Speaking to GamesRadar+, Hiroshi Takai reflects on the decision to launch Final Fantasy 16's PC version out of step from the PS5 version and whether that's something we'll see going forward.
FF16 Director: “think it's possible – probably even likely," future FF games will be day 1 PC release
- Thread starter John Elden Ring
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Speaking to GamesRadar+, Hiroshi Takai reflects on the decision to launch Final Fantasy 16's PC version out of step from the PS5 version and whether that's something we'll see going forward.
It makes sense from a financial point of view, but I do believe the quality of the game might suffer.
I always thought it was funny hearing people say "GAAS works day and date on PC because you want the biggest playerbase possible" but they never extended that logic to single player games. As if somehow sales on PC don't go into the coffers of single player publishers/studios too.
I dont think they will be able to pull it off. Over a year working on the pc port and it came out somewhat half baked. Now imagine this was on the same day as the Ps5 version. A disaster. Square's pc ports are rarely good.
That’s supposed to be a matchmaking concern (mostly). It wouldn’t apply to single player games.
(Multiplayer games are also not pirated)
If Sony want 3rd party exclusives. Its seems they are gonna have to be deals like Rise of Ronin/Bloodborn, or Stellar Blade, Death Stranding. Basically help publish/develop in one way or another? That or buy some more studios/ips.
Capcom, Sega, Namco, now Square dont seem to want to do exclusives or timed anymore and probably Fromsoft too.
Capcom, Sega, Namco, now Square dont seem to want to do exclusives or timed anymore and probably Fromsoft too.
Good Luck Square yall Gonne need it without Sony's resources behind speeding up development and keeping down costs.
Lies of P. First experience from an unknown korean developer was stellar across all platforms. Japanese developers are slackers.
Ultimately, I don't think that's true. Money is what matters in the end and single player studios benefit from the added revenue that PC generates.
Actually you make less money that way.
When you release on PC late you are counting the revenue from double dippers… people that brought on console and will buy on PC.
Simultaneously release lose that revenue.
BTW Rockstar the most successful game company know pretty well how work with split releases… they get the most sales and revenue from their games… with double and even triple dippers.
Welp, there it is.
People still thinking SIE have timed exclusivity for FF7 Part 3 sewn up might want to start considering another reality where that isn't the case.
Otherwise if both Part 1 and Rebirth were under the same agreement, they would've had similar hard-set exclusivity periods. Instead Part 1's was 1-year and Rebirth's is 3 months. That should be the first clue.
IMO, end of the day it's SE's IP and they must do what they feel is best for their brand. I can easily see Part 3 being PS5/PS6/Steam/EGS Day 1, in fact that should probably be expected. The only question here is if Switch 2 is in that picture, which will depend on how ambitious Part 3's technical performance is. But I'd also expect a Switch 2 port at some point, eventually.
Xbox? If Xbox consoles (as we know of them today) are even still a thing next gen, it won't be Day 1 unless the B2P market dramatically improves. Otherwise I'd expect a hefty stagger for any Xbox version that's also reliant on a fat Game Pass deal. The only way something like Part 3 is Day 1 on Xbox is if the next Xbox hardware is very much PC-like and can run storefronts like Steam & EGS on it.
Yep that is the big takeaway here but even expecting a lot of stuff like ROTR/Bloodborn, Stellar Blade etc. in the future could be iffy. It really depends on how much SIE's own studios prioritize PlayStation in terms of exclusivity.
You can't ask 3P to make exclusives for your system, if you might be leaning towards doing less exclusives for your own platform. Now if SIE make changes to that strategy, and start prioritizing genuine exclusives for their platform again? Then stuff like those ROTRs or Stellar Blades could be more common, though I'd still expect that to be w/ some form of co-development and co-publishing.
People still thinking SIE have timed exclusivity for FF7 Part 3 sewn up might want to start considering another reality where that isn't the case.
Otherwise if both Part 1 and Rebirth were under the same agreement, they would've had similar hard-set exclusivity periods. Instead Part 1's was 1-year and Rebirth's is 3 months. That should be the first clue.
