As Xbox wraps up 2024, it’s celebrating some impressive achievements. Games like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 have shattered past engagement records, and the timed exclusive STALKER 2 has hit a whopping one million sales, with more players discovering it via Xbox Game Pass. Meanwhile, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle looks set to become a blockbuster hit this December. It hasn’t all been flashy wins, though.
Hardware sales for Xbox have been slipping, which a lot of folks online attribute to certain content gaps. Historically, many big-name franchises dodged Xbox, even though this has improved over time. Games like Yakuza, Genshin Impact, and Persona have finally embraced the green side. Yet, one classic series remains glaringly absent — Final Fantasy.
Final Fantasy isn’t the juggernaut it once was due to inconsistent game quality and wildly varied play styles, which have splintered its fanbase. Plus, the franchise typically releases games on a single platform at a time. Without leveraging multi-platform potential, Final Fantasy struggles to make a splash in today’s competitive market, a fact Square Enix is well aware of. The publishing giant is committed to broader multi-platform development, including Xbox, a journey that began with Final Fantasy 14 and the Pixel Remaster series. However, key titles like Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Final Fantasy 16 are conspicuous by their absence on Xbox. There is, however, a glimmer of hope.
In a recent interview shared by GamesRadar, Naoki Hamaguchi, who is steering Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, expressed his personal engagement with Xbox. While he didn’t confirm anything definitively, his enthusiasm suggests Xbox fans might eventually get the chance to experience the Remake series. Hamaguchi emphasized the industry’s shift toward a multi-platform approach, noting that, with so many gaming avenues available now, developers are naturally gravitating towards more inclusive platforms.
Acknowledging the multitude of gaming landscapes today, Hamaguchi pointed out how the market has transformed, prompting Square Enix’s CEO, Takashi Kiryu, to steer the company towards multi-platform releases. Hamaguchi, who owns and praises Xbox, personally thinks it’s a solid hardware choice.
Microsoft has made significant strides in attracting publishers who once overlooked Xbox, but there’s still a way to go. Despite some of 2024’s blockbuster titles, like Black Myth Wukong and Stellar Blade, giving Xbox a miss, there have been notable successes. As mentioned earlier, STALKER 2 has proved a valuable exclusive this month, while last year’s Palworld buzz showed Xbox’s potential to back winners occasionally. Moreover, Xbox recently secured Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding, previously exclusive to PlayStation, enhancing its line-up.
Hamaguchi’s comments underline a broader industry trend toward opening up platforms. Xbox boss Phil Spencer also hinted that we might see more Xbox titles arriving on PlayStation in the future. As gaming markets get increasingly competitive, ensuring your game is available everywhere becomes crucial for success, even if it seems to undercut Xbox hardware sales. However, with initiatives like Xbox Cloud Gaming, which now features buy-to-own options, Xbox maintains an attractive development environment for creators. Spencer and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella have repeatedly assured investors of Xbox’s growing console user base and widened engagement.
The hope is that soon Xbox users might dive into Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Rebirth, and its awaited third installment. Meanwhile, there’s a quiet prayer being whispered that Square Enix might consider a return to turn-based mechanics for Final Fantasy 17…
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