Japanese Advent Children directors cut includes FFXIII demo, will come in new PS3 bundle

by Griffin McElroy { Aug 2nd 2008 at 6:00PM }

Are you itching to get your hands on the much anticipated (and highly controversial) Final Fantasy XIII, yet you're not hip enough to get invited to Square Enix's exclusive soirees? If you live in Japan, your first chance to overcome your wicked triskaidekaphobia will come in the form of a FFXIII demo, packaged with the Blu-ray directors cut of the CGI feature film, Final Fantasy: Advent Children. You know, the Buscemi-less CGI Final Fantasy movie.

Square Enix revealed both film (titled Advent Children Complete) and demo at their DKΣ3713 event, with a Japanese release date of March 2009. The demo will also include video previews of Final Fantasy Agito XIII and Versus XIII (which they took care to mention is still a PS3 exclusive). Squeenix also announced a new PS3 SKU that will include the Blu-ray directors cut. What they didn't announce, however, was the American release date of the film -- and whether the demo and bundle will even make it to American shores.

Tags: advent-children, blu-ray, bundle, demo, directors-cut, final-fantasy-agito-xiii, final-fantasy-versus-xiii, final-fantasy-xiii, PS3, square-enix

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Residentevil72501 @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:16PM

I like the movie, but i have never been a big fan of FF games, but imma get 13 just cuz.

Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Aug 2nd 2008 8:01PM

So how about when 360 owners get formerly PS3 exclusives, we get some of your exclusives as well?

How can you blame us for losing exclusives when you barely lose yours?

I guess Bioshock for FF13 is OKAY.....

Ninjakamster (PS360 FTW!) @ Aug 2nd 2008 10:08PM

So, did I get voted down by the 360 fanboys? Come on, your just as annoying as PS3 fanboys.

deaftly @ Aug 3rd 2008 1:12PM

Dude, just keep telling stories about how your ps3 died and your 360 works.

Residentevil72501 @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:21PM

And im getting on my Ps3 not on the 360 just because Square are douche bags for putting on 360.

Snowblind @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:27PM

You mean like how they're douchebags for putting it on the Playstation?

Ethan @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:43PM

They would have been true morons to keep it solely on the playstation.

The Fatass of Kickassness @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:50PM

Man, it's weird how sore fanboys can get just because their most anticipated game can be enjoyed by more people now.

Final Fantasy XIII is on the Xbox 360. Deal with it. It doesn't lessen the experience you'll end up having with the PS3 version of the game. All it does is make it so that when you're out talking about how awesome the game was with your friends, more of 'em will be able to respond.

Noshino @ Aug 2nd 2008 7:31PM

Snowblind,

Look, I could care less about the FF franchise, although I like the design and find them attractive, I have yet to pass one of them (got bored of FF7, and my save file of FFX got corrupted before the end and never played it again), but I hate it when people bring up FF7 being released on the PS instead than on the N64 to compare it to FF13 on the 360, it is not the same.

It was never reported which console FF7 would be released on, it was always assumed that it would be the N64 (at the time, the Ultra 64). Most of the people involved on the development of FF7 admitted that they went way over their head, and by the time they were well into development, the N64's cartridge's technology wasn't enough, so they could only go with the PS, I have yet to hear about any moneyhats, although it was also part of a $100 mil marketing campaign, are marketing campaigns really considered "moneyhats" nowadays?

FF13 was from the beginning was announced as an exclusive title, and if Im not wrong, didn't someone from SE (or Sony) say that it was only possible on the PS3 (yah, I don't believe that, but the people that state this tend to stay exclusive, same for other devs stating the same for the 360 and PC, so I let it slip), and then they just suddenly announced that they were releasing it on the 360, and well, it was almost confirmed by Mattrick that there was money involved

So tell me Snowblind, fanboyism aside, how was FF7 being released for PS more of a dick move than FFX going multiplatform?

The Fatass of Kickassness @ Aug 2nd 2008 7:34PM

Nosh, your question has already been answered. It wasn't a dick move. Neither moves were 'dick' moves, and I tend to think of anyone who thinks either moves are 'dick' moves as idiots.