IMO, end of the day it's SE's IP and they must do what they feel is best for their brand. I can easily see Part 3 being PS5/PS6/Steam/EGS Day 1, in fact that should probably be expected. The only question here is if Switch 2 is in that picture, which will depend on how ambitious Part 3's technical performance is. But I'd also expect a Switch 2 port at some point, eventually.
Xbox? If Xbox consoles (as we know of them today) are even still a thing next gen, it won't be Day 1 unless the B2P market dramatically improves. Otherwise I'd expect a hefty stagger for any Xbox version that's also reliant on a fat Game Pass deal. The only way something like Part 3 is Day 1 on Xbox is if the next Xbox hardware is very much PC-like and can run storefronts like Steam & EGS on it.
Yep that is the big takeaway here but even expecting a lot of stuff like ROTR/Bloodborn, Stellar Blade etc. in the future could be iffy. It really depends on how much SIE's own studios prioritize PlayStation in terms of exclusivity.
You can't ask 3P to make exclusives for your system, if you might be leaning towards doing less exclusives for your own platform. Now if SIE make changes to that strategy, and start prioritizing genuine exclusives for their platform again? Then stuff like those ROTRs or Stellar Blades could be more common, though I'd still expect that to be w/ some form of co-development and co-publishing.
Rebirth is 3 months is the same time as Remake… that means nothing to when the game will launch.
It is already 6 months and no signal of the game on PC
I’m sure the best FFVI game will be PS5 first and it won’t come way after Rebirth PC.
I feel like game quality gonna drop. They were avle to make such a polished game with help from sony and focusing on a platform. The pc port will likely be busted. Heck they cant even charge full price in releasing it on pc so whats that say about the audience there and revenue potential
Releasing on PC late leaves money on the table.
The big marketing hype, that companies spend TONS of money on, occurs on a games real launch. That game gets a ton of buzz for a week or so and then it's impossible to recapture that down the road.
Look at Helldivers 2, it wouldn't have done nearly as well if it launched on PS5 and they waited 6 months for it to release on PC. You only get one shot at a first impression.
I’m not sure about…
What it shows is that there are a lot of double dippers that makes a late release on PC generate more revenue.
If you release simultaneous what will happen is that some people instead to buy on console will buy on PC… while the PC guys that should wait the release will buy it.
But when you split the releases more people buys the console version… and when the PC come some that brought the console version buys again the PC version… plus the same people that wait on PC ends buying the game again.
GTA for example break records due that business strategy of split releases.
Double dippers create an intersection that generate double the revenue per gamer.
You don’t increase user base… you have the same user base but part of it will buy the game twice.
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If it was better to stagger the release of your game, 3rd parties would have been doing it for the last 30 years.
The only time a 3rd party staggers the release of their game, is when a platform holder gives them a bunch of money for a timed exclusive window.
You mean 3rd-parties that release yearly games? They don’t have window to make split releases.
Games with split release between consoles and PC sells more than simultaneous releases due double dippers.
It is was already a proved successful strategy.
Near half of GTA owner the game is more than one platform.
Near 30% where double dippers.
Of course GTA is an exception with double, triple, 4 way dippers lol
But look at others games.
FFXV where near 10% or sales where double dippers due late PC release.
It is not.
He is using the date from PS5 trailer that says the deal ended in May 29, 2024… but that is when the deal ends.
Remake probably had the same deal but took a year to release on PC.
FFXVI deal ended last year even so it is only releasing a year after the original.
The deal end means nothing at all.
You mean 3rd-parties that release yearly games? They don’t have window to make split releases.
Games with split release between consoles and PC sells more than simultaneous releases due double dippers.
It is was already a proved successful strategy.
Near half of GTA owner the game is more than one platform.
Near 30% where double dippers.
Of course GTA is an exception with double, triple, 4 way dippers lol
But look at others games.
FFXV where near 10% or sales where double dippers due late PC release.
If staggered releases were more effective, all 3rd parties would do it. Rockstar prefers to work on the console version first, probably to make the development process easier, and then do the PC port later.