What you need to know
- Xbox has been doing well getting Japanese publishers to support Xbox, but there are some notable gaps in its line-up.
- While Yakuza and Persona have arrived on Xbox and continue to perform well, major mainline Final Fantasy entries like FF16 and FF7 are still missing, and remain PlayStation exclusive.
- In a new interview with our colleagues at GamesRadar, new comments seem to increase the chances of getting Final Fantasy 7 Remake onto Xbox some day.
As a long-time gaming enthusiast with fond memories of the golden age of RPGs, I must say that the prospect of Final Fantasy 7 Remake coming to Xbox is music to my ears (or rather, eyes). Growing up on a diet of PlayStation exclusives, I’ve always felt a tinge of nostalgic longing whenever I see those iconic characters and worlds gracing other platforms.
As a researcher, I find myself reflecting on the remarkable performance of Microsoft’s Xbox platform as we approach the end of 2024. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has shattered previous engagement records, while timed exclusive STALKER 2 has sold over a million units and garnered even more players through Xbox Game Pass. The upcoming release of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle in December looks extremely promising.
The sales of Xbox hardware are dropping, with some blaming it on a lack of content compared to other consoles. Many popular series have traditionally been absent from the Xbox platform, though this gap has lessened over time. Iconic games like Yakuza, Genshin Impact, and Persona have now moved to Xbox, but there’s one classic franchise that is strikingly missing, leaving older users with a sense of exclusion.
The once dominant force that is the Final Fantasy series has faced a decline for several factors. The inconsistent quality and diverse gameplay experiments from one game to the next have fragmented the fanbase and weakened the franchise’s emotional connection. Additionally, the limited platform availability of each game has made it harder for the brand to stand out in today’s competitive and algorithm-driven marketplace. Square Enix, the publisher, recognizes this predicament and has vowed to develop games across multiple platforms, including Xbox. This transition began with Final Fantasy 14 and the Pixel Remasters series on Xbox, but the highly anticipated remakes of Final Fantasy 7 and 16 are yet to be released. Nevertheless, there’s optimism for the future as Square Enix works towards this multi-platform approach.
As a researcher delving into the realm of video games, I previously expressed my findings that the complete lineup of Final Fantasy games is under consideration for Xbox ports. This notion appears to have some level of validity, as suggested by a recent interview on our related platform GamesRadar. Naoki Hamaguchi, director of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, openly expresses his fondness for the Xbox platform, while expounding upon Square Enix’s shift towards multi-platform game development.
Regarding Final Fantasy 7, I can’t share any specific details right now, but rest assured, I aim to make this beloved series accessible to as many gamers worldwide. Our goal is to establish conditions where more players can enjoy the games in the future, and we are looking towards expanding its reach.
As a tech enthusiast, I can’t help but observe that the gaming landscape is evolving into a multi-faceted arena. It’s clear to me that an increasing number of games are aiming for cross-platform compatibility, surpassing even Square Enix’s domain. In my opinion, this trend goes beyond Final Fantasy 7; it’s a seismic shift in the industry, and we can sense the change as more and more platforms and gaming environments emerge daily.
He noted that the endpoints for accessing games were far more numerous in today’s times, compared to the past, while also giving a shout out to Xbox in the process. “It’s so much more diversified now, so I think that’s that’s probably why our CEO, Mr. [Takashi] Kiryu, made that decision to move more in the direction of multiplatform – that’s just the way that the industry is going. […] This is just a personal opinion now, but I’ve got an Xbox myself. I think it’s a great hardware platform. I do like Xbox.”
More Final Fantasy for Xbox
Microsoft has made smart moves in attracting publishers who traditionally avoided Xbox, but there’s still room for improvement. Regrettably, some highly anticipated games like Black Myth Wukong and Stellar Blade have yet to appear on Xbox. Microsoft came late to the party when it comes to capitalizing on the gacha phenomenon with Genshin Impact, which just launched on Xbox this month. However, it’s not all bad news. I mentioned STALKER 2 earlier, which has provided Xbox with a solid timed console exclusive this month. Last year saw the frenzy surrounding Palworld, and both of these examples demonstrate that Xbox can identify successful games from time to time. Additionally, Microsoft recently secured Hideo Kojima’s high-profile PlayStation exclusive, Death Stranding, for Xbox.
Naoki Hamaguchi’s assertion holds merit as we’re transitioning towards a gaming world with multiple platforms. In fact, Xbox Chief Executive Officer, Phil Spencer, hinted at potential releases of Xbox games on PlayStation in the future. With increasing competition for consumers’ attention, it’s crucial to reach all possible platforms to boost the chances of a product becoming popular. Although this strategy might impact Xbox hardware sales, services like Xbox Cloud Gaming (now offering buy-to-own games) will sustain Microsoft’s game development ecosystem financially in the long run. Interestingly, both Phil Spencer and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella have consistently reported to investors that Xbox has a higher number of active console users than ever before, with growth continuing.
I’m hoping that the same group of users will dive into Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Rebirth, and their forthcoming third version as quickly as they can. Maybe we could persuade Square Enix to design Final Fantasy 17 with a turn-based system as well…
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2024-11-25 00:09