When Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth was first announced, many Xbox users were disappointed, knowing it would be a PlayStation exclusive. Considering it’s developed by Square Enix, many would have thought there would be no issue with launching it on all platforms available. After all, previous Final Fantasy titles are on the platform, as are other Square Enix games.
One outspoken Xbox diehard, Parris Lilly, offered his two cents on the matter. But it seems he’s contradicting his previous statements, a fact that many fans and followers are not willing to simply gloss over.
Parris Lilly Comments on Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Exclusivity and Gets Shown His Hypocrisy
The critique comes from X user BlackMaskGR, who posted three pictures directed at Parris. That’s a pretty mean-spirited accusation, but it is not entirely misplaced when one looks at the pictures in the post.
The first picture shows a tweet from Lilly back in September 2020, where he is commenting on Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda Studios. He states that if titles such as Starfield and The Elder Scrolls VI are not exclusive to the Xbox platform, the acquisition is meaningless, and he ends the tweet by claiming exclusive content should become an incentive to get an Xbox or Game Pass.
A reply to his tweet brings up the very salient point of earning more revenue by allowing games to be available on multiple platforms, to which Lilly responds by questioning why Sony or Nintendo don’t follow suit. The second tweet from Lilly, however, shows that he has changed his tune since then, with many feeling it’s due to Phil Spencer’s opinion on exclusivity.
The second tweet claims that putting games on several platforms is healthy for the industry. If one is being charitable, it’s possible Lilly has changed his mind, though the fact that he shared this opinion only after Xbox announced plans to break exclusivity on four titles is a bit suspect. He ends the tweet with a cheeky “I get some will not like this change, but it’s happening.”
Fans Are Not Buying Lilly’s Change of Heart
The same tweet, which had the above two pictures, contained a third picture. It’s a meme of Phil Spencer with the caption, “Just wait till next generation when I tell Xbox fanboys what else to like.”
A reply to the tweet contained a fourth picture of someone asking Lilly if he played Remake, where he said that he played it after Rebirth. This prompts a third person to comment, “This is why people don’t take game journalists seriously.”
While Rebirth has been touted as a stand-alone story that even new players can experience, it makes sense for a game journalist to follow chronology.
Do you feel Lilly is a shill or has had a real change of heart? Let us know in the comments below.
