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[ArtHands]

As Final Fantasy 16 confirms September PC release date, its director says it's "possible, probably even likely" future Final Fantasy games launch day 1 on PC

Hiroshi Takai doesn't think Square Enix gets "anything out of delaying its release either"

www.gamesradar.com

Speaking to GamesRadar+, Hiroshi Takai reflects on the decision to launch Final Fantasy 16's PC version out of step from the PS5 version and whether that's something we'll see going forward.


Asked if future Final Fantasy games may see a day-one release, Takai says "I think it's possible – probably even likely," before adding, "That said, the team in charge of each project gets to decide its own policy, so this is just my personal opinion."

While Takai's thoughts are his, they align with what Square Enix has said throughout various financial briefings throughout the year. At the company's financial results for the last fiscal year, the developer spoke of a "shift from quantity to quality" as it "aggressively pursues a multiplatform strategy."

 

[LectureMaster]

 

[PauloRoberto]

Nah, Square simply wants someone to pay for timed exclusivity. Problem is: Share itseft devalued some of its trademarks (damm you FF XIII, that f*ing idea of stagger an enemy even 'cursed' FF VII Remake/Rebirth combat).

 

[Buggy Loop]

Then learn to do this properly Hiroshi Takai

U-L-T-R-A-W-I-D-E

 

[Loomy]

Nah, Square simply wants someone to pay for timed exclusivity. Problem is: Share itseft devalued some of its trademarks (damm you FF XIII, that f*ing idea of stagger an enemy even 'cursed' FF VII Remake/Rebirth combat).

Stagger existed before FF13.

 

[Celcius]

Here's hoping we get Rebirth next summer and then the 3rd FF7 game on the same date as PS5.

 

[Loomy]

Square not releasing these games on PC day 1 makes less and less sense every year. Even if it's not day 1, do it within 3 months.

 

[Minsc]

Sony will just open their pocketbook a bit more, worry not.

 

[Hero_Select]

 

[lmimmfn]

Hmm yeah, if you want that sweet money!!!

 

[Agent_Nobody]

 

[Denton]

Exclusivity has always been idiotic. Sure you get some short term money sooner, but you get lot less money at launch and more importantly, you limit the size of your audience and fanbase and fail to capitulate on release hype. From longerm standpoint it is always worth it to broaden your fanbase as much as possible.

 

[FoxMcChief]

Because it’s stupid for third parties to not do PC day 1.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Exclusivity has always been idiotic. Sure you get some short term money sooner, but you get lot less money at launch and more importantly, you limit the size of your audience and fanbase and fail to capitulate on release hype. From longerm standpoint it is always worth it to broaden your fanbase as much as possible.

It's not idiotic if you have a publisher underwriting the risk.

My guess is that Sony is unwilling to write those checks anymore, so it's not like they have much of an option but to aggressively pursue a multiplat strategy

 

[Holammer]

Sony no longer willing to pay the big bux for exclusives? That or it hurts PC sales more than it's worth.

 

[SantaC]

Thank god. Bye sony

 

[Agent_Nobody]

Because it’s stupid for third parties to not do PC day 1.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

I mean, is not because of Sony they are not coming to PC day one. Is because SE is shit, right?

 

[Gaiff]

SE might have to dial back on their FF because their biggest customer base is likely on the Switch and major titles always skip it. If the Switch 2 is up to snuff, they might able to port their games there too. Otherwise, they should go for lower production values to maximize their revenues.

 

[FoxMcChief]

See the post below yours.

 

[tmlDan]

Playing an FF on PC just doesn't feel right, but go for it!

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

SE might have to dial back on their FF because their biggest customer base is likely on the Switch and major titles always skip it. If the Switch 2 is up to snuff, they might able to port their games there too. Otherwise, they should go for lower production values to maximize their revenues.

Their biggest customer base is not on switch

 

[simpatico]

We talked about this after it was apparent that FF XVI underperformed, but Sony bros let SquareSoft down. Big time. A lot of PS5 owners didn't buy it just because it was a bad game. Paying no mind to the graphics, exclusivity and brand recognition.

 

[Gaiff]

Their biggest customer base is not on switch

I said likely. Whatever the case, there's a huge chunk of their market there and it'd probably be wiser for them to try and get their AAA titles on the next one.

 

[Hrk69]

 

[kazuyamishima]

SE might have to dial back on their FF because their biggest customer base is likely on the Switch and major titles always skip it. If the Switch 2 is up to snuff, they might able to port their games there too. Otherwise, they should go for lower production values to maximize their revenues.

DQ games maybe.

SE as a whole? Really really unlikely.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

We talked about this after it was apparent that FF XVI underperformed, but Sony bros let SquareSoft down. Big time. A lot of PS5 owners didn't buy it just because it was a bad game. Paying no mind to the graphics, exclusivity and brand recognition.

By what metrics is it a bad game? Reviews? Nope. Audience score? Nope.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

I said likely. Whatever the case, there's a huge chunk of their market there and it'd probably be wiser for them to try and get their AAA titles on the next one.

Not if it disappoints most of their fans which it surely would

 

[Mister Wolf]

Selling their ass to Sony backfired on 16 and Rebirth.

 

[Haint]

I won't be buying 16 or Rebirth cause they're so old by the time they release, they lose an absolute metric shit ton of sales once they're out of the launch hype and marketing cycle (quadruply so 1.5+ years later). There's no way Sony's peanut check covers even 1/10th of what they lose. It's not 1997 or even the 2010's anymore, a large chunk of the audience who grew up on Final Fantasy isn't interested in playing $150+ million dollar epics that come once a decade on $400 720p/30 pauper boxes. I'd genuinely prefer not to play them at all.

