Xbox 360 version of FFXIII may be monolingual

They could always release the game with 2 discs for Xbox, or add it in a patch or something. Tho I couldnt care less, because if I am getting this game it will be on my PS3 (the one and only).

I think everybody is jumping the gun in assuming that the PS3 version would get JP voice. Squenix has never released their console games in the US with JP voice. I don't expect this to be any different. Just having blu-ray doesn't mean PS3 will get additional voice over option (case example, KOEI's Dynasty Warrior Gundam 2). Developers always try to optimize for the lowest common denominator. Squenix has said in the past that the 360 and PS3 versions would be the same.

*Clings onto his PS3 order of FF13 for dear life*

Although I know everyone is entitled to their opinion, the only time where I've preferred English over Japanese was Dragon Ball Z and Cowboy Bebop.

I still have nightmares from Star Ocean: The Last Hope...Lymle...*shivers*

english dubs are so funny!!! LOL

so I prefer to watch with Japanese language and english subs so I don't end up laughing all the time on a serious Japanese anime.

After reading a few comments, most by the same 6 or so people, I have come to the conclusion that none of us understand japanese and are saying the japanese track sounds better the same way someone would say their car sounds better with a different exhaust. "It sounds cooler in japanese" is the thought I get. It is entirely possible that the voice acting sucks in japanese too, but it simply sounds exotic and different to non-japanese, making it more "believable" to us. Honestly, I live in America and speak english everyday. I also speak spanish and german. I will play a game in my native language, watch a movie in my native language, and I have to believe the majority of people will do the same. We'll have to wait to see sales numbers, but my money is on the 360 version outselling PS3 version 2 to 1, even though I will probably buy both versions...

Why do they just not put the English voices in at all and just put in the subtitles. Doesn't that save even more space, and time? I mean if the size of the disc is really such a big problem don't add the English voices at all.

Because realistically except for a few scenes this whole game is not going to be voiced completely. Which means the majority of the game we are reading text anyway, just leave out the English track, and make sure the text is legible on any format(HD/SD) television you have.

Seriously bring this bloody game out already.

私は日本語のバージョンのほうがいいと思う。

But I don't have an Xbox360, so it doesn't matter to me :D

I do understand the Japanese. And it is better. For one, they pay their voice actors more, and voice actors are taken more seriously in Japan, a number of them being real celebrities and shit. No one gives a fuck about voice acting in America, it being relegated to something only suitable for "cartoons". They also don't get paid worth a fuck. So they suck.

But irregardless, I always make an effort to watch/consume something that was produced in it's native language. French films, I watch in french with eng subs. etc etc. I feel that Japanese produced games should keep their japanese language, and just add some subs. It's cheaper, their voice actors are awesome, and consideration was taken to combine the voice acting in the given medium to create a piece of art. Dubbers are just trying to translate the meaning.

昔のフィナルファンタジイはとってもおもしろかった。けど、FFXからおもしろくなくなったはじまれたと思う。英語の声のせいかな。わからないけど、日本語の声のほうがぜったいよい。

I haven't actually minded the FF dubs too much (although I do remember Yufie in FFX sounding really stilted), compared to other dub work I've heard, but I still go for the Japanese audio track whenever I can. That said, that's also how I feel about any medium and language. I'd rather watch a French or Norwegian film with subtitles, and the same applies to anime and japanese games--it annoys me how some people will be pro-dub tracks for any "lesser" forms of entertainment, but then go the cultured route for foreign cinema.

At the end of the day I just prefer the voices. I may not understand the, but there's generally a lot more energy and range to their emotions.. plus American VA's are largely useless when it comes to voicing certain types of characters (eg. I've never heard an english speaking female VA that could do "cute", and a good majority of the time the male VAs come off as "trying too hard to do Clint Eastwood" as opposed to the "tough guy" characters they're supposed to be portraying)

They may indeed be able to slide more past me because I don't understand the language, like some have suggested, due to it having that exotic edge to it, but at the end of the day the reasons behind why someone perceives it to sound better don't really matter. Their end preference is still going to be the same.

PS3wned

Anyway, Even though FFXII voice acting was the best I've ever seen (the english I mean), they usually do suck so it is very clever to include both tracks on any game. Most people will still use the english one anyway so it won't be a "waste"

Pen, so I've gotta ask you the same question I ask everyone who says things like that... Which version of Ghost in the Shell did you watch? English or Japanese? I ask because Mamoru Oshii, the director, oversaw the recording sessions for both (as the film was partially backed by English producers/monies, the English version was created at the same time and with the same attention and care as the Japanese language version). Technically the English language version is not a dub.

I wouldn't want to watch House in Japanese, why the hell would I want to play a Japanese game in English? At the very least there isn't a single reason they shouldn't include it on the PS3 version. Regardless of how good the dub is, I don't see any downsides to including the original audio as a feature...

