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PS3 sales spike 288% in Japan, no US FFXIII demo on Blu-ray

By Tor Thorsen, GameSpotPosted May 6, 2009 1:32 pm PT

Enterbrain credits JPRG demo for two-month sales jump; producer Yoshinori Kitase says Advent Children Blu-ray option put aside, PSN and XBL download now being considered.

Over the past two months, Famitsu publisher Enterbrain reported that the PlayStation 3 outsold the Wii in Japan during March and April. Today, the company told Yahoo Japan that a major reason the two-month period saw PS3 sales spike 288 percent year-over-year was the April 16 release of the Final Fantasy XIII demo. A sample of the widely anticipated Japanese role-playing game was included in the Blu-ray disc Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete, which features the 2005 computer-generated film based on the titular game.

The PS3 won't get a pick-me-up from Advent Children sales.

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that the PS3 will be getting a similar boost stateside. Following months of official silence from Square Enix USA and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, which is distributing Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete in North America, confirmation has apparently come that the US version will not have the FFXIII demo.

"The type of demo version we released in Japan, we currently have no plan of doing that abroad," producer Yoshinori Kitase told Videogamer.com. The reason for the omission was "partly because we are going to carry on with the project alongside the Xbox [360] version, so we really can't just make it available only for the PS3." Square Enix is now considering releasing it at as download on the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live, said Kitase.

Though neither Sony Pictures nor Square Enix would officially confirm nor deny them, Kistane's comments indicate that the "Exclusive Sneak Peek at FINAL FANTASY XIII" listed on the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Complete table of contents is only a trailer. Though Sony reps say the company has still not officially announced a release date for the Blue-ray disc, retailers such as Amazon are listing it as going on sale June 2. It is already available on DVD and UMD domestically.

431 Comments

  • insanitycheck7

    Posted Aug 19, 2009 10:07 am PT

    Multiple DVDs is awesome! Gives me a chance to stretch my legs.

  • ChinoStylz

    Posted May 28, 2009 4:42 am PT

    Well its a good thing I got the Japanese release when it came out.

  • arodmell

    Posted May 18, 2009 9:08 pm PT

    I was so looking forward to gettin my hands on the demo too. Suppose I better learn Japanese then......

  • nerd_assassin

    Posted May 12, 2009 6:17 am PT

    I just want to add up to the issue at hand with the multiple discs...
    Ok, one possible thing is that FFXIII might be not that linear and would require exploring back places. If that's the case, it's also a possibility that a certain area's data only exists on one disc. And in that case, there would be disc switching occuring not just every after 10 hours. I know Star Ocean 4 works that way.
    Another possibility is that the game might be so linear, and on that case a data required for exploring past places may occur on the current disc that is being played, or that only the event codes or specific event items and codes unique are stored on each disc and the area data(world map) is still stored on each disc, much like the case of final fantasy 7. When that happens, disc switching may occur with less frequency. It all comes down to disc optimization and what works well with the game.

    And with the PS3, being about a single blu-ray disc, there's also two scenarios that I imagine.
    First, there's this possibility of a one-time install, which would prevent game lags and shorten loading times. This would cost a big chunk of the PS3's HD, but then if the game would run smoothly through that then I rest my case.
    Second, there's this possibility of mimicking the MGS4 style, which would require you to pause after every end of a chapter to install data for quick loading. That might work well also. I think there's a slim chance of this game not having to be installed, because this is going to be massive, and I don't want some lag times. I don't care if the blu-ray is slow as others say, it all comes down to hardware optimization, and if that means installation, sure why not. I've even installed the data for Naruto Ninja Storm(I know it's kind of lame, but I'm a naruto fan, and my brother's an 8 yr old kid). And I'm thinking about 60 hours of gameplay with this one, might be even 80, but it might get boring. I'm hoping for some balance.

    I do think that the gameplay's kind of nice. They kind of revamped their turn-base formula to make it like a 3-step one, so that you can prompt to move early on, or wait until the guage fulls up so you can chain up three moves. It's not that simple, I think, and the game pushes you to consider every move since there's a ranking system by the end of a battle. I'm kind of relieved by that seeing that they've changed the formula once again leaving FFXII's confusing "turn-based MMORPG" style of gameplay. I think other games have this kind of combat system but I'm really anticipating what FFXIII will deliver.

  • MTMind2

    Posted May 11, 2009 10:30 pm PT

    @k0r3aN_pR1d3

    the devs have confirmed it will be on multiple dvds for the 360 version, they just havent said how many dvds as yet.

    however, i dont see it as a problem. how many hours of gameplay is there going to be in ffxiii? lets say its 40 hours and it comes on 4 dvds, to make the maths easy. then that would be 10 hours of gameplay per dvd. so not an issue unless you want to play the whole game in one sitting. :-)

  • k0r3aN_pR1d3

    Posted May 11, 2009 2:12 pm PT

    Who cares about FFXIII on the 360? Because of the inherent limitations of the size of a DVD, Xbox owners will probably have to deal with multiple discs while PS3 owners would only need to deal with one disc. Assuming FF13 is around 30 or so GB, which is heavily possible, that is about 3-4 discs for the Xbox version.

