Xbox 360 Final Fantasy XIII Ignored in Japan

You'd think having a numbered entry in the Final Fantasy series would give the Xbox 360 a boost in Japan. But this didn't happen. Final Fantasy XIII's Xbox 360 version was released last week to Japan and failed to place in the top 20, meaning it sold less than 22,600 units (the sales figure for number 20). Xbox 360 hardware failed to see a boost even as other systems began to see the start of their annual year-end sales surges.

[PirateThom]

I forgot this even happened...

[MariaHelFutura]

Apparently, so did Japan.

[gaffyh]

I did say that it was one of the most pointless decisions Squeenix has ever made, but I expected it to at least make a little bit of an impact. Maybe it didn't because Monster Hunter Portable 3rd was out?

[FACTUAL evidence]

lmao...MS should stick to making exclusives instead of geting old games......Oops did i say MS and exclusive in the same sentence!?!?...

[NoPoint]

Lol good one

[AAACE5]

The game was old by the time it released. Everyone who wanted to play it found another way by buying it on Ps3 or just ignoring it all together.

I imagine the same could happen with Mass Effect 2, considering it is releasing a year later and will cost $60, while the 360 and PC versions cost under $20.

I think only people who like the game, but hate the 360 will buy ME 2 on Ps3! Other than that, I can't see a reason to pay $60 for it, unless it has a whole lot more to it.

[badz149]

we can't say the same about ME2. why? I don't know, maybe because the sale of ME2 on 360 was less than spectacular, meaning that many haven't even touched the game yet! FFXIII on the other hand, has already sold more than a million copies on PS3 in Japan alone thus releasing it on 360 in Japan is pointless from day 1! wht the hell was Wada thinking? I hope he's happy now!

[bakasora]

Nice.. PSP2 will rock in Japan if Crapcom make monster hunter 4g for it.

[JAMurida]

@AAACE5

"I imagine the same could happen with Mass Effect 2, considering it is releasing a year later and will cost $60, while the 360 and PC versions cost under $20.

I think only people who like the game, but hate the 360 will buy ME 2 on Ps3! Other than that, I can't see a reason to pay $60 for it, unless it has a whole lot more to it."

Not really. You have to remember in Japan the 360 fanbase is VERY low, not to mention FFXIII was a big hit on PS3 in Japan, along with some other factors. So it only makes sense why no one bought the game on 360.

Now Mass Effect 2 on the other hand, despite that it has been out for a year on 360/PC and it not coming with Mass Effect 1, this game is going to be release to a fan base of 43ish million people (of course not saying everyone of that 43ish million is going to buy it), but basically saying that it's going to be sold to a wayyyyyy larger fanbase then FFXIII JP 360 version was.

Elder Scrolls Oblivion coming out on PS3 a year later would be the best example of what I'm saying.

[SonyPS360]

@FACTUAL evidence

I don't really get this comment. Are you saying FF13 is an old game despite it being released at the same time on both consoles?

And look at all the agrees you got for a comment that didn't even make sense. Can you people even read or does "lolxboxsucks" all a comment need for you to blindly chuck agrees and ass-pats its way?

[disturbing_flame]

SQUARESOFT has not understood that making good games on PS3 can save their fiscal years. Still don't want to securise good exclusivities on PS3 ?

[rockleex]

Bu-bu-but we must make more exclusive JRPGs for a non-existent JRPG fanbase on the 360!!

Oh wait, that didn't work out. It means we must Westernize! Screw Japan's gaming audience! Screw the Japanese qualities that helped us make such great games back in the day!

[nickjkl]

reasons why it didnt sell in japan

1: released one year ago exclusively on ps3
2: if you were going to get it on ps3 you got it

japans 360 instal base 1.2 million
guess how many rrod

[Keith Olbermann]

both 360 and ps3 should have been ignored.

[jwk94]

I thought it launched a while back?

[aceitman]

i hope sqaure loses money on it for doing it alone. the ps3 can have a game from a 3rd party without haveing ms dig into thr pockets and saying hey do one for us too ..

[KingME]

You didn't say that about Mass Effect 2 or does your fanboy comment only apply to when the 360 receives some love.