In this case, don't compare the Japanese, just compare the English voiceacting. Compare the voiceacting in dubs to the English in Disney or even Cartoon Network cartoons. Compare the voiceacting when lips are offscreen to when they're onscreen. Consider the factual information that the people doing the voicework in Japan aren't some B-rate lower caste reserved only for dubbing and not "real" voiceacting (compare credits of dubs to said cartoons, not much overlap), and that the mouth movements throwing off the English voiceactors so much were originally animated with the Japanese script in mind. This is one way for someone with no understanding of Japanese to deduce that it's "better."

Of course, I guess that's irrelevant to enjoyment in your opinion if you really can't get anything out of the Japanese voiceacting. But at the very least, even if I was totally neutral to the Japanese, neutral would be better than the offensive-sounding dubs you usually get. They're bad on their own, they don't need help from a comparison. Emotionless might be a step up...

Japanese only please!

if they are really that worried about it make the Japanese tracks a free download or something that is stored on the hard drive if that is possible

@Pen:
I think the reason why the FF series started losing its glamor was because of its further shift towards a western-based audience which meant a shift in how characters are optimized, equipped, or customized. We're sort of used to a job/class system which is heavily specialized instead of a jack-of-all-trades situation.

@AoE:
I watched the Japanese version actually. The example you provided with Ghost in the Shell is more of an exception than the norm. Obviously, the sooner the voice actors and actresses are employed in the development cycle, the better the overall quality of the dubbing will be. This is because the development cycle is still susceptible to external influence/input/comment so ambiguities or awkward situations between one language and another can be resolved. Most dubbing conducted today take place after the product has been completed/finalized, which means that the dubbers don't have much breathing room to play out a specialized role and this is why some situations can seem to be very awkward in English.

Why don't they just make it free dlc for the people who want it?

I care about the Japanese because the American voice acting sucks. So there's 3 kinds of people. I really don't think RPGers care about it being in Japanese except that it gets dumbed down because whatever company is voicing it thinks it's being sold to 8 yr olds. Of course, because kids don't deserve anything better right?

If given both choices I would choose to play it in japanese with subtitles however, if only english is offered I will still buy the game...

considering i have never used the japanese soundtrack in any of the other 12+ FINAL FANTASY Games I have played.......I am not going to care if its not in there for XIII........lets be realistic people.

The only people this affects are XBOX 360 FF XIII playing peeps who either speak japanese, are japanese, or wish to somehow deal with the even more additional time it takes to play the game with japanese audio & English subtitles....

WHo wants to bet that % of 360 owners is < 2%?

A few quick points (ok may not so quick) that might make people who flame about topics they don't care about shut up:

Visual Fluidity
It is always nice to see the words go with the actor's (character model's, drawing's) mouths.

Reading
If you have to spend more than 2 seconds looking at subtitles for every sentence (thus missing the on screen action) then besides having to deal with shitty voice acting, you should probably read more.
Reading = More Knowledge = being less of an ignorant ranting prick, oh and it helps you read faster.

hmm my post was cut short here is the rest:
Reading = More Knowledge = being less of an ignorant ranting prick, oh and it helps you read faster.

Hmm...original language or butchered dub?

Native Japanese with subs, plz!

I'll have to agree that most of the time Dubbing sucks compared to the Japanese dialog, but as long as it doesn't sink to "House of the Dead 2" voice acting I can tolerate it.
So, yes I would much rather have the option to listen to either the English or Japanese dialog, but If you can only get the game for the 360 and it doesn't include it then there isn't much you can really do about it.
I have seen, however, that a Japanese audio track can be included later as DLC, for example: Naruto - Rise of a Ninja.

Actually comments like this from a developer translates to one thing in my ears.., 'we dont want to spend the development time and/or money / man hours to man up and give each platform the same experience.., so to all the true hardcore FF fans over the years that have supported us and you bought a 360.., well then F.U. because we dont care to give you the experience you truely want. I speak both languages and english dubs are always horrible.., or at least are sub par at best. Rather than give us a crap dub, give us a great SUB please for god sake.

can i haz Japanese voices?

ぜひいるよ！日本語で元の意味がもっとよく分かれる。そして英語のVAは時々苦手なんです、仕事で。。。

The Dub usually sucks because nobody knew what the hell they were doing. If they get some talent, and a good director, there shouldn't be a problem. Voice acting in video games for the most part, has gotten better over time.

Given the very strong support for anime dvds with a subtitle track and fansubbed anime without english language audio, I'd say the fans that want the original japanese audio track are legion.

Personally, I'd much rather have these guys do an audio track, brah:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG_Z0rd7eK0&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.videogamesblogger.com%2F2009%2F04%2F27%2Fhilarious-final-fantasy-xiii-english-fandub.htm&feature=player_embedded

Glad I have a PS3 then...

I usually prefer playing games with the original Japanese audio, and subtitles. Valkyria Chronicles had a decent English dub, but I still preferred the Japanese audio.

Well at least in the Netherlands, we are already used to reading subtitles (contrary to most English speaking folk), and I think most if not all of us prefer hearing the original voices to hearing a dub with mismatched mouth movements, low-budget voice actors and all that.