Square Enix 'considering all hardware possibilities' for Final Fantasy XIV

by Jem Alexander on Jun 3rd 2009 3:10PM

The Senior Vice President of Square Enix, Shinji Hashimoto, has started the super secret Square Enix press conference today by clarifying Final Fantasy XIV's exclusivity details. The game is currently pegged for the PS3 and PC, though "in terms of other hardware devices, including Microsoft's, we're considering all possibilities."

It's not confirmation that we'll see the game on the 360, but it does mean that Final Fantasy XIV could end up being a timed exclusive on the PS3. It was also confirmed that the game would launch simultaneously worldwide for PS3 and PC in 2010. They are planning to be truly cross-region and cross-platform -- a rare thing for an MMO -- but this may change depending on how the beta test works out.

Tags: e3-2009, final-fantasy, final-fantasy-xiv, Microsoft, square-enix, Xbox-360

Reader Comments (87)

Thanks for the input.
I'll relook at SCE's conference on Gamespot.

As long as it Supports Keyboard and mouse support on the PS3 I dont care.....

There was Keyboard/Mouse support on PS2 for FFXI, but its made for consoles. There's no need to point and click your way through everything. You can if you want to.

As for Xbox, I don't think it's the hardware that's the issue. Fee based MMO's don't jive with XBL and it's fee based online service. FFXI is an exception to the rule, allowing online multiplayer to Silver members, but that's not really fair to other developers to let some pass and not others.

I didnt know FFXI allowed for that...interesting....

and I like keyboard and mouse for these type of games

ffxi was actually better played with a controller and a keyboard. most pc players used that logitec controller that looked like a dual shock two, or a wired 360 controller.

I hope this gets on as many platforms as possible. more potential players gives it a better chance at having a long run.

i was hooked on ffxi from the ps2 release, up until a year ago. been looking for a new mmo to sink my teeth into, and it seems like i found it

The same rule applies to the other MMOs on the platform (well, would apply, I suppose). It definitely applies to the other separate fee for play game on 360, Phantasy Star Universe.

I love the tears of fanbois in the morning. I put them on my frosted flakes.

They'rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre GREAT!

You're a pathetic loser if exclusive games are all you have to brag about. Get a life.

I don't understand how Sony could officially announe it as an exculisve only to have SquareEnix turn around and say "they're considering all possibilities"...! It just seems to me like the two companies, who must have a contract of sorts, are not exactly on the same page......I don't get it........

The Same way L.A. Noire was Announced as exclusive but then was said not to be....

Because Sony wanted to say "this game will be exclusive" during their E3 press conference reveal and Square was paid to let them say it, or was told in advance they would and didn't care?

Not to say Sony lied (they actually said "console exclusive at launch") but clearly giving a robust assessment of the situation was not their primary goal.

I didnt know FFXI allowed for that...interesting...

Haha, and the inevitable migration to 360 begins, "considering the possibilities" is almost certainly just a clever euphemism. If FFXIII is off the table, everything is.

And the really ironic thing is that Sony may have scored a tentative interval of console exclusivity, but this game is still officially slated for a Microsoft platform: namely, Windows. Frankly, if I personally am going ot get this game (and that would only be the case if it elected to pursue some non-subscription based payment method like microtransactions or the Guild Wars business model), I'd like to play it with a mouse and keyboard.

Great thing is the PS3 supports mouse and keyboard. So, if I get this game on the PS3 I'll also use a mouse and keyboard.

"They are planning to be truly cross-region and cross-platform -- a rare thing for an MMO -- but this may change depending on how the beta test works out."

Except FFXI already proved it could do this. It started out as PS2 for a year, went PS2/PC when it came to America, and then later added the 360.

They technically "proved" it with FFXI, but let me tell you, from the PC side, even with graphics maxed out on amazing hardware, that game looked like crap. The 3D was fine, but all the 2D parts of the interface, designed for SD television, were huge and low-res because it was a PS2. HD television standards should make it better if they go the "one interface for all platforms" route again, but that's still significantly lower than the resolution of a decent gaming PC.

I cant wait for Final Fantasy MDCLXVI !

When I first heard that FFXIV would be PS3 exclusive I thought, GREAT! finally an MMO that can look good and not worry about lame PC specs. Then the details slowly became apparent...

Still, it's the shiniest MMO I've seen. Still not saying much... for now.

I'm not really excited about this at all; and I definitely won't pay a 'script fee.
As for the whole exclusivity thing; Sony fanboys aren't going to be crying about this so the rest of you can chill. There aren't very many people getting super excited for it.

"But what I told you was true, from a certain point of view."

Exclusivity is dead, something for which I at least am thankful.

From now on any game not first party should state that it's 'exclusive, but not for the PS3'. At least then there'd be nothing to flame about. I still love my PS3 though.

Final Fantasy XIV actually explains why Squeenix never got around to making a PS3 version of FFIX. It seriously cheesed me off how pretty and clean the 360 game looks compared to the experience on a PS3. PS2 discs + PS3 + upscaling to HDTV = you can't tell goblins from dhalmels.

And to everyone griping about the exclusivity thing: FFXI being cross-platform is one of the reasons it's lasted this long. It's one of the few games where you and all your buddies can play without everyone needing the same platform. Props to Squeenix for going this route again. Hopefully FFXIV won't be such a painful grindfest...

Since Square is releasing more and more games for the PC, can we please get Final Fantasy 13 and Versus for the PC as well please? : )

Of course you can't. It would be far to simple that way.

Seeing that Last Remnant available for the PC, I don't think it's too farfetched.

FFXI was great on PS2 AND PC, I had it for both. I really like the fact I could group with players from different countries and speak to them with the translator. I really hope many things are kept from XI to be honest. One of XI's greatest feature was that it's very story driven and the player felt apart of the world for an MMO.

see Jack? don't underestimate the power of the dark side.

Who cares if it's not exclusive, as long as it comes out for any system it's fine with me succkkkeerrrss!

+1 for the rare "everysystem" fanboy

Didn't Square also say that they planned to release The Last Remnant across all platforms simultaneously? Seems to me that Square likes to talk out of both sides of its mouth.

No, they said it would be 360 first, then PC and PS3.

As it happened, the PS3 version has not been seen yet.

I thought this was already pretty clearly confirmed as a timed exclusive. In the Sony conference they used some really contorted language about it being a PS3 console exclusive in 2010, which I took to mean that it would ship January 2011 on 360.

It might not even be a timed exclusive. 360, Mac, *nix, it could come out for any of these at the same time it's released for PS3 and PC.

But only time will tell.

Can we please get a freaking IME this time? I hate being able to read and write Japanese fluently and still be unable to speak to more than half the player base without resorting to EULA breaking programs that glitch occasionally locking me into symbolspeak.

Hope it comes to 360. Would be nice.

As long as XIV is NOT an MMO, I'll get it.

Yay for multi-platform. :)

By the way, any word about an arcade port? :P

*I dare anyone to miss the joke*

I don't get it Tim.
Don't joke about an arcade port, that'd totally be da bomb with a capital K.

Long live multi-platforms, one less reason for a niche gamer like me to feel like my friends are having loads of fun and I can't because I only own a (insert system here).

(PS: You Sir may consider your challenge accepted You gauntlet has been noted and a properly stinging rejoinder delivered.)

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Square Enix 'considering all hardware possibilities' for Final Fantasy XIV

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