  • ico92

    Posted May 11, 2009 1:38 pm PT

    you know what ,unlike the gamecube and the sega saturn and the turbo grafx 16 the ps3 is actually a good system its just expensive thats all in fact IMO its the best console of this gen and by FAAR the best console sony has ever built its a shame people dont see the true qualitites of the ps3 because it seems consumers dont know anything about it they just look at the price and walk away oph well after this year there gonna miss out.

  • Noctobum

    Posted May 11, 2009 12:00 pm PT

    Sweet consoles wars! Thought I'd join =)

    Actually I just wanted to comment on the comments directed or made by SalarianChemist. As much as I love the fact that you are trying not to be a fanboy/biased/trolling or what not, it appears that I'd have to agree with CorruptGamerGX's comment.

    Since FFXI was developed for PS2 and can be playable on the PS3, there is no rush in releasing a PS3 only version for the game. Also, third party exclusives are starting to die out and more companies are beginning to port to both PS3's and 360. There are games that are being released in Japan for the PS3 that the western market are not able to get a hold of, some of these are JRPGs. Finally, this is a bloody demo. It makes sense why they aren't releasing it on Blu-ray because of the port to the 360. Be happy that they are thinking of allowing it to be a DLC.

    I'd say more but its already been said. I'll probably get this game on my PS3 and not the 360 since it was primarily developed for the PS3.

  • SephireX

    Posted May 11, 2009 11:22 am PT

    From looking at the videos of the demo, there really isn't much else to discover. The gameplay in the demo seems too simple for an ff game and I hope the final product has more complexity and depth. The music and graphics were impressive though. The gameplay just seemed too simplistic. Though, the demo is obviously based at the beginning or near the beginning of the game and one can't expect it to be that difficult either at that point. It is interesting that the game engine in the demo won't even be the one used in the final game. If that is the case, hoe credible is the demo? Thus, I wouldn't be hugely hyped about playing this demo but I would be hyped about playing a different one based on another part of the game or the same part with the new engine.

  • nerd_assassin

    Posted May 11, 2009 5:30 am PT

    @SalarianChemist

    I'll be speaking to you on the PM. TO everyone, especially to the moderators and you, I'm really sorry for my actions and for not reading the ToS before saying anything. It's really my fault. I've been warned a few times already and I'll be cautious from now on. No harm intended. Thanks.

    Ok, to go back into topic. I really don't have a lots of rebuttals to throw in, since about 4 people mentioned the point already.

    Also, I don't really care if there is proof or no proof of FFXIII Versus being developed for the X360, because the tools used are the same, so it's just a matter of code manipulation to make it work on the other(hence, a port, no matter how long, as long as it plays on the other just as well), as well as the packaging and disc optimization since it will be like 3-4disc if FFXIII Versus is a true blu-ray game. Thing is, FFXI has nothing to do with it since the tools used is different and the audience is different as well. And actually there are more Squeenix games, or in general JRPGs in the X360 than in PS3. But since then, sales are not as much comparable as with Gears of War and Halo and other X360 blockbusters. Even Tales of Vesperia is being ported because of "lack of sales" in Japan probably(my opinion, no such facts stated. And with this JRPG ports, the Tekken and other Namco titles that are supposed to be PS3-only is given justice. It proves that devs are more into the market shares as of this point). So it all comes down to marketability. If a more considerable amount of units are pushed on the PS3 than on the X360(In NA territories) , the possibility of X360 getting the FFXIII Versus is slim. But if there are equal, or a more considerable amount of units sold on the X360 than on the PS3, then it should provide the data needed by Squeenix to once again break their honour and pronounce that FFXIII Versus is indeed, going multiplatform. I hate businesses, it makes people with dignity lost such just to add sales. After all, they're businesses. Consumers' opinion on something like winning a fanboy war for hardware and software sales is not as important as for them to deliver titles to as much people as possible and earn just as much. After all, the only alarming thing to be noticed from declining hardware sales is the beginning of lack of third-party developer support. In my opinion, the PS3 still have it strong(because if you say it's weak on it's early years, it's gaining momentum.), and their exclusives is just as powerful as the others(even though many people will still push to others that MGS4 is a long movie rather than a game).

    I also don't think that the PS3 is a failure. I don't know facts as they are, but yeah it's an expensive piece of hardware but it still sells. I can only imagine what would happen if a price drop occurs...let's say...about a hundred or more dollars chopped off. That's a mess. It'll probably change charts in a sensational way, with all of the good games coming this year and forth on all consoles and handhelds.

