Square is developing for Nintendo Again! (1 Viewer)

[Marvin Richardson]

Final Fantasy returns to Nintendo
Yes yes yes! I can't wait! Bring on the Final Fantasy ports to the Gameboy Advance!

 

[Eric Nees]

I think that noise was Xbox falling in to third place world-wide.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Yep, that's chopping MS' arm off for sure.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

This could get interesting real quickly

 

[Camp]

Big news indeed. Prepare for disc swapping!

 

[Scott Walburn]

Wow, I just saw this report over at gaming-age. Did this come out of nowhere or what. I love my X-box with Halo, JSRF, Rallisport, but this is a serious blow. In my opinion Microsoft has almost done everything right so far in launching the Xbox. I thought it would be tough for them to compete with Sony and Nintendo's name recognition. Microsoft had a lot of momentum going, but I got to be honest this announcement hurts. Nintendo was really sucking it up with the lack of software available, and as a result the Xbox was kind of coming the system that was in vogue. But now by the end of the year Nintendo will have Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Star Fox, and Resident Evil. Then Final Fantasy in the future and a low price tag to boot for the cube. This console war is going to get a whole lot bloodier before its all said and done, but this is a hell of a announcement for Nintendo.

 

[BrianB]

Who's to say there won't be a similiar announcement with XBox support very very soon?

 

[Masood Ali]

OMFG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, I need to go change my pants.

Today is a very cold day in hell, indeed.

If I were MS, I'd be on the phone right now with Square, ready to sign the biggest check of my life.

 

[Kelley_B]

I think MS had the chance to bail them out with their money problems, but didn't, just like they didn't do it with Sega.

Though I wouldn't be surprised to hear an announcement from MS about getting FF also.

 

[Sean Oneil]

I am with Brian on this one. It sounds like Square finally got bit in their fiscal-ass with console exclusivity policies, and will possibly be announcing Xbox support soon as well.

 

[Marvin Richardson]

I am with Brian on this one. It sounds like Square finally got bit in their fiscal-ass with console exclusivity policies, and will possibly be announcing Xbox support soon as well.

The only reason Square has been exclusive to Sony for so long is because Sony was the only one that had both the hardware to handle the CG Movie intensive content, and the stability to be around for awhile. Square took a chance on PSX because of the hardware, then when Nintendo finally did the N64, it was cartridge based, which isn't exactly good for CG Movies. They didn't take a chance on Sega, but as soon as they heard that Nintendo was going disc with the Gamecube, they started saying they would like to look into developing for the GameCube. Unfortunately, Nintendo had their collective head up their ass for awhile and would not forgive Square for taking Final Fantasy to the PSX and not putting it on N64, despite the hardware limitations.

 

[Masood Ali]

Yes, Square *might* develop for the Xbox too, if they can see it fiscally responsible to do so for a console with poor sales in their primary market (Japan).

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I am excited. They are not just porting FF games to GBA, but also to the GCN.

I wonder if FFXI will be on GCN? FFXII is the most likely. Plus other games...

 

[Eric Nees]

I'm not so sure that Square will be on Xbox anytime soon. Not with the Xbox sinking in Japan, which is Square's largest market by far. Plus, we can't forget that Sony still owns a decent chunk of Square, and I doubt they'd let them develop for their direct competition. Developing for Nintendo lets them get to the huge untapped market of the GBA, which I think Sony was willing to let Square do, even if they had to let some ports go to the Gamecube. Developing for Xbox would do nothing but hurt the PS2.

The one exception might be FFXI, which will require a hard drive and an internet connection, obviously making Xbox a good fit.

 

[Sean Oneil]

The Dreamcast would have been more then capable of handling a FF game. It could have handled FF X just fine matter of fact.

Marv, it's all about the money. Square needs more of it to recover development costs. They could develop a FF game for any system if they wanted too.

 

[BrianB]

Not with the Xbox sinking in Japan

*Sinking*? It's been out for what, two weeks? That's faster than the DC's demise!!

 

[Eric Nees]

Ok, it might be a bit early to say the Xbox is dead in Japan. Still, it really had nothing going for it there before this announcement. I can't imagine it taking off now that it's the only console without Square games on it.

 

[Dan B]

It'll be interesting to see if this has a big effect on the Gamecube over there. Square wants to develop for the GBA, of course, but the PS2 is the only console that matters in Japan right now.

-Dan B

 

[Morgan Jolley]

If Sony wants to keep anyone in the market, it would be their biggest competition, and that's Nintendo.

If two stores sell the same brand of pencils, and they are close to eachother, which store will you go to for pencils? The one that they are cheapest at. Once one store beats the other store's price, they will continue to lower the prices as a form of competition. If the stores agree on a price to leave the pencils at, they can charge a ton of money without worrying about losing money because of the other company.

Its a strang logic, I know, but it could work in this situation. Plus the GBA and GCN make a lot of money. Nintendo and Sony are here to stay for a LONG time, so they might as well buddy up through Square.

 

[Marvin Richardson]

The Dreamcast would have been more then capable of handling a FF game. It could have handled FF X just fine matter of fact.

Gee, is that why I said they only developed for the PSX and PS2 for TWO reasons. Read it again hotshot, and please don't try to tell me that the Saturn could have handled it. That isn't the point. After the disaster that was the Sega CD, then the 32X, then the mishandling of the Saturn, no wonder Square (and many other developers) shied away from the DC. They didn't think it would last. Oh, and look, they were right.

Don't get me wrong, DC was great, I love mine and the games it has, but it never had a chance.

Oh, and the name is Marvin, not Marv.