Star Ocean: The Last Hope sails onto PS3 Feb. 9

Historically, Tri-Ace's Japanese role-playing game franchise Star Ocean had been limited to Sony's platforms. So it was mildly surprising when Microsoft announced a deal with Square Enix to bring Star Ocean: The Last Hope exclusively to the Xbox 360 in February as part of its campaign to woo Japanese audiences.

However, even at the time of its announcement, Square Enix indicated that The Last Hope's exclusivity may only be on a temporary basis. Today, Square Enix announced that Star Ocean: The Last Hope International will be available for the PlayStation 3 worldwide on February 9. Square Enix did not indicate what, if any, enhancements or tweaks have been made to the PS3 edition of The Last Hope versus the 360 edition.

The fourth proper installment in the Star Ocean franchise, the game is set after World War III and follows humankind as it makes its way into outer space. For an idea of what to expect from Star Ocean: The Last Hope International on the PS3, check out GameSpot's coverage of the Xbox 360 edition.