The only situation in which I'd throw someone bitching about this a bone is if they had bought a PS3 solely for this game rather than a 360, in which case I'll call them an idiot for paying $500 to play a single game instead.

Noshino @ Aug 2nd 2008 7:34PM

"So tell me Snowblind, fanboyism aside, how was FF7 being released for PS more of a dick move than FFXIII going multiplatform?"

I apologize for the mistyping

Noshino @ Aug 2nd 2008 7:44PM

Fatass, I understand what you are saying, but my comment above is a direct response to Snowblind's statement.

As for this

"Man, it's weird how sore fanboys can get just because their most anticipated game can be enjoyed by more people now."

I agree with you, its gets annoying.

The Fatass of Kickassness @ Aug 2nd 2008 7:46PM

"but my comment above is a direct response to Snowblind's statement."

I know, and Snowblind was being sarcastic, something you overlooked.

Snowblind @ Aug 2nd 2008 7:52PM

Yeah, sorry, but it really wasn't intended as serious post. I hate Nintendo almost as much as most others on this site :P

But even if it's about money for Square, I see no reason anyone need complain about XIII coming to the 360. Playstation fans can still enjoy it, but now so can 360 owners, without having to buy another console.

Noshino @ Aug 2nd 2008 7:59PM

I apologize then, not good with sarcasm over the net...

"But even if it's about money for Square, I see no reason anyone need complain about XIII coming to the 360."

The only thing that I could see someone complaining about would be the fact that FF13 wouldn't be taking as much advantage of the PS3 (something rather common for multiplatform titles, even when the PS3 is the lead), but then again, most of the people complaining about FF13 being multiplatform are just upset at the fact that it is being released on the 360, nothing else, which is rather pathetic.

J @ Aug 2nd 2008 8:21PM

I hear that if you apologize ahead of time for a long block of text, you won't piss off as many ppl. So I'm very, very sorry. For some strange reason, I insist that others know how i feel.

First of all, I thought they moved from nintendo to playstation because of storage concerns and cost of cd's being cheaper than cartridges. I could be wrong, but i thought i read that somewhere.

Anyway, to me, for them to make the game multiplatform in the US tells me they aren't giving themselves enough credit and are not confident enough in their game. I don't think they realize how much of a system seller this game would've been. It was not until they announced it being multiplatform did many douche bag 360 fanboy hypocrites finally admit "oh, this was the one game i really would've bought a ps3 for." Oh well.

I'm pretty sure there will be people comparing the US ps3 version of ff13 to the JAPANESE ps3 version to see if the game was dumbed down to make it multiplatform. And if not, then they'll compare the ps3 version to the 360 version.

Anyway, snowblind, try not to act so disgusted. As trivial as this is, we are HONEST about our disappointment, and WERE fairly proud of having ff13 all to ourselves, just like how 360 fans are proud they have mass effect and gears all to themselves. I wouldn't be surprised if you guys became upset if mass effect went multiplatform, and neither would it be a bad thing. We support ps3 more, so we want its popularity to get help from a FF13 exclusive.

I know you want to believe you're better than all of us, but we all feel the same way about our own systems. Remember 360 fanboys thought the ps3 can't handle gears and bragged about it until epic released UT3 on the ps3 with better/same graphics, though that game didn't sell well anyway.

@ethan. really? true morons? Square took a RISK by leaving nintendo, the leading and most popular console developers at the time (and, of course, now again), and hopping onto the Sony bandwagon with Sony's DEBUT console. Every since then, they've been VERY successful. It's not hard to comprehend why they would CONTINUE their success, EVEN IF they kept it exclusive.

I don't think you're even a FF fan, ethan. Otherwise, you'd understand that no matter wat console a FF fan prefers, he or she would have eventually bought whatever console ff13 would be exclusive to; meaning Square would have sold a lot, regardless. But they seem to underestimate their popularity this time.

The proof it would've sold well anyway? Here's the only one we need - PremiereAssassin, the most obnoxious, "hardcore" 360 fanboy, admitted he would've gotten a ps3 for this game, but of course he probably ejaculated in his pants for a week straight when he found out that it's releasing on 360 also.

