Xbox is missing out yet again with another game, and it’s not just a filler title but possibly the biggest game of the year: Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. The timed exclusivity deal that PlayStation has with the developer and publisher is a major blow to the rival company and is a clear indication that regardless of how powerful their hardware can be, it is futile without games to play with. Xbox Legend Parris Lilley weighs in on the negative impact of exclusivity on the gaming community in general and hopes it goes away for good.
PlayStation and Nintendo excel in the same aspect, which is their exclusive games. While Xbox may have a more powerful console, the quality of their first-party games is not comparable to that of their competitors, which is holding them back.
Xbox Legend Says Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Should Be Available On All Platforms
First-party exclusives are justifiably easy to defend in terms of why they shouldn’t be shipped on rival hardware, but Sony or PlayStation does not own Final Fantasy, it is owned by a third-party publisher that has a good history with the company. Unfortunately, it can also appear to be passive-aggressive towards fans who do not own a PS5 but want to experience the game.
In the lastest XCast episode (titled “Xbox is missing the biggest game of the year”) Parris argues it is almost criminal that Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is PlayStation 5 exclusive. pic.twitter.com/vTxgBNhgH9
— Oliver Darko (@oliver_drk) February 29, 2024
Based on the latest XCast podcast, Parris expresses his disappointment of locking a game to one platform specifically, but if that is how he feels about the exclusives then might as well have one console that could play every game regardless of publishers or developers. Legally speaking, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a timed-exclusive which means it will find its way to other platforms like the previous installment, it is only a matter of when and not if.
One should never forget that this is all business, Sony made a deal with Square Enix many years ago to secure this deal because they understood the potential it had and it goes both ways, Square Enis trusts Sony enough to do so despite what other corporations will say. No matter how many studios Microsoft will acquire, they should always look into doing deals rather than buying them outright.
Exclusives Like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Are Essential In This Business
The Xbox community being upset is understandable, as well as the decision behind making certain games locked to a specific platform. Everything Sony has done to gain this deal has gone through countless internal discussions and was committed to helping Square Enix finish the remake trilogy by any means.
Instead of complaining, fans should encourage Xbox to make moves on their own, and it seems like they are. Lilley mentioned that Microsoft entered a partnership with Square Enix to get their deal of releasing exclusive titles. Exclusivity is good for the business, it encourages the competitors to try harder to give fans the quality content they deserve. What is your stance on the topic of exclusives? Let us know in the comments below!
