn't get more than 10.00 bucks on the VC.
They want to charge you more. Whether through compilations, remakes, or otherwise.
hvnlysoldr @ Apr 23rd 2007 10:22PM
Sure milk the first FF's but remake my favorite FFIX for Wii. Release all your non-FF games on VC and see if they warrant a remake.
jaysins @ Apr 23rd 2007 10:22PM
Man that stinks. So I can only play it on my computer and modded xbox? Bummer. If you are a huge old school game lover this shouldn't be a good deal as many of us just emulate our favorite games. A friend of mine who has a psp has chrono trigger on it so it's not like there isn't a lack of mediums on which to play it or other old school games. Just have to be a little creative. It's not hard at all. Kinda makes the VC seem like a ripoff if you put forth the effort to get the roms. No offense to those who love it but I have close to a thousand old school games on my pc and xbox right now. Why bother with VC?
Ian Von Porter @ Apr 24th 2007 12:03AM
The PR potential around a VC release is basically ZERO.. ok.. go, download now!.. That's about it.
Remakes are better in the long term. Video leaks, tv spots, new flashy graphics.. and the higher msrp.
Roger @ Apr 24th 2007 1:12AM
no chrono trigger? square wants to try to make more money off their old titles. buy the super improved happy panda version of FF2. for every copy sold; we give bread to moogles. and by bread we mean money and by moogles i mean square's shareholders
Almadi @ Apr 24th 2007 3:18AM
You might look at this in a different perspective. The Virtual Console is getting a bad rep because people are saying that only the worst games are being released in the first years so that they can make money off of them.
And, as Square stated repeatedly, their most important asset are their IP. So they may not want to tarnish that with an early VC release that would make them look desperate.
PhrawzT @ Apr 24th 2007 7:11AM
I want Chrono Trigger and Dragon Quest 4 for my Wii. I already own both, but my old cartridge games are packed up in storage 800 miles away.
hegemonyhog @ Apr 24th 2007 7:37AM
I know that I personally prefer to release my text-heavy 50-hour RPG in a breakable format so that small Japanese children can manhandle it.
That's called "business sense".
DrunkenKender @ Apr 24th 2007 7:56AM
Give us Illusion of Gaia, Mario RPG, and a localized DQ5 & 6 and I'll have all the Squenix I need.
Todd @ Apr 24th 2007 9:31AM
In this case, Shinji Hashimoto is a moron. First off, LOTS of people have Wii consoles so that's a lot of exposure. He's more willing to rehash the FF titles to the PSP which has, by far, lower market share. I think this is a situation in which Square Enix doesn't want to allow their games to be downloaded for a mere $5 or $8 when they can screw the consumer for $20 or $30 for a rehash.
Almack64 @ Apr 24th 2007 10:04AM
Wow this really makes me strangely angry. I really would like to legally play the old sq/enix games but I have no desire to buy a handheld. Handhelds just don't fit in my type of busy schedule. I commute to work by driving myself and when I get home I do not want to play games on a small screen. VC was my last hope to legally play. Oh well less money to Sq-en from me.
Sarge @ Apr 24th 2007 11:11AM
Emulation, people, emulation. Honestly, other than the N64 stuff, not much of the VC is worthwhile to me. Not only do I already have most of the good stuff (including my complete copy of Chrono Trigger obtained at a pawn shop for 15 bucks!), but I can use my modded Xbox, desktop, and laptop for the SAME thing. Without paying more money than many of those old games are worth. Somehow, the thought of paying good money for games I already own just seems... wasteful.
Now, if Rondo of Blood showed up... oh, wait, I've played that with Magic Engine. Great game, BTW.
Release Chrono Trigger for VC. It won't hurt them. Then release a spruced up remake. I'd buy then.
Sarge @ Apr 24th 2007 11:11AM
And actually, for cart only, scoring a copy of Chrono Trigger is not much worse than buying a 50 or 60 dollar game, since SNES' are dirt cheap. So it's not all THAT bad. The game used to be 60-70 bucks, anyway, if I remember correctly.
Now, the game I wanted to own was Terranigma. If you have the know-how, I highly recommend importing the PAL version and modding your SNES (or a cheaply obtained spare one). Great stuff. That was the third time I'd played through it, first with Snes9x .24 (no transparencies!), next with ZSnes, then on the real deal. No replacement for that, despite my earlier comments.
Alex Belancourt @ Apr 24th 2007 12:56PM
why bring old titles to the virtual consoles when you can milk consumers in buying cheap remakes of them over and over again?
Mr Khan @ Apr 24th 2007 6:53PM
wow, gavin, i actually agree with you for once
They figure they can milk the people for Chrono Trigger if they release an FFIII styled 3D iteration on the DS or PSP
I mean, i could understand them charging more for the games, and conflicting with Nintendo about the costs, but don't feed us that bullshit excuse...