    @DepressionMoon

    While I do not agree with your comment(because ACC is still a slight different with the original AC with additional content as well, and that's reason enough), I agree that it is practically the reason why people with PS3 want to buy it(because other people only have a stand-alone blu-ray player), or the reason why people would want to buy a PS3 packaged with that(oh the box....*drools*). We want the demo as much as the Japs do. After all, we've been waiting too. And some bought the PS3 for that reason alone(before the announcement that it will be a multiplatform).
    It's really really disappointing.

  • TehUndeadHorror

    Posted May 10, 2009 10:44 pm PT

    Exactly what DepressionMoon said!
    This is so disappointing... I was so gunna buy it but now there's really no point.

  • DepressionMoon

    Posted May 10, 2009 5:09 pm PT

    not putting it in in Advent Children Complete? You know thats practically the reason why people want to buy it in the first place.

  • brendanhunt1

    Posted May 10, 2009 3:34 pm PT

    really the only thing stopping ps3 from overtaking xbox is not the games, but the price. ps3 has a huge selection of great games for ever genre but its just to expensive for some people

  • booyakashah

    Posted May 10, 2009 2:25 pm PT

    In fact by your logic, Nintendo 64 & Sega Saturn are failures compared to PlayStation; Dreamcast, Xbox & Gamecube are failures compared to PlayStation 2

    ....Uhm... yeah. Yeah, I think that's a pretty accurate breakdown of sales figures for those systems.

    I mean... as awesome as the Dreamcast was, it was awful in sales. Same with the Saturn - actually, I wouldn't call the Saturn awesome to begin with. And the 64 was way outclassed by the Playstation in terms of game selection - same with the Xbox, GC and the PS2!

    ...Yeah- y'know- really... those systems WERE failures compared to the PS and the PS2! (Sony just seems to have forgotten that it's a matter of game selection and variety in titles that was the cause of their overwhelming success in the last two generations...)

  • CorruptGamerGX

    Posted May 10, 2009 10:47 am PT

    SalarianXbot
    Please try to understand that it is not my "opinion" that the Playstation 3 is a "sales failure." Anyone who points out that the PS3 is a very distant last place in terms of worldwide sales is not being a fanboy or a troll. When people point out that the Playstation 3 is a failure in the area of sales, it is a 100% fact, not an opinion.

    How is PS3 a failure? You are aware that PS3 is on its way of surpassing GC and Xbox's sales in only 2.5 years and it costs twice the price of everything on the market. In fact by your logic, Nintendo 64 & Sega Saturn are failures compared to PlayStation; Dreamcast, Xbox & Gamecube are failures compared to PlayStation 2, and Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are failures compared to the Wii. I guess this is 100% FACT as well?

    It's not like I said this as a "troll" or a "fanboy." I also pointed out that I honestly didn't think the Xbox 360 would get FF13 Verus in Japan, since Xbox 360 won't see FF13 in Japan.

    You're right, you said it as a tranboy instead. THERE is no proof that Versus XIII is being made for Xbox 360. Run around the internets all you want, but not one single article from the gaming media will mention any of this. Xbox 360 getting a crappy MMO with Final Fantasy slapped on it doesn't mean it is entitled to get any other game from the series. It also doesn't matter if it got a "Final Fantasy" first because FFXI was previously released on PS2 and IS playable on a 20GB, 60GB and early 80GB PS3.

    Oh I see now, you're dying to give the imginary 360 port a 9.5 and the PS3 version a 6.0 like all Sony's previous exclusives.

  • aurora_born_93

    Posted May 10, 2009 9:05 am PT

    I'vé said this before and i'll say it again: It seems kind of stupid to me that the US version of Advent Children Complete won't be receiving the demo since we are waiting just as long as japanese gamers. Heck, we're waiting even longer than them. Square Enix should give us something to keep hope for other than a 2010 release date. Well, at least the fact that Xbox owners won't even get Final Fantasy Versus XIII puts a smile on my face. And Xbox owners: don't complain that you guys won't get FFVXIII, you guys got SO4 so don't be angry that PS3 owners get the good stuff and you don't. Sorry, you picked the wrong console.

  • GentlemanGamer

    Posted May 10, 2009 3:10 am PT

    Not surprised by this at all. I live in Japan and the amount of advertising and point of sale this package has been getting is huge. PS3s are actually sold out here at the moment in alot of places and while its not as hard to find one as it was to find a DS a few years back it is very impressive sales. Xbox has been pushing its SquareEnix exclusive RPGs for almost a year now and it doesn't seem to have had the effect they wanted on sales - mainly because they are a bit rubbish. Don't really care what system I get it on to be honest, I will wait and see the reviews.

  • blazey09

    Posted May 9, 2009 9:20 pm PT

    I cant wait for this game to come out. People really shouldnt complain that this is going to be on 360 its just basic business learn that well young ppl. I personally will just pick up the ps3 version (i have both 360 and ps3) for the fact that im just tired of rpgs that have 3 to 4 discs and i hate the way they package them in the case but thats jsut me i dont know about you ppl lol

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