Grow Up.

[aceitman]

listen im not a fan boy i have all systems move and kinect but what pisses me off about ms is that they have to get there hands on evrything no matter what ... whas there any need to have a 360 version of ff13 on 360 in japan no ... sqaure said ps3 exclusive in japan. so greed can go a short way so . i hope sqaure does lose money for there greed instead of doing the best they can do with the best system they can do there work on .. the system they grew up on .. so maybe sqaure should grow up , instead of me im a gamer and as long as im a gamer i will never grow up cause im a gamer ... as for fanboy no i just know that my ps3 is the beast of them all 3 years out and the games coming out stillllllllll make me say damn that is sssooooooo sweet nothing on 360 or wii alls me no more except the ps3 ..so if u think im a fanboy ur wrong look at the pic that is mine u can see all my systems out on bottom even some of my original xbox games .. so in ur face buddy ...

[Persistantthug]

The fact that Mass Effect has only sold 2 million'ish units despite receiving SUPER critical acclaim is probably enough reason enough that ME2 is going to the PS3.

Why shouldn't EA actually WANT to make money by bringing it to all systems possible?

Frankly, I don't see a reason why Sony would pay......I don't think Sony paid at all.

[tordavis]

@aceitman You don't make sense. You said "best system they can do there work on .. the system they grew up on .." Well, they grew up on the Nintendo platforms. You want them exclusively back on Wii? You must be 12.

[KingME]

@Persistant...

Actually, I'm confused. I really don't recall ever saying Sony paid for anything. Perhaps you should read what aceitman originally said then respond after you comprehend the conversation. Otherwise I don't see why you coming at me about sony spending money.

@Aceitman - I actually feel that it's the PS3 faithful that feel that everything should be brought to the PS3. You guys hated on halo for many years, but it somehow it was to be released on the PS3, it would probably be the best selling title on the PS3 as well. You guys always hate stuff that is on other systems and once it gets ported to the PS3 you mysteriously love it, until the reports come out saying the 360 version runs better, then you hate the devs again claiming that they are lazy. It's so tiresome.

[iamtehpwn]

360 is definitely a profitable Platform BUT, Square Enix doesn't understand it's not a profitable platform for them in particular.

Even if the games performed evenly on both platforms, people want Square Enix games on PlayStation 3, and preferably exclusive.

[baker_boi]

I think now that their earning forecast has dropped 91% I think is pretty much a tell-tale sign that FF13 Versus is going Multi-platform.

They have to recoup as much as possible and even though I'd like to see the game stay exclusive(as a PS3 owner) I don't think there much hope for that anymore.

Or for any other games they may be producing going forward.

And to think, it was all caused by bleeding their own company for the XBOX's sake. And imagine it NEVER working out.

That's gotta pain them.

[ComboBreaker]

"I think now that their earning forecast has dropped 91% I think is pretty much a tell-tale sign that FF13 Versus is going Multi-platform."

And going mult-platform with FF13 Versus will be the final decision that kill Square Enix. I guess Wada will never learn.

[Arksine]

@baker_boi

I think its more likely that the forecast dropped because SE no longer anticipates that VS XII will be released in the next fiscal year.

They may decide to go multi with it, but they certainly wouldn't do if if they thought that they would make less money by doing so.

[AAACE5]

Square and Enix's games started out on Nintendo consoles! The main reason it went to playstation was to try something new with the CD drive and it worked!

You new gamers seem to have some sense of entitlement to certain franchises. You feel like things should be a certain way and it pisses you off because things are changing!

Another thing, you guys keep saying MS throws money at everything and it has been funny up until now. But this is the games industry and nothing remains secret for long. When MS hit Take 2 with that 50 million, we all heard about it! Every other time they tossed some cash around, we heard about it! No one has said anything about them throwing money at SE or Kojima to get their games on 360!

This is not a mafia movie! Everything they do has to be accounted for. There's no safe in the basement with 2 billion dollars in payoff money to steal franchises from Sony!

The gaming world is changing and staying exclusive to a either platform won't last forever! In these days it doesn't make sense to be a 3rd party dev and stay exclusive to a console. Other companies would call you up and ask... "What the f**ks your problem, are you stupid, or do you just like to get f'ed over!"

