PlayStation 3 version: Why Bother?

Final Fantasy XI was released for the PlayStation 2 first before other platforms, during the height of that console's popularity. The PS2 slim hadn't even been announced yet. And yet today, the PS2 version of Seekers of Adoulin will not be released in North America, and in general it is the PC version that seems to get the most support and attention from Square-Enix.

Now we have ARR on the horizon. 1.0, at least, was written for and graced the PC first. Meanwhile, all indications are the next PlayStation will be announced by the time ARR hits shelves; and there's certainly no guarantee that Sony's next console will play PS3 games.

With the cards already stacked against the PS3 version, and with the history of FFXI showing that support for console versions will get axed well before the PC version, why is Square-Enix bothering with releasing the PS3 version of the game at all at this point? And why should players make the commitment of buying the PS3 version when history shows they'll just have to move to the PC eventually anyway?

compare the price of a PC able to run FFXIV smoothly with the price of a PS3.

I believe the reason is very clear. Get the game out to as many people as possible. True the PS3 will eventually be dated and more than likely retired as an avenue to play the game. However, by that time the system specs required to run the game at a decent level may be a bit more feasible for some people. I say the more the merrier.

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Originally Posted by Phe

compare the price of a PC able to run FFXIV smoothly with the price of a PS3.

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... and then double or triple it in single households where multiple gamers want to play.

Also, multi-platform games tend to sell many times more copies for consoles than the PC, even in the US.

PS3: "Units sold 70.2 million (as of September 30, 2012)"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_3

That's a huge market, of course SE would want it released for the PS3. Sony will continue to support the PS3 for a long time to come.

Did you know sony just recently stopped production of the PS2?
http://www.newser.com/story/160422/s...s-the-ps2.html

by the time ps3 is no longer the preferred way to play ffxiv for consoles the ps4 will be affordable.. <.<

It is SE fault for not making a FFXI port for the PS3, not Sony. Sony didn't suddenly stop selling PS2 when the PS3 was released.

SE promised a PS3 version of FFXIV, and thankfully Yoshi-P is a genius because FFXIV ARR graphic engine is scalable, so a PS4 port will be easy.

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Originally Posted by Phe

compare the price of a PC able to run FFXIV smoothly with the price of a PS3.

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I have seen them go as low as 170$ ..that's like a good Graphic's card only lol ... good luck playing game with that XD

they will most likely make sure that it works on the ps4 since it's on its way.

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Originally Posted by lolodin

by the time ps3 is no longer the preferred way to play ffxiv for consoles the ps4 will be affordable.. <.<

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That might mean something if we could expect XIV to be ported to the next PlayStation. Meanwhile, there's no PS3 port for XI.

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Originally Posted by Andrien

SE promised a PS3 version of FFXIV

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It would certainly not be the first time that an announced game or port of a game was cancelled before its release.

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Originally Posted by Alhanelem

they will most likely make sure that it works on the ps4 since it's on its way.

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Latest speculation has the next PlayStation having pretty much nothing in common with the PS3, meaning it may not be backwards-compatible. And if S-E is really keen on writing new versions for completely different platforms, the Wii U is already out.

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Originally Posted by Ziyyigo-Tipyigo

That might mean something if we could expect XIV to be ported to the next PlayStation. Meanwhile, there's no PS3 port for XI.

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There is no longer a reason to port ffxi to ps3 because it wouldnt have the same impact as it would have say 4 years ago so its irrelevant to the situation for ffxiv SE will most likely get around to making it available to the ps4 but as it was said it was promised for the ps3 first so they can work with that till it gets old like the ps2 did with ffxi but that took how long again?

I think the reason Square is bothering with the PS3 version because they said they are sticking to their commitments that they have made to their players. They have said they would be making a MMORPG for the PS3 long ago, and they are ensuring they keep those very promises to their players.

