Square-Enix to Nintendo VC: "I don't wanna!!"
Square-Enix will not be bringing any Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest love to Nintendo's Virtual Console anytime soon. This came out of an interview in Japanese magazine, Nintendo Dream, during an interview with Square-Enix's Shinji Hashimoto...yes, again. Here's what Hashimoto-san had to say:
"We feel that the Japanese game market still requires [physical] media. Also, FF and Dragon Quest are played by a wide range of users, from children to adults, so there are limitations when you consider the problems that we would have with billing systems."
It would seem that Nintendo gets a large cut of the money made from games purchased over the VC making the cut that Square-Enix gets very small, bordering on 'not even worth it.' I can sympathize with that, especially when people are very willing to shell out a lot more cash for the physical versions of very old games (FF1 and 2 for PSP anyone?). So just like that, anyone's hopes for some good ole Square-Enix fun on Nintendo's VC are squashed...at least for now. Thoughts?
Ten Years of Final Fantasy XIII [IGN]
[Via 1-Up]
Super Timsy
Posted to Hot Stuff, Video Games on 25 April 2007
· Comments (9)
Other stuff like this: Dragon Quest, Final Fantasy, Nintendo, Square-Enix, VC, Virtual Console, Wii
Not shocked at all. When Square can move a large amount of units of remakes of games, especially lately with the remakes and ports of Final Fantasy I thru VI, there is no reason at all for Square to use the VC as a distribution method if their cut is so small.
However, I'm a little surprised that they aren't willing to port their older, lesser known games that haven't seen the light of day since their initial release. Especially games from the Enix catalogue such as ActRaiser and Illusion of Gaea (Terranigma series).
EXACTLY!!! Treasure Hunter G!? I've been dying to try that out in beautiful, oh so readable English. Same with Live-A-Live and a handful of others.
pfft yeah right, like square needs more money.
Well, nikari, they ARE a company. That is kind of the point.
From a buisness standpoint, they're doing the right thing.
But with all the ROM and Emulator sites on the net, all having Final Fantasy 1-6 to DL and play for free, it's moot point to buy any of the FF games as they come out now on new systems, unless they add extras to it.
Am I the only one who remembers how much Final Fantasy Chronicles and Anthology rocked?
the guy talk only about the japanese market...so there might be still some hope for us, american boys!
I have to wonder what this "official" statement means in regard to Super Mario RPG?
As 1-UP pointed out, they would much rather give you the same game over and over again while charging you full price than put it up on VC.
Actraiser -> done, at least in the EU
Treasure Hunter G -> no way. If they're not making money off offering downloads, they sure as heck won't spend any on a translation.
And if there is money to be made, you bet we'll see a re-release. And then a re-re-release. Is there a better way to milk Retro games than making a few discs of the same game in a new, but common engine and selling them as new games? I doubt it.
emulation ftw!