[Kon_Artist]

lemme fix that
Xbox 360 Ignored in Japan

[Hard_Gay]

Xbox 360 Final Fantasy XIII Ignored in Japan

japanese are smart people....

[DigitalAnalog]

Of nearly TWICE the price of the actual game.

Can they really NOT spot the oxymoron here?

-End of Line

[Vherostar]

I just hope they look at the sales and realise porting versus now is a bad idea.

[chidori666]

[email protected]

i agree.. please not want another ff without towns in this gen...

[FanboyPunisher]

This is a terrible port, just look at how well their big budget titles are managed (FFXIV Online). Just goes to show, a shoddy developer churns out shoddy games/ports.

[avengers1978]

Not surprised don't they pretty much ignore the 360 all together.

[MASTER_RAIDEN]

136 agrees. 1 disagree.

do you ever feel like the one guy who disagreed, just did it to be the one?

on topic...GO JAPAN!

[shadyiswin]

imma have to agree cause i only did it to be second,lets get it to 10!

[NYC_Gamer]

millions of people already brought ps3 version

[Godmars290]

Millions of people have already complained about how it was only "meh."

[Simco876]

360 fanboy aside, I have to agree with you.

I love the FF series, and I only own a PS3 (Call me a fanboy if you want)

But the game was horrible. If I would have known what this game was really about I would have ignored it also

[theonlylolking]

FF13 is really good.

[Godmars290]

To you. It wasn't for me. Accept that. Just like if another game with the exact same play mechanics came out I wouldn't touch it.

But hey, knock yourself out.

[jahcure]

as someone who has played every FF game i don't get how so many of you call it "horrible". Am i the only person in the world who actually enjoyed the game? I even got the platinum for it!! I really did find it a solid game

[Greek God]

i played all the old ff's too
i dont say it is a bad game but let me tell you this:

iTS A SHIT FF

[Black-Helghast]

You got the platinum?! I couldn't keep playing after chapter 8! Its a horrible game! D: But to cheer my self up, i bought Final Fantasy 7 from the PSN Store and i finished it. I also have FF8 wich i got the first day it was on the store.

[GeneGodHand]

It wasn't solid after playing the Mass Effect 2 demo it was better then the whole game yup a demo is better then FF13.

Hey if you liked it more power to you :)

[swishersweets20031]

the games cool jahcure, and it was my second final fantasy.. first one being 7 but for me after 60 hours of gameplay it almost became a chore not a fun experience. so i stopped playing it. What sucks for me is when i stop playing a game for a long time.. i end up having to start over just to get myself back into the game.. so this like the second time i got to 60 and quit.. so i just said screw it lol..

[Tru_Ray]

Nope. I also really enjoyed the game. I have played and beaten FF X, X-2, XI (level 75 PLD, Rank 10), XII, and XIII. Of all of those games, I would rank XIII just above X-2 at the bottom of my list.

The game is not "horrible", it just seemed dumbed down to attract non-rpg fans and fit on two DVDs (thanks MSFT).

Here is hoping that Versus stays exclusive. This used to be the greatest franchise in gaming.

[Blaze929]

when was this even announced? I always knew they'd release a 360 version over there.

[Sevir04]

Tokyo Game Show booth with December 18th 2010 release for Japan! it was the international version with The DLC that the PS3 was going to get.

[waltyftm]

You always knew, but never knew ???

[Sevir04]

Japan simply gave a collective "MEH"! Total waste of man hours and money!!! Oh well Your true fans support you! hurry and bring us Versus and Agito

[Zir0]

Anyone who wanted this game in Japan wouldn't have waited a year to get it, they would have got it on the PS3 ages ago.

SE only did this because it cost them next to nothing to do it and it will make Japanese gamers aware that all future Final Fantasy games will be on the Xbox as well as Playstation.

[Chris399]

To print, market, package and ship a 3 disc game that comes with a collector's magazine? (Japanese 360 version has a special mag, printed just for this edition)

How's the weather in Fantasy Land?

Square Enix did it because they hoped to sell more than 20K units, I'm sure. That didn't even cover the costs.