Also I'm pretty sure PS4 would have its own port of the game as well, considering they said the game is scalable, which would allow the game to can be ported unto different consoles. FF14 probably will be seeing its way unto Xbox 360 and their newer generation console (Xbox 720?) also. People will be having lots of choices to hop unto this game xD.

Not to mention that people in Japan are more likely to play on the PS3 vs PC.

I for one will wait before I buy the next gen systems. My stack of broken 360s and PS3s are a testament to that. Never again. In the mean time, I will enjoy FFXIV on my pc or my current PS3. The joys of choice.

As mentioned, the main reason is:

They promised it, and Yoshi is always going on and on about keeping promises and restoring trust and what not.

Also keep in mind that at the time of ARR's release the PS4 market will be ... non-existent probably. Or incredibly small compared to PS3 market. And besides...they know that the PS4 is coming, and they're planning for that, but there are going to be a lot of PS3 users for a while...

I also would state that it more likely that people will keep playing the PS3 for several years. PS4 is still a ways off from having market saturation, and considering some of the notions Sony has for it (locked game ownership), many may be hesitant to switch.

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Originally Posted by Ziyyigo-Tipyigo

Latest speculation has the next PlayStation having pretty much nothing in common with the PS3, meaning it may not be backwards-compatible. And if S-E is really keen on writing new versions for completely different platforms, the Wii U is already out.

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SE will start looking at other consoles once the PC/PS3 versions have been released. Wii U is highly likely and I wouldn't rule out the XBox 360/720 either. It was the old development team who couldn't reach an agreement with Microsoft. The new team may be able to. They've already opened up to the idea of relocating servers outside Japan. But at the end of the day it all depends on whether ARR is a success.

Maybe, it's something Blizzard hasn't tried for years. (Hint: releasing the game multi-platform to get more players to play together and you see how XI is still alive cause of that.)

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Originally Posted by Zehira

Maybe, it's something Blizzard hasn't tried for years. (Hint: releasing the game multi-platform to get more players to play together and you see how XI is still alive cause of that.)

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“We don’t decide up front that we want to make a console product. We just want to make a great game. If the best experience involves a mouse and a keyboard, we’ll put it on PC. If it plays better with a controller, that’s the route we’d take. If it works on both, and we don’t have to make any meaningful alterations or compromises to the experience, we’d make it for both.”

That's why Blizzard hasn't.

It really can't hurt to expand your audience by putting it on a console platform. I, personally, will be playing it on a PC, as I have no desire to go console with this game at all. (Especially considering I have a PS3 controller for the PC) But still, it really can only help to put it on PS3, as it will expand the number of subs for the game.

Square Enix needs to make this game available on every platform that will have them.

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Originally Posted by Len

Square Enix needs to make this game available on every platform that will have them.

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Except Xbox Live. :( But why not Mac version? lol

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Originally Posted by Zehira

Except Xbox Live. :( But why not Mac version? lol

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We all know you own a Mac! :p

One of the principle business policies of Square Enix is that for a very long while, they have been using what is called Polymorphic approach to their projects... basically means that they strive to develop their games, media, anime, mange etc on every potential entertainment hardware.

This is why, for instance, they really pushed the multi-platform envelope back in 2003 and again in 2006 for FFXI... and why they absolutely should push FFXIV on the PS3. Imagine getting even a tenth of the 70 million ps3 units sold to play FFXIV:ARR... not to mention the additional units that Sony can sell if they make a bundled version.

Spiffy innit?

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Originally Posted by Pseudopsia

We all know you own a Mac! :p

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Yeah, I was using Windows 7 to test the game but still a good machine. I played Diablo 3 and liked 1440 x 900 resolution and it has NO fan! o.o

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Originally Posted by Ziyyigo-Tipyigo

Final Fantasy XI was released for the PlayStation 2 first before other platforms, during the height of that console's popularity. The PS2 slim hadn't even been announced yet. And yet today, the PS2 version of Seekers of Adoulin will not be released in North America, and in general it is the PC version that seems to get the most support and attention from Square-Enix.