He also didn't admit it until, like i said above, multiplatform was announced. For someone who hates Sony more than Hitler hated jews, even HE would have bought a ps3 for FF13, had it stayed exclusive. That's saying a lot about the series.

Sigh. This was supposed to be the first game to use all 6 spe's available, now i read in wikipedia it'll only use 4 of 6. Now who the fuck cares? Would it have mattered? We'll never know, now. Well, i honestly really wanted to see the difference using all 6 spe's could've made, just from a technological stand point.

Square was known to use the most out of Sony's consoles, and well.. now they won't. I'll still get it for ps3 though (i DO have both systems). Since both versions will supposedly be EQUAL and I already have a ps3, i might as well get the version on one disc. oooo buurn. lol, jk. sigh =(.

hey snowblind, don't take me seriously, either k?
Well, let's see how heavy rain turns out ;P
Thanks.

EliteBeatsAgent08 @ Aug 2nd 2008 10:14PM

@ J

Actually I have ALWAYS admitted that Final Fantasy XIII was the title that had me envious of the ps3 and probably the ONE title that would have made me get a ps3 for sure.

That and God oF War 3 since I'm a big fan of Greek Mythology.

Anyways I'm glad that FFXIII is coming to the 360 since that narrows down the list of must have ps3 games to just 1 in my opinion....God of War 3.

FFXIII Versus also looks intriguing but in my mind the main title of the series is the MOST important title and therefore whether or not Versus remains exclusive doesn't really concern me. It'd be nice to rub it in the sony fanboys faces but I'm quite satisfied with having the MAIN FFXIII title coming to the 360.

Good night everyone.

Sheppy (of the Fidlious Clan of Wong) @ Aug 3rd 2008 12:36AM

I think the main complaint from many people, me included, isn't so much the lost exclusive... but the fact that this only went one way.

Let's go through the list...

Last Remnant: Xbox 360 exclusive.
Star Ocean: Xbox 360 exclusive.
Tales of Vesperia: Xbox 360 exclusive.
FFXIII: Recently announced as multiplat
FFXIII Vs: Exclusive... but production is halted until FFXIII ships.

Right there is five next gen projects from SE. Those are the ones announced. And as of right now, four of the five are 360 games. And yet Square-Enix CLAIMS they are not choosing sides. Okay, proof is in the pudding. Break those 360 exclusives then.

Basically what is outraging Sony fans, on some level including me, is that these are the exact same phrases SE used around PSP's launch. A whole lot was promised and... well, we saw one honest effort (Crisis Core) three years later. Fact of the matter is, all these complaints that have lead to these kinds of decisions have been a Square tradition for as long as there has BEEN a Playstation console.

Playstation
-Difficult to develop for
-Nowhere near the installed base of competitor in target region (Saturn was whupping PSX's ass)
-Lack of install base would doom FFVII to be a financial failure.

Playstation 2
-Difficult to develop for
-Sony unable to create and sell enough PS2's to build adequate userbase.
-Lack of userbase would doom FFX to be a financial failure.

PSP
-Limitations on the hardware compared to PS2 environment
-Sony unable to build significant userbase to support serious projects
-Crisis Core would be a financial failure thanks to lack of PSP owners.

Now look at PS3. Same shit, different day. And yet, despite being proven wrong their previous three rants and complaints, obviously they'll be right this time. Except this time, someone had significant margin to pull a coup and place silly fears to rest. Essentially, that's the reason why I'm annoyed. Because every single reason SE listed as the reason for the exclusive to be broken, they've said the exact same thing in the past and been proven wrong every time. And despite claims of not chosen a side, their lineup speaks for what side has been chosen. Especially when a PS3 Tales was hinted at in Famitsu only to be announced as a 360 exclusive three weeks later.

THAT's where the real annoyance is coming from. These steps show a lack of faith in the system which has thus far rewarded every company that has PUT their faith in the console.

