PlayStation 3 version: Why Bother?

[Yolteotl]

Yea I know ALOT of people who plan on trying the game out on PS3 but they never had any interest to play it on PC cause they just dont like to keep their computer tied up running a game. And there are no true competitors in the MMORPG market on consoles (except FFXI on 360) at least for a while. DCUO and Dust arent RPGs and arent made very well. Unlike when FFXI came out, MMORPG is its own powerful entity in the gaming industry and understood by a majority of gamers now. SE has the potential to tap into a massive sector of the gaming market and at the same time revitalize the players' expectations of the Final Fantasy franchise, IF they do well on producing the PS3 version of the game.

[Biggs]

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?

While I hope they DO port it over to the ps4 after a time, its important they keep their word and bring it to the ps3. Its as simple as that. They said they were going to do something, then they should do it.

[Zehira]

This made me sad... Why copy Mass Effect into Final Fantasy!? >.<

[Malakhim]

PlayStation 3 version: Why Bother?

Because the PS4 hasn't even been announced yet(yes yes, we know "it's coming", but there hasn't been even a sliver of anything official other than that), and given that Sony has said time and time again that they want the PS3 to have at least a 10-year life span, we probably won't be seeing said next-gen console in a bit, Microsoft be damned in this scenario.

As others have said, the PS3 currently has a global install rate of about 70 million or so, whereas again, the PS4 would take some traction to get anywhere. True, we can easily say that 70 million PS3 users doesn't mean they'll all play FFXIV, but if even .05% does, that's still a good 4.5 million subscribers. Many people I'm aware of have been waiting on the PS3 version for a LONG time, so there's definitely at least some audience.

[Delsus]

Because the PS4 hasn't even been announced yet(yes yes, we know "it's coming", but there hasn't been even a sliver of anything official other than that), and given that Sony has said time and time again that they want the PS3 to have at least a 10-year life span, we probably won't be seeing said next-gen console in a bit, Microsoft be damned in this scenario.

As others have said, the PS3 currently has a global install rate of about 70 million or so, whereas again, the PS4 would take some traction to get anywhere. True, we can easily say that 70 million PS3 users doesn't mean they'll all play FFXIV, but if even .05% does, that's still a good 4.5 million subscribers. Many people I'm aware of have been waiting on the PS3 version for a LONG time, so there's definitely at least some audience.

Let's not forget Sony recently patenting a method to prevent pre-owned games being played, if brought to PS4 could single handed kill Playstation for good.

[Xenor]

Let's not forget Sony recently patenting a method to prevent pre-owned games being played, if brought to PS4 could single handed kill Playstation for good.

Yeah because Microsoft won't be doing the same.

[Issachar]

PS3 version is probably going to be their main install base, believe it or not.

[Pseudopsia]

PS3 version is probably going to be their main install base, believe it or not.

I agree with this. There's a lot more MMORPG competition the on the PC platform. Unless FFXIV 2.0 is super good the PS3 player base will be larger.

[Zehira]

I agree with this. There's a lot more MMORPG competition the on the PC platform. Unless FFXIV 2.0 is super good the PS3 player base will be larger.

True, I can't understand why WoW has a large subscription and maybe because Blizzard has a large install base? Who knows! :3

About XIV, releasing it on both PC and PS3 would help SE to get more players since not all of them have a decent computer.

[Pseudopsia]

True, I can't understand why WoW has a large subscription and maybe because Blizzard has a large install base? Who knows! :3

About XIV, releasing it on both PC and PS3 would help SE to get more players since not all of them have a decent computer.

I played WoW for many years after after FFXI. What I see what all other new MMORPGs and WoW clones(To anyone else reading this: I'm not calling FFXIV a WoW clone!!!) failed to do is to include 25 man raiding. It's something difficult a lot of players work towards and feels great when you defeat a tough boss with many players. I recently played GW2 with my old WoW guild before that Panda expansion. They all left GW2 because the PVE dungeons were frustrating, buggy and not all members could join in.

FFXIV 2.0 will have 24 man raiding, so it's possible SE can actually take a fair chunk out of WoW if SE can make it play well and feels Epic. FFXIV has a far better story and graphics, all it really needs I think is the game play.