Now we have ARR on the horizon. 1.0, at least, was written for and graced the PC first. Meanwhile, all indications are the next PlayStation will be announced by the time ARR hits shelves; and there's certainly no guarantee that Sony's next console will play PS3 games.

With the cards already stacked against the PS3 version, and with the history of FFXI showing that support for console versions will get axed well before the PC version, why is Square-Enix bothering with releasing the PS3 version of the game at all at this point? And why should players make the commitment of buying the PS3 version when history shows they'll just have to move to the PC eventually anyway?

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Originally Posted by Phe

compare the price of a PC able to run FFXIV smoothly with the price of a PS3.

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Originally Posted by Riastrad

I believe the reason is very clear. Get the game out to as many people as possible. True the PS3 will eventually be dated and more than likely retired as an avenue to play the game. However, by that time the system specs required to run the game at a decent level may be a bit more feasible for some people. I say the more the merrier.

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Originally Posted by ArkhamNative

... and then double or triple it in single households where multiple gamers want to play.

Also, multi-platform games tend to sell many times more copies for consoles than the PC, even in the US.

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Originally Posted by Pseudopsia

PS3: "Units sold 70.2 million (as of September 30, 2012)"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_3

That's a huge market, of course SE would want it released for the PS3. Sony will continue to support the PS3 for a long time to come.

Did you know sony just recently stopped production of the PS2?
http://www.newser.com/story/160422/s...s-the-ps2.html

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Originally Posted by lolodin

by the time ps3 is no longer the preferred way to play ffxiv for consoles the ps4 will be affordable.. <.<

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Originally Posted by Andrien

It is SE fault for not making a FFXI port for the PS3, not Sony. Sony didn't suddenly stop selling PS2 when the PS3 was released.

SE promised a PS3 version of FFXIV, and thankfully Yoshi-P is a genius because FFXIV ARR graphic engine is scalable, so a PS4 port will be easy.

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Originally Posted by Warlock

I have seen them go as low as 170$ ..that's like a good Graphic's card only lol ... good luck playing game with that XD

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Originally Posted by Ziyyigo-Tipyigo

That might mean something if we could expect XIV to be ported to the next PlayStation. Meanwhile, there's no PS3 port for XI.



It would certainly not be the first time that an announced game or port of a game was cancelled before its release.



Latest speculation has the next PlayStation having pretty much nothing in common with the PS3, meaning it may not be backwards-compatible. And if S-E is really keen on writing new versions for completely different platforms, the Wii U is already out.

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These might be some reasons, but the main reason was said by Square-Enix and Yoshida themselves...

Yoshida says the PlayStation 3 version is the priority at the moment. ”The one thing to regain that damaged player trust is to keep those promises, and one of the promises was to release a PlayStation 3 version,” he said. “We made that promise long, long ago, and we still haven’t kept it. We made that promise not only to the players, but to Sony as well. The first thing that we need to do, to regain that trust, is to fulfill those promises of bringing the PS3 version. Our priority right now is getting that version finished.”

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Originally Posted by lolodin

There is no longer a reason to port ffxi to ps3 because it wouldnt have the same impact as it would have say 4 years ago

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It wasn't even ported 4 years ago, though. The release of Wings of the Goddess would have been a good time to release a new port, much like Treasures of Aht Urhgan was, but it didn't happen; the best PS3 players got was a re-release of the PS2 version, for those with back-compat hardware.

Maybe there'll be future ports, maybe not. History shows there's no guarantee.

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Originally Posted by xXHalloweenTrixXx

FF14 probably will be seeing its way unto Xbox 360 and their newer generation console (Xbox 720?) also.

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No. Even watching Netflix on an Xbox 360 requires a paid XBL Gold subscription on top of the Netflix subscription. The exception that S-E got for FFXI will never happen again, for anybody. And after Sega's experience with Phantasy Star Online on the original Xbox, nobody will publish an MMO on a console without such an exception.

