Ben-DutkaJust about every source that has conducted a compare-and-contrast between the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of Final Fantasy XIII has said the same thing: get the PS3 version.
Certainly, it remains true that when a franchise has been exclusive to one of the two aforementioned platforms for nearly 14 years, the vast majority of its fans have continued on with that platform. But with everyone saying the PS3 version is slightly better, that might also have had its impact on the pre-order numbers: as noted by VGChartz , FFXIII has hit the pre-order chart and the PS3 version resides in the #3 position with 338,765 reserves. The Xbox 360 version? It's in at #5 but with only 135,000 pre-orders taken. These numbers mean that approximately 70% of all pre-orders have been for the PS3 version. The bottom line is that if you own both consoles, there's really no reason at all to purchase FFXIII for the 360 and it seems that most of the long-time fans have recognized that fact. At the same time, the reserve crowd certainly includes the hardcore; the casual gamers who have yet to even try a Final Fantasy (maybe because they've only had an Xbox in the past) have yet to make a decision. And with over 38 million 360s out there, the sales numbers could end up being just dandy for Microsoft.
But I think we all knew what the proper platform was for this game; it was initially designed with the White Engine and the PS3 in mind and if there's one game that screams for Blu-Ray, it's right here. By the way, God of War III topped the pre-order chart with a massive 425,497 total reserves, which is pretty damn impressive for a PS3 exclusive. Remember, any exclusive is only catering to about half of the total potential audience multiplats can reach. It's just math.
Related Game(s): Final Fantasy XIII
T-Minus 12 hours….and counting.
FF XIII in hand. Sweet!!!!!
But but but… the ApocolyPS3! Some PS3's will be down for a day in four years! Surely you would want this on the 360 because of that, right!?
Idiots.
-Arvis
lol
I couldn't believe the idiocy that ensued after that 24 clock bug. The web was plagued with idiot xbot articles claiming the bug would shift PS3 owners to the 360 version.
Idiots indeed.
I was one of the lucky ones. I survived the Apocalyps3. So many dead….
Isaac Clarke lives to be horrified another day…
Not surprising. I really do not understand why most Japanese developers even try to cater to the 360 audience. Square was given a money hat so I understand their reasoning. For 360 owners it's all about Halo, Gears, Modern Warfare 2, Left 4 Dead and Battlefield. How many online shooters does one console really need?
Even the 360 community is speaking out about having too many shooters. They are getting tired of the same old mechanic; Point and Shoot.
I enjoy a good shooter too, but eating the same wheat cracker for years gets old very fast. I have always liked indulging in different flavors.
I even think their aim to target a western audience, wich in their eyes is unfamiliar with jrpg combat mechanics, was what ultimately led to the 15 hour hand holding marathon reviews are saying is the first half of the game.
I think they "overdid" the tutorial part because of their new target audience, and while i agree that it is certainly a good way to introduce the audience to the game genre , it does the game a disservice rather than moving forward imo, because that very same tedium is what will ultimately bore said target audience while also alienating the old time audience already familiar with classic rpg mechanics
i guess i understand SE on their logic, but i think they might have oversimplified the game too much…
Sorry, when a tutorial lasts as long as the rest of the game, it's not a tutorial, it's simply the first half of the game. Considering how little there is to do during the first however many hours of the game, I'm not sure how you can say it's a tutorial since everything you need to know has to be covered within the first hour or two. Either way, re-labeling the first half of the game as a tutorial does not make it any more attractive to me.
@Solaris Knight
You're right about Japanese developers catering to the Western audience. It's just plain nuts. Their home market is Japan, we are a secondary market at best. If they cater for the western gamer, that makes the west their primary market and the Japanese gamer becomes secondary. That's not a good recipe as other Japanese developers have finally begun to realize. SE however seems to be unable to grasp that the Xbox360 gamer is not their core audience.
Why do I have this sinking feeling that if this game does not fare as well on the 360 as SE hopes then they are going to take even more drastic measures with the next game in the series? You know, appeal even more to the Western market.
The creator of the Final Fantasy series, Hironobu Sakaguchi, left Square-Enix because he disagreed with the direction they were headed. This is why he started his own studio MistWalker.
I'm interested to see what he has to say about Final Fantasy XIII.
Last edited by Nynja on 3/8/2010 11:14:40 AM
Actually I think if it does fare as well on the 360 it would be likely we see VS go multiplat. If not hopefully they will go back to making sense.
Pirtatedrunk: Nooooo, that may never happen!! *jumps out window and runs through town* Apocalypse!! Apocalypse!!
Anyways, I really hope that won't happen, and it won't if Tetsuya Nomura's voice has any impact on Wada… We're doomed…
You're right Coverton, they will ultimately bend over backwards for the twitchers and ruin everything. Wada is batsh*t crazy.
@ FullmetalX10 – sorry buddy, the apocalyps3 was a week ago. :p
Possibly. I hope they realize that the western market for RPGs is really segmented into JRPG fans and WRPG fans (plus a fair number of RPGs fans who like both). Either they realize that in fact they are better making their kind of JRPG game for the Japanese market and see the western market as secondary, or they abandon the home market and make a western game and treat the Japanese market as secondary. The predominant tastes for RPGs are so different between the two markets.
Sadly I think that with their current state of mind SE may seek to become even more western focused and as a result their home market will cease to be Japan. In which case their next FF RPG will be even more westernized. At least if they go the whole hog on the westernization of the game we might get a true WRPG to play which might be better than this bastardized half and half blend they game up with this time.
Fanboy me: Yay PS3 FTW!! Suck it 3-fix-me.
