Final Fantasy games may not release on Xbox consoles this generation, as Sony wants PlayStation to be the home of the series.
Speaking on the ResetERA forums, VGC's Jordan Middler commented on the Japanese publisher's future games, saying that most of them will end up on Xbox but not Final Fantasy games. He likely refers to future major entries in the series, as Stranger Of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is releasing on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One in two months.
Most of Square's stuff will end up on Xbox, but I wouldn't hold out hope for FF unless something changes. Sony want PS to be the home of FF this gen. FF7 was supposed to be on Xbox by now, but here we are.
Apparently, Square Enix is in Sony's camp beyond what's publicly known, with multiple timed exclusives in the works. Additionally, the first announcements will be coming before long.
It's interesting to see Ubisoft side with Xbox more and more this gen while Square is firmly in Sony's camp, even beyond what's publicly known. This is a cool move, but I wonder what price we'll be looking at for Ultimate + Ubi.
This is turning into a very exciting gen.
Jordan Middler also commented on Square Enix's games coming to PC, saying that the publisher is keen to keep releasing every game on PC, even if the ports aren't great, and that the timed exclusives will continue, so it seems like Final Fantasy VII Remake and Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin won't be the last games from the publisher to release on the Epic Games Store first.
Square is keen to keep putting everything on PC, even if the ports aren't great. Timed exclusives.
While Square Enix being keen to continue releasing all of their games on PC is definitely a good thing, the fact that they are willing to even if the ports aren't great doesn't sound good at all, especially in light of the disappointing Final Fantasy VII Remake port, which is extremely barebones, as highlighted by Alessio in his analysis.
It is unfortunately clear that no major effort was made here to make it the ultimate version of the game, as it should always be the case with a PC release. Sure, you can play it at a higher frame rate if you have the hardware for it. PS5 users can only choose between a 4K@30 mode and a Performance Mode that drops the rendering resolution to 2688x1512 (according to Digital Foundry's test) to reach 60 frames per second. As per our test, PC users with a top-of-the-line rig can easily expect to play at a locked 4K@120 target.
That said, such a high profile release warranted something more. Looking back, Square Enix itself demonstrated what that meant a few years ago with Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition. Game Director Hajime Tabata eloquently said it was well ahead of the console versions, explaining how the partnership with NVIDIA had allowed the studio to realize its vision on PC.
As new announcements are seemingly coming soon, it won't be long before we learn more about Square Enix's strategy for this generation. We will keep you updated on the games coming from the Japanese publisher as soon as possible, so stay tuned for all the latest news.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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