The Video Game Revue

Final Fantasy XIII coming to X360

According to a 1UP Breaking News article, Final Fantasy XIII is bound for the Xbox 360. This certainly strikes a blow to the PlayStation 3. It also has me wondering if Square-Enix has any bigger plans for the 360, such as porting over some old classics. It would make sense to release the PlayStation Final Fantasy games as PS3/PSP Sony Store titles, but could we potentially see such a treatment for Xbox Live?

It's difficult to compare the current to earlier console generation bouts because of the spread of cross-platform releases. When the N64, PSX, and Sega Saturn went head-to-head, each contender brought primarily exclusive titles to the fray. The N64 had Mario 64, Wave Race, and Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (lived up to the hype? I think not). Other N64 classics such as Zelda 64, Goldeneye, Smash Bros., and Mario Kart didn't come out until later--when the fate of the console had already mostly been decided. The PSX had games like Tekken 2, Resident Evil, Suikoden, and Vandal Hearts. Shortly after the N64 arrived, the PSX strengthened its position with Soul Blade and the promise of an exclusive Final Fantasy VII. Eventually it would solidify its place in history with titles like Gran Turismo and Metal Gear Solid. All of these titles were exclusive releases at the time, although the PSX and Saturn did exchange games on occasion (Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, for instance, was a Saturn game first).

Compare that picture with today: blockbuster releases such as Assassin's Creed, Devil May Cry 4, and Grand Theft Auto 4 see simultaneous release on both the PS3 and the 360. Even some of the major exclusive releases eventually get ports to the other side, such as Oblivion and BioShock. The field of exclusive releases is comparatively limited, although they include some of the real giants in the industry: Gears of War, Halo 3, Gran Turismo 5, and Metal Gear Solid 4. But the general feeling is that whether one has a PS3 or an Xbox 360, there is a solid library of games available.

So I hesitate to say that the arrival of FF XIII on the 360 spells doom for the PS3. It seems unlikely to me that the big publishers are going to ditch either of these platforms so long as there's money to be made by targeting both. But as I see titles like Final Fantasy slip over to the Xbox 360 side, while PS3 exclusives such as Metal Gear Solid 4 consistently fall short, it becomes increasingly clear to me who is winning the console war.

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posted by Parappa @ 8:24 AM