 

[PauloRoberto]

Stagger existed before FF13.

Not in Final Fantasy (FF XII does not have)

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Selling their ass to Sony backfired on 16 and Rebirth.

FF16 is profitable and Sony took a lot of risk off the table so no.

 

[asdasdasdbb]

It's not 1997 or even the 2010's anymore, a large chunk of the audience who grew up on Final Fantasy isn't interested in playing $150+ million dollar epics that come once a decade on $400 720p/30 pauper boxes

I think there's a chance sales on Switch 2 would be decent enough. Both Remake/Rebirth and FF16.

It's a genre thing. I just don't think Final Fantasy works on PC.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

I think there's a chance sales on Switch 2 would be decent enough. Both Remake/Rebirth and FF16.

It's a genre thing. I just don't think Final Fantasy works on PC.

Why not? Plenty of rpgs work on PC. Character action games too. Which is more in line with what ff16 was.

 

[ProtoByte]

Not going to change the sales paradigm, but sure, go ahead.

 

[ProtoByte]

Selling their ass to Sony backfired on 16 and Rebirth.

The problem with Rebirth is that it's a part 2 of a remake trilofy of an overexposed game from the 90s that's been outpaced in sales by FF15.

The problem with XVI is the game itself (as I warned of prior) which won't be any more or less exciting on Steam. Turns out bringing in a guy who knows PS2-era gameplay really well and using generic fantasy aesthetics doesn't make a MMO team suddenly capable of putting out a contemporarily appealing single player title.

 

[Haint]

Why not? Plenty of rpgs work on PC. Character action games too. Which is more in line with what ff16 was.

It's just outdated talking points about PC being an audience for stereotype's like RTS's, Flightsim's, or MMO's that will cite mediocre sells of decade+ old "console ports" that were themselves delayed 1-3 years at the time.

 

[lordrand11]

Here's hoping we get Rebirth next summer and then the 3rd FF7 game on the same date as PS5.

Considering their penetration hasn't quite been what they want it to be on a singular console I think this would be the right move and answer for them. That and most of these systems/platforms are x86 anyways

 

[asdasdasdbb]

Why not? Plenty of rpgs work on PC. Character action games too. Which is more in line with what ff16 was.

That I can't answer. Maybe 15 killed the brand on PC?

Like I expect Ragnarok to do far better.

 

[Gaiff]

That I can't answer. Maybe 15 killed the brand on PC?

Like I expect Ragnarok to do far better.

Persona 4, 5, Tales of Arise, and a bunch of other JRPGs did well on PC.

 

[Haint]

That I can't answer. Maybe 15 killed the brand on PC?

Like I expect Ragnarok to do far better.

FF15 also released 1.5 years late. We may never know why dusty old catalog titles don't sell that well with only a $10 discount.

 

[IAmRei]

SE might have to dial back on their FF because their biggest customer base is likely on the Switch and major titles always skip it. If the Switch 2 is up to snuff, they might able to port their games there too. Otherwise, they should go for lower production values to maximize their revenues.

Imo, lower production value such as bravely default 2 is fine for me, thats like proper FF for me. The story is not convoluted and rhe gameplay is very good. Although im fine with 15 and 16 as well

 

[ssringo]

Yeah, been hearing those sweet nothings from SqEnix for a while. Actions speak louder than words.

 

[Myths]

Stagger existed before FF13.

Even looking at it more generalized, it’s just a limit break bar moved from the character to the enemy but the former retains everything else.

Game mechanics and design don’t change much, it’s mostly moving modular parts and components around such that it appears different but the underlying function(s) remain the same.

 

[EDMIX]

Sony no longer willing to pay the big bux for exclusives? That or it hurts PC sales more than it's worth.

Likely.

I feel its likely Square came to them btw.

Majority of this game's sales are on PS anyway, so its like....why would they care? lol Its release is a massive sales jump for their platform. Why would they care to chase down Square to..what what? Avoid 10% or 18% of sales gained for XB or how ever low that shit is lol

Its battle that has already been won, the majority install base of the IP is on PS, which means Square might wish for some deal to get extra funds or something, but the game's release on PS will move units for Sony regardless if it was exclusive or not.

 

[Denton]

It's not idiotic if you have a publisher underwriting the risk.

My guess is that Sony is unwilling to write those checks anymore, so it's not like they have much of an option but to aggressively pursue a multiplat strategy

Again, even if you get a nice paycheck, in long run it is much safer and eventually profitable to forgo that paycheck and instead focus on growing your audience.

Which is what Squeenix is finally realizing.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Again, even if you get a nice paycheck, in long run it is much safer and eventually profitable to forgo that paycheck and instead focus on growing your audience.

Which is what Squeenix is finally realizing.

AAA gaming is a huge risk. They can the checks and still release later on other platforms and grow the audience

The deals just aren’t being offered

 

[Thabass]

Then learn to do this properly Hiroshi Takai

U-L-T-R-A-W-I-D-E

I just bought an Ultrawide Alienware Monitor. When I booted FFXVI's demo I fully expected it to be Ultrawide capable. Imagine my shock when it was 16:9 running at 3440 x 1440....

 

[DenchDeckard]

It's so obvious that these money hats from Sony don't work anymore. The writings on the wall for the sales they need.

 

[Bkdk]

Yes! With atlus releasing games pc day one and now SE, no more reason to own playstations any longer, FInally!