J @ Aug 3rd 2008 1:33AM

wow sheppy. Very good observation. When you put all the info together like that, it almost seems like square has been looking for an excuse to expand or rather ditch Sony. They see the 360 ahead now in the US. Anybody know if it's worldwide? And immediately they jump to the other side, it seems.

So they did originally ditch nintendo for the somewhat better technology that playstation 1 utilized, even though n64 was more powerful. They did it again with ps2, even though xbox was more powerful. Now that Sony actually has the most powerful system, they make this AAA series multiplatform!

Is it about popularity then? Based on what you said, they never went for the most popular system originally, while perhaps they helped eventually make it the most popular. I don't get why they switched to the 360. People say it's because of the install base, but the playstation brand always started slow while square stuck with them. Square knows they can make a lot of money no matter what console they release their games for.

Here's my conspiracy theory. We all know that MS has practically unlimited spending capability, and they don't even need their game division at all to make profit. I think they are paying a lot of money to TAKE AWAY exclusives even if they WON'T sell enough to make significant profit. They can afford to take away exclusives, while Sony can't afford to keep exclusives. Like MS only backed hd-dvd to wear out Sony, and they never really cared for the format. It really seems like MS is trying to destroy their competition NOT by making a better product, but by taking away value from their competitor's, which in this case are the exclusives. Without these exclusives, it's like starving a console.

We see how poorly jrpg's sell on the 360, yet Square would STILL make so many exclusives for 360? Sorry, that seems very suspicious. Does it not?

I wonder if all this will matter when all the systems eventually become so powerful that they're all capable of doing the same things. Then how would you decide which brand. It will come down to loyalty i guess.

It's just like the cookie in Matrix. Once I start playing ff13, everything will feel just fine, and all this childish fanboyism will be forgotten.

Noshino @ Aug 3rd 2008 1:40AM

"Last Remnant: Xbox 360 exclusive.
Star Ocean: Xbox 360 exclusive.
Tales of Vesperia: Xbox 360 exclusive.
FFXIII: Recently announced as multiplat
FFXIII Vs: Exclusive... but production is halted until FFXIII ships."

Actually, Last Remnant its still considered multiplatform, although the development problems excuse is just bs, Microsoft most likely secured timed exclusive

Still, its even worse than what you stated as you forgot to mention 2 other titles that are 360 exclusive, Infinitive Undiscovery and Project Sylpheed

deaftly @ Aug 3rd 2008 1:09PM

Yum, I love fanboy tears for lunch on a sunday afternoon.

deaftly @ Aug 3rd 2008 1:13PM

Im getting it for 360 just because I can :P

Ethan @ Aug 3rd 2008 1:32PM

You don't put faith in a console, SE are putting money in an investment. It doesn't matter what tides FFXIII could turn, it only matters where the game will sell more units. I don't think SE really have a stake in who is the market leader.

The guy who replied to me said I didn't understand FF fans. I'm well aware that following your favourite franchise is well worth doing. But I'd say there's a lot of potential customers who aren't that serious, ones they'd lose by being on the wrong part of the shelf in the games store.

Also, having it on both means Microsoft will have a blowout ad campaign so they can show it next to an xbox, like they did with GTA. That'll certainly help it sell.

Shaq-Fu @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:21PM

Whoa! Nice Graphics

Microswirl (MKWii:1676- 4270-3674) @ Aug 4th 2008 5:10PM

Your parents help you hook it up!

syrik zero @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:21PM

My dog ate my copy of this movie... Guess this would be a good chance to get another! Hope a demo comes with it in US also.

Skipjimroo @ Aug 2nd 2008 8:47PM

"My dog ate my copy of this movie..."

That better not be your excuse for Friday's test on the Cloud/Sephiroth fight scene.

I think I might just need to have a word with your mother.

Unless she's dead. In which case, sorry to hear your mother died.

syrik zero @ Aug 3rd 2008 10:53AM

My mommy is good and well. My dog really did eat this movie though. My dogs haven't touched a movie since. They did eat the case to 30 Days of Night but the actual DVD was fine. I love my dogs

copa @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:38PM

"Square are douche bags for putting on 360."

