Square Enix Considering Next-Gen Xbox Development?

Thanks to GamesIndustry.biz for its article discussing an interview with Square Enix president Yoichi Wada, as he discusses a perceived "evolution in the thinking" at Microsoft, and "said that his company... would consider working on Xbox 2." The analysis, which uses as its base a GameSpot interview conducted during E3, has Wada mentioning of Microsoft's Xbox Live service: "The attempt was to create a closed network in a closed environment. That is completely contrary to our concept of networked business", and ends by suggesting: "Reading between the lines of Wada's comments, it seems likely that [more 'open' online] concessions could be integrated into the standard terms of the online service on Xbox 2... making the Xbox into a much more attractive platform for companies such as EA and Square Enix."

Comments

Who wins here?

[hords]

Seems to me that Microsoft would benefit from this more than Square/Enix. Especially if they made a game exclusive to the X-Box 2. It would be a great foot in the door to those Japanese gamers. But at the same time it would be a risk for Square/Enix compared to releasing it on a console made in Japan. If I were Microsoft I would pay Square to make a Final Fantasy exclusive (at least on launch) for the X-Box. Any way it goes, I'll be interested.

Re:Who wins here?

[MMaestro]

But at the same time it would be a risk for Square/Enix compared to releasing it on a console made in Japan.

This isn't exactly an entirely accurate analogy but, a few years back Square (yes, just Square) released remakes for Final Fantasy 1-4 (1-3 NES and 4 SNES) on... the Wonderswan Color. Haven't heard of it? Well thats because it was made in Japan, it was for Japan, and it stayed in Japan. A flop? Considering a game for it was released just last November (a Dragon Ball game, but a game nonetheless), the words 'cult hit' probably describe it the best.

For a more accurate analogy (though still not on target), you could compare this sort of action with the time Square announced that its next game was going to be on a system by a company completely unknown in the gaming industry. The game was Final Fantasy VII, the system was the Playstation, the rest is history.

Missing the point?

[Anonymous Coward]

I think we all know Square is a mercenary developer and will go to whereever they will make money (good old Yamauchi has words for those kinds of people). As far as Xbox 2 having a more open network, who knows? I don't think Microsoft is anywhere near thinking about that because "Live2" will probably run on the same infrastructure as Live and right now Live is completely closed. That's a feature, not a bug.

What's unsaid is that the next gen consoles are all based on technologies from almost the same companies and will all be released almost at the same time. There will be very little difference in the installed user base and the hardware performance initially. Therefore, Square Enix might be justified in putting a game on the Xbox2 if the market demographic is more receptive to it. Hell, because they will be so similar they may develop a standard in-house middleware for all three systems and release cross platform. They have said that they are targeting an online audience and need to "transcend hardware."

There will not be much incentive to pick one platform over another in the next console wars and unless something is done it will be very bloody. Sony and Microsoft will bleed a lot of cash to buy up strong 2nd party developers and exclusive agreements. Nintendo may be at an automatic advantage because it has primarily relied on exclusive titles all along.

There is the possibility some in-box hardware features could give someone an advantage but typically Nintendo's perhiperals have been unsuccessfull while Sony and Microsoft have already decided they will react to whatever the other does.

A couple of things we've learned/not learned

[Anonymous Coward]

First, according to the interview, clearly there will be no Squeenix games for the current Xbox. That might have been up in the air before, but that's been settled.

Secondly, unlike the current Xbox, Squeenix will probably take the Xbox 2 into consideration, assuming Microsoft makes certain changes. But is that really news? I'd think that any time a new console is released (which is not the most common of occurrences), there's at least a few people at every developer or publisher that takes that system into consideration when it comes to their business. It's like saying that Konami might make games for the Playstation 3 _if it makes sense_, or that Capcom might support the GameCube Next _if it makes sense_. Oh, what a scoop! Or maybe it's just to be expected.

Closed network is contrary to their concept?

[drinkypoo]

"The attempt was to create a closed network in a closed environment. That is completely contrary to our concept of networked business"

Oh, so we can expect to see source code for the network servers for the assorted online Final Fantasy games released soon?

This is pure bullshit. It's not that Square/Enix wants Microsoft to have less control, it's that THEY want control - just like EA running servers for EA games.

Don't get me wrong, I love SquareEnix or Squeenix or [Enix] or whatever you want to call them today(tm Microsoft). I've been playing more FFTA than is probably good for my schedule, and FFVII is my favorite RPG of all time. (You call FFI classic, I call it a game with a crappy interface.) But this is bull pucky.

Interestingly, the interview contains an assertion by the interviewer that Wada said something really dumb: "In your words, network is the game." Why is this dumb? Because it was stupid when Sun said "The network is the computer" and it's stupid now if Yoichi Wada is saying "[The] network is [the] game". The computer is the computer, the game is the game, black is not white and up is not down. But I bring it up not to diss on Yoichi (though it's fun) but to point out that those days were the beginning of the end for Sun. I wouldn't want to jinx myself by uttering similar syllables :)

Push/Pull factors

[Thedalek]

In all honesty, the only things keeping me from getting an xBox were A) Total lack of Japanese developer support, and B) Clunky form factor. I would not be surprised in the slightest if B was a major cause of A.

This leads me to think that xBox Next (or whatever combination of capital and lower case letters they're using, possibly even some numbers) probably has a sleeker design and is likely a bit smaller, if prominant Japanese developers are considering developing for it.