In fact, if Sony ends up going following Microsoft's example of a closed-shop style of online play, that itself may curtail a port to a new PlayStation.

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Originally Posted by AlexNiculaie

I also would state that it more likely that people will keep playing the PS3 for several years.

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The remainder of the PS3's life in the market at ARR's release will be far shorter than the PS2's was at FFXI's release.

FFXI started on the PS2 in a much stronger position than ARR will have starting on the PS3; it would seem the best that could be hoped for is PS3 players being treated as well as (not better than, just equal to) PS2 players have been treated.

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Originally Posted by Zehira

Maybe, it's something Blizzard hasn't tried for years. (Hint: releasing the game multi-platform to get more players to play together and you see how XI is still alive cause of that.)

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WoW is available for PC and Mac. It has always been available for PC and Mac. Blizzard has been supporting both platforms equally for pretty much its entire history.

Right now, FFXI can only be bought for PC. The PC version has always been available since it was launched on that platform. The PC version is the only version that has been available continuously since its launch (no UCAE for 360, no UC at all for PS2). S-E's history with MMO's has shown clear bias to the PC.

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Originally Posted by Daniolaut

None of the above, the reason was said by Square-Enix and Yoshida themselves...

Yoshida says the PlayStation 3 version is the priority at the moment. ”The one thing to regain that damaged player trust is to keep those promises, and one of the promises was to release a PlayStation 3 version,” he said. “We made that promise long, long ago, and we still haven’t kept it. We made that promise not only to the players, but to Sony as well. The first thing that we need to do, to regain that trust, is to fulfill those promises of bringing the PS3 version. Our priority right now is getting that version finished.”

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This game "Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn" is not about "making money" for Square-Enix. Its for the fans, its a step to correct mistakes, and move in the right direction.

“Over the past few weeks, we’ve been getting a lot of passionate feedback from the community. We like to think that this game is not developed solely by us, but also the fans out there. We develop this game together.

“As for the harsh feedback... if the fans are complaining, it just proves that they are still passionate about the game. If they quit and moved onto another product without saying anything to us, then that would be the point where we’d lost.”

“As director and producer, it is my job to basically make the game profitable,” the director said. “But, if you only think of profit, then the best thing to have probably done would have been to scrap Final Fantasy XIV] and concentrate on Final Fantasy XV instead! But, it’s not all about the profit. It’s also about bringing the players what we originally promised.

(my sources:)
http://spong.com/feature/10110784/In...al-Fantasy-XIV
http://thelazygeeks.com/2011/10/21/f...g-to-consoles/

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Originally Posted by Pseudopsia

Oh I was so wrong. You're right Daniolaut, that is the only possible reason to port FFXIV to PS3. I have no idea why they even attempted to port FFXIV 1.0 to PS3 in the first place.

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I wasnt saying you were wrong, there are other reasons, but this was the main reason, I quoted Yoshi himself. I am not trying to agitate anyone, but put the "main" reason. That is all.

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Originally Posted by Pseudopsia

Then you probably should change the text "None of the above".

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:P kk

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Originally Posted by Ziyyigo-Tipyigo

Final Fantasy XI was released for the PlayStation 2 first before other platforms, during the height of that console's popularity. The PS2 slim hadn't even been announced yet. And yet today, the PS2 version of Seekers of Adoulin will not be released in North America, and in general it is the PC version that seems to get the most support and attention from Square-Enix.

Now we have ARR on the horizon. 1.0, at least, was written for and graced the PC first. Meanwhile, all indications are the next PlayStation will be announced by the time ARR hits shelves; and there's certainly no guarantee that Sony's next console will play PS3 games.

With the cards already stacked against the PS3 version, and with the history of FFXI showing that support for console versions will get axed well before the PC version, why is Square-Enix bothering with releasing the PS3 version of the game at all at this point? And why should players make the commitment of buying the PS3 version when history shows they'll just have to move to the PC eventually anyway?