Anyways, I am glad though, that the PS3 version is better, it gives me something to compensate bayonetta being better on 360 other than that it was intended as a 360 exclusive and that I don't even want to play it anyway…
The analyst that said "The Xbox 360 version of FFXIII will outsell the PS3 version 3 to 1" has better be reading this. Number of searches don't equal number of sales, man.
Last edited by sonic1899 on 3/8/2010 11:43:21 AM
I'm more interested in the European sales. If Xbox has twice as many PS3 in USA and PS3 outsells them 2:1. Then PS3 must at least outsell xbox by 4:1 in Europe.
FFXIII probably have same lifetime sales as all other FF series. Approximately 2-3 million in each USA, Europe, and Japan. Just by looking at the possible PS3 to Xbox ratio sales. Xbox probably just get 1 million worldwide sales, as PS3 gets around 7 million. This is REALLY disappointing!!
One must think, how BIG that check must be from Microsoft, for SE have a simultaneous release AND exclusive bundles for Xbox with these ridiculous 7:1 sales.
Last edited by godsman on 3/8/2010 12:49:16 PM
5 with 7 zeros?
I leaving to get my final fantasy xiii ps3 collectors edition now 🙂 store opens in 54 minutes. /tease
Lucky! I wish NA got a collectors edition.
SE didn't think that NA gamers would want a collectors edition. Remember, us western gamers don't understand JRPGs, we're just dumb shooter fans…
Wait, what's a Role Playing Game? You mean like how you play as a role in Call of Duty?
No, it's that game you play in the bedroom 😉
thats what happens 360 couldnt handle it thats why it was all crappy. ps3 is leading on 2010 plus with gow3 coming it will be the end of this console war
To be honest, I probably won't get FFXIII as I'm not big into FF games. However, IF I do, I know I'd opt for the PS3 version as I'm not keen on switching DVDs when I can have it all on one BR disc. Plus I'm sure it'll look better, too, given the PS3's better graphics capabilities.
After seeing the comparisons it definitely looks better especially in motion. The 360 version has some blurring issues.
and massive pixelation problems.
Atleast MS was able to snag the PS2 version.
I seriously love that gamespot called the 360 version "crisper" in the gameplay. oh man.
Probably because the 360 version has a better, more steady frame rate… which is a whopping one to two frames better on average than the PS3 version.
It is amazing what Xbots will hang there hats on these days.
As if the lower resolution of the 360 version isn't the reason for those two extra frames per second.
Furthermore, it is funny to read some comparison sites that claim the 360 version didn't need to be so poor because S-E didn't use all of the DVD-9 space available to it.
Why weren't these sites defending the PS3 and making the claim that the PS3 verision of Bayonetta didn't need to be so poor out of the box — granted, the subsequent patch makes it a much better experience, imo.
Well, I'm off to call Gamestop about that cryptic text message now. If they do open up at midnight tonight I might as well go since I live so close to the place. I CAN'T EFFING WAIT.
BUT, I have this sinking feeling they will just sell them out and be like, "Oh, sorry bout that we didn't count right, we'll have one for you in two weeks."
What? You wanted the Pee Esse Three version? We have it for 360 you know.
I was also afraid they would do that, or get something wrong and hand me a 360 one even though I have my preorder reciept. I don't trust em, but I wanted to get this game as early as possible.
But Aaron Greentoad said the Xbot version would wipe out PS3 sales!
I'm in the mountains till tomorrow. hopefully I can grab one from the local Walmart on my way home. The PS3 version of course. 😉
Last edited by Jawknee on 3/8/2010 1:37:04 PM
Okay, Mystery solved, they DO want me to make two trips to gamestop, show up at 10 to pay, then take a spot in line at midnight. I could just hang around, but I get the feeling I would just be sitting around smoking too many cigs. I guess I'll just make the two short trips. Will be good to start this tonight instead of waiting because it sounds like they are gonna fly off the shelves and I don't trust them at all to hang onto my copy until tomorrow.
Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 3/8/2010 2:01:40 PM
You know you could go before 10 and pay. I pre-ordered through Amazon, so I can't play it until tomorrow after work.
I suppose I could, but I wouldn't get a reciept or anything. There will be a different register biscuit too, that place just worries me. I'm sticking to Amazon with day 1 delivery from now on.
You mean they make you just hold on to your pre-order receipt instead of one stating you paid in full.
I'ma scared to pay money and walk away with nothing. Spose I'll just chill out there for a couple hours, I bet they break down and just hand em out early. Not looking forward to mingling with the wierdos though.
wait wait wait WAIT
There are people who bought this for the 360?
Indeed, but nobody told them that it will Red Ring their machine as it attempts to upscale those crappy graphics for hours on end.
For real. Watch for an explosion of red rings tomorrow afternoon.
It's pretty obvious that they only went multiplatform because of the state of North America and the xbox. It's exclusive in Japan and the PS3 will outsell the xbox version in the Others territory. That leaves America, where the PS3 version will still sell more….
The manager of my local GameStop swore left and right he was getting the PS3 version because he didn’t want to have to switch discs and because the PS3 version would probably be better.
Well, when push came to shove, he ultimately bought the 360 version, the sad Xbot that he is. Unfortunately, I actually like the guy.
It turns out he gave the PS3 Slim he bought at X-mas, along with Uncharted 2 and some other PS3 games, to his cousin.
Now that I think about it, I like most of the clerks at my local GameStops; even though they are obvious Xbots, they aren't obnoxious about it.
Shoddy ports don't deserve to have success.