[ComboBreaker]

"Anyone who wanted this game in Japan wouldn't have waited a year to get it, they would have got it on the PS3 ages ago."

Yes.

"SE only did this because it cost them next to nothing to do it and it will make Japanese gamers aware that all future Final Fantasy games will be on the Xbox as well as Playstation."

No.

Square Enix only did this because they want to go bankrupt.

[C0MPUT3R]

Square-Enix did this because M$ wrote them a huge fat check. Wada & the other board members of Square-Enix only care about money, not their fan base that has put them in position where they are today. Why do you think Square-Enix has essentially ignored the PS3 this entire generation, and put more games out on the 360 than the PS3? M$ payola.

Bottom line Microsoft is paying Square-Enix to keep games from coming to the PS3.

[Shok]

Duh.

[Optical_Matrix]

The hilarious this is that, when I was in Japan back in September, the amount of marketing SE had put into the game was HUGE. Massive FFXIII posters all over the walls and esculators among the 7 or however many floors in Yodobashi Akiba. Heck, the game was being heavily promoted at TGS. I'm pretty sure I'm one of only a handful of attendee's that had enough sympathy to a least vacate the empty demo booth for the game. This outcome was inevitable though.

PS3 Version: 2 Million (Opening Week)
360 Version: Less than 22,600 (Opening Week)

Terrible numbers. If that doesn't tell SE this was a pointless endeavour, then I don't know what will. Maybe they're doing it to gear up for a Multiplat announcement for Versus XIII though. Who knows.

[Drekken]

Maybe they were testing the waters to gauge a multiplat release for VS. I think they got their answer.

[Eddy223]

i agree, the sales were pretty bad on the 360, i dont really see them releasing versus on both platforms right now...

[Greek God]

HAHAHA
i really hope that^^

[ReBurn]

When you look through a microscope at Japan then yeah, it does seem like a pointless endeavor. But when you look worldwide things become more clear.

Over 1.5 million copies on Xbox 360 worldwide was not a pointless endeavor. The 360 version moved more copies than either Alan Wake or Demon's Souls did and those games were exclusives.

With the success of the 360 version of the game I wouldn't be surprised if you do ultimately see an announcement for Versus XIII. The market is there, and people will buy the game if the 360 is their only console.

[Darrius Cole]

There is a market of 1.5 million units if Microsoft has exclusive marketing.

The question is would they sell 1.5 million additional units on the PS3 if they keep it exclusive to the PS3. Actually since the port costs money the magic number is somewhat less, probably more like 1 million extra units.

I have thought and still think that they would make more money if they kept it exclusive.

God of War released 1 week after Final Fantasy XIII. GOW3 sold about 3 million units. FF13 would have sold more without that monster breathing down its neck. I personally decided GOW3 new, FF13 used, because they were so close. I can't be the only one.

FF13 was compromised because it was made multiplat. Better games normally do more sales.

[awiseman]

Ahhh, just what the doctor ordered for n4ps3fanboys(g). Ony here would this get hits....

[jack who]

i tho it only came out for ps3 in japan?

[BeaArthur]

Originally it was only supposed to be on the PS3 but they also released it for the 360 several months later.

[waltyftm]

LMFAO someone disagreed your thoughts WTF.

[AGamerOfConsoles]

If FF doesn't get the Japanese market nothing will. Pull it off the shelves in Japan.

[KotC]

Duh!

[TreMillz]

Can i say this...at the announcement of FFXIII going multi MS kept boasting their over 30 Million userbase (which we all know is less than that) So SE thougth oh yea!!! its cash time!!!.....360 version has yet to pass 2 million...did it even pass 1.5 million yet?

[testerg35]

Seriously.. did SE think that it would sell now considering the bad reviews it got? It would have sold more if it had the same release date as the PS3, but c'mon... People aren't that stupid.

[kreate]

i think yoichi wada is the most incompetent square enix president ever.

i wish i can take his job. and i'll do it for free and i can guarantee a better success with square enix.

only thing left for square enix is final fantasy versus 13.
final fantasy 15, kingdom hearts 3, dragon quest. if these 4 becomes a epic fail, than i guess its RIP square enix.