Exactly. If Square Enix weren't big old douchebags with their cocks in their mouth all the time, they would have continued to release all Final Fantasy episodes for the NES/SNES.

atrimus @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:45PM

actually its even worse for Nintendo fans. at least Square still supports Playstation with the main series. a Nintendo console hasn't seen an entry from the main FF series since SNES' FFVI.

personally i don't find sympathy for either fanboy camp. if you adore FF that much just get the system(s) it's released on.

Draken Stark @ Aug 3rd 2008 5:14AM

Are you forgetting the newly remade ports for the DS that were never on US shores unless you pirated it on the PC with emulators or w/e.

atrimus @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:39PM

i'm pretty sure ACC (complete with a FFXIII demo) is coming to the US. the question is: when?

still, i hope this isn't the surprise announcement Square had in-store for PS3 owners that was supposed to make us salivate, because it isn't really working. where's my FFVII remake damnit? better yet: where's FFVII-2? even betterer: where's my FFVI remake?

EliteBeatsAgent08 @ Aug 2nd 2008 6:42PM

Lol....

I want ACC and a remake of Spirits Within.

I wonder if the 360 will a get a demo? Part of says, "DUH" since Square Enix obviously wants to get as many 360 oiwners to buy the game as possible on its first outing on a MS console.

Noshino @ Aug 2nd 2008 7:52PM

I'm wondering why there isn't a part in you that says "maybe not since they might want to sell as many copies of the Blu-Ray as possible, since a free demo on XBL or PSN wouldn't give them any profits"

Ignatius @ Aug 2nd 2008 7:01PM

So uh. Another PS3 bundle. Who's taking bets on BC?

F1 & The Way PC used to be. @ Aug 2nd 2008 7:10PM

Hurray!! GO TEAM EMO!!!

Mr.ESC @ Aug 3rd 2008 12:35AM

100% agreed.

Sheppy (of the Fidlious Clan of Wong) @ Aug 2nd 2008 7:11PM

Interesting news, would be much happier if it just came out. Seriously, I heard what they were doing with this release, I'm drooling, and just waiting for a chance to enjoy the new battle sequences and the changes they've made with the effects.

Ranko @ Aug 2nd 2008 7:15PM

Blu-Ray androgyny! Awww yeah!

KrazyKoala @ Aug 2nd 2008 7:21PM

I'm against making a demo for this game. I'm personally not into RPGs but the fact is that FFXIII will sell tons of copies. The franchise has proven itself. For games like that, it is a waste of time to put resources into making a demo, focus on perfecting the game for a decent release date! Gears of War 2 has no demo for this very reason! For those that aren't sure about getting the game, then they should just rent it or wait for reviews. Games don't have to be bought first day ya know!.

Hyams @ Aug 2nd 2008 8:51PM

Yeah, well, I want to try out the new battle system and get a feel for this game before I put my money down.

I bought FF12 without trying a demo first, and it turned out I hated its gameplay. If I'd had a demo for FF12, I wouldn't have wasted £40.

j.howlett @ Aug 3rd 2008 12:23AM

i'd like a demo to try the battle system also. and to keep, i got the demo for ff8 and beat it several times but the battle system turned me off. i like ff12 but didn't get it at launch an got a great deal on the collectors edition.

ColossalHat @ Aug 3rd 2008 1:08AM

FFXII did have a demo for the combat, however, just like this demo, it was included in another Squeenix product Dragon Quest 8. This is a smart business decision by squeenix (no matter how much I hate the idea) since it guarantees at least some revenue from this edition of Advent Children.

Taco_Hell @ Aug 2nd 2008 7:51PM

I know I'll probably be downed for this, but I never saw what the big deal with FF7 is. I understand it was the first RPG for many but even so, the story wasn't that good and most of the characters were annoying. And the movie was pretty meh as well. It was just an hour excuse to see Cloud and Sephiroth (whom I think is one of the most overrated villains ever) fight in CG. Anyway, it would suck for the fans of the movie if it didn't come to the States, though I'm sure someone will translate it if it doesn't.