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You're basically saying that because ELEVEN years after PS2 FFXI launch, support is ending, then PS3 version shouldn't be released.....

.....because, ya know, in ELEVEN years, it might be unsupported, so, ya know, better just not release it. :/

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Originally Posted by ispano

“We don’t decide up front that we want to make a console product. We just want to make a great game. If the best experience involves a mouse and a keyboard, we’ll put it on PC. If it plays better with a controller, that’s the route we’d take. If it works on both, and we don’t have to make any meaningful alterations or compromises to the experience, we’d make it for both.”

That's why Blizzard hasn't.

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You can get a mouse and keyboard for £10 and plug them into your PS3. It really isn't a valid reason. Likewise PC controllers have been around for decades.

Simple Answer: FFXIV ARR will be perhaps the only actual MMORPG on the PS3 system. This alone will grab some attention.

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Originally Posted by Quesse

You're basically saying that because ELEVEN years after PS2 FFXI launch, support is ending, then PS3 version shouldn't be released.....

.....because, ya know, in ELEVEN years, it might be unsupported, so, ya know, better just not release it. :/

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First off, for all intents and purposes the PS2 version of FFXI has been ignored by S-E since the release of WotG, at the latest.

But even then, it would seem we can expect console versions of ARR to have a limited lifespan but not the PC version. Whether that life is 2 years or 8, why even start going down that road to begin with?

For the people saying no ps3 port for XI When the ps3 first came out there was no reason for it cause it had support for it already with the first ps3's being able to play ps2 games. I had a few friends running XI on the ps3.

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Originally Posted by Nuru

Simple Answer: FFXIV ARR will be perhaps the only actual MMORPG on the PS3 system. This alone will grab some attention.

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DC universe aldready on PS3 :p.

I think it will have some attention, but will decrease slowly when people can afford better PC to run the game. Everyone know PC > PS3.

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Originally Posted by Xenor

You can get a mouse and keyboard for £10 and plug them into your PS3. It really isn't a valid reason. Likewise PC controllers have been around for decades.

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But you cannot for the 360, and likely other consoles. Also people who buy a PS3 typically don't plan on using a keyboard and mouse for it, regardless of whether they can or not. That quote was from a higher up in Blizzard, explaining why they don't. And I for one, agree with it.

DCUO isn't a real MMO.

SE looked into porting FFXI to PS3, but the encoding process due to the split RAM (same reason FFXIV 1.0 was not doable on PS3, same reason Skyrim DLC was not doable on PS3) makes encoding for a PS3 too much of a pain.

If it wasn't such a pain to upscale PS2 titles Sony wouldnt of dropped the compabatility support to lower the cost of PS3s by $200, and the HD PS2 Collections would of appeared much earlier in the PS3s lifespan. HOPEFULLY upscaling from PS3 to PS4 wont be so bad. Kinda like upgrading from XP to Vista is awful but Vista to Win7 is cake.

Microsoft being greedy and SE not supporting the 360 for FFXIV has nothing to do with the dev team. I think it's a bad idea to port it to the WiiU as well.

AND they arent dropping PS2 support for Seekers of Adoulin, only PS2 support in NA. EU never had PS2 support for FFXI. It's still being developed for JP PS2.

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Originally Posted by vax

DC universe aldready on PS3 :p.

I think it will have some attention, but will decrease slowly when people can afford better PC to run the game. Everyone know PC > PS3.

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That's true, but DC Universe wasn't too great of a game. haha.

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Originally Posted by Yolteotl

HOPEFULLY upscaling from PS3 to PS4 wont be so bad.

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I heard someone said PS4 is going to use a Vita-like CPU, if a port can be working like the Vita, it should be cheaper and easier for developers. Cell processor costs them too expensive though.

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Originally Posted by Yolteotl

Microsoft being greedy and SE not supporting the 360 for FFXIV has nothing to do with the dev team. I think it's a bad idea to port it to the WiiU as well.

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lol... :P Really, it's up to SE and others. I know about M$ anyway.