Let\'s see. Every positive "rumor" about the Xbox have all come true...including the "rumor" that Microsoft was coming out with a game system. Point two. This:
Daily Radar\'s J. Allard Interview
DR: Now that EA is on board, and it has such a close relationship with Square, can we expect an Xbox/Square announcement in the near future?
JA: Yeah, you should. We\'re not done announcing our development partners. This announcement further cements the fact that the world\'s best developers are flocking to the Xbox, and that they think the technical and business strategies are right on and have a lot of confidence in our ability to pull this thing off. And frankly, our confidence grows every day when we get great partners like this on board.
Try to misinterpret that anyway you please, but J. "I can\'t keep a secret" Allard just gave it away like he always does. Point three: Square made some PS2 tech demos, and the console was launched in Japan last year. Now let\'s think. Why would Square wait so long to announce a game that is supposedly already in development? If this announcement is made at CES, you might as well hang it up as a PS2 announcement because Sony and Square are Japanese. Why in the hell would they make an announcement at an
American trade show if the game would be released in Japan first. Doesn\'t make sense. Point four: It\'s all about the Benjamins! That\'s how Square sees Sony and that\'s all Square cares about. We all know about Microsoft\'s royalty structure, that\'s the one thing they didn\'t keep a veil over. Basically this is it: If a high-profile developer puts a high-profile project EXCLUSIVELY on Xbox, then that basically means that the royalty fee could go as low as $1! That means that Microsoft only get\'s a buck for every game sold while the developer gets the rest! All the boys from Redmond have to do is convince Square that Xbox would make them rich (a cash infusion wouldn\'t help either *cough* ODDWORLD *cough*.
With cutting-edge hardware backed by a half-billion dollar marketing campaign, Square could be convinced that they will make some dough off of the box. Not to mention that the guys at Square are in love with the \'box. From the GPU to the cutting-edge sound chip, they absolutely love it!
The Reverend will go as far and say that if the announcement is made in Japan then it\'s a PS2/Xbox related announcement. If Square makes this announcement at the Consumer Electronics Show (an American trade show, I remind you), then the rumor could prove very true. As of lately, some big-mouthed Microsoft employees must have leaked some info because everything that was rumored basically came true. As I\'ve mentioned before, J. Allard isn\'t trying hard at all in keeping a secret. You thought the EA announcement was huge...if this rumor pans out, this will be a critical score for Microsoft. Anyway you put it, the January announcement will be good for Xbox. We already know Square are on board. It\'s just a matter if FFX is the first game--exclusive even. I really don\'t see why FFX won\'t be out for PS2, it\'s just beyond me. The console and the game are a perfect fit, unless Square are building a game that REQUIRES a hard drive.
Here\'s what the Reverend calls:
- If Square makes the announcement at CES score another one for the folks at Redmond. Don\'t count a PS2 announcement also. However, the fact that this announcement is made in Las Vegas first could very well mean that FFX could be Xbox exclusive.
- If Square keeps the announcement in Japan, then it\'s all good for the PS2...and Xbox. Final Fantasy XI is a given for Xbox, but don\'t count FFX out. Although it\'s possible that Xbox may get X, a Tokyo announcement could kill that possibility.
So in a nutshell, home court advantage will kick in for these competing companies. Bill Gates will be at CES to unviel the console and controller design, however it would rock to see him shaking hands with a Square representative/game producer and Xbox getting the exclusive rights to Final Fantasy X.
