Microsoft and Square Enix have announced a new partnership for the return of the Final Fantasy franchise to Xbox, starting with "Final Fantasy XIV". With the future acquisition of Activision Blizzard and "The Elder Scrolls Online" already available on the console, Microsoft could make its Xbox the leader in MMORPGs.
Phil Spencer had plenty to smile about. The head of Microsoft Gaming was the surprise guest at the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2023 in Las Vegas to announce the return of the Final Fantasy franchise to Xbox Series X and Series S consoles. Indeed, the last major titles in the series, such as Final Fantasy XVI, Final Fantasy VII Remake and the Pixel Remaster collection, were not released on Xbox.
The outcome of lengthy negotiations
The arrival of Final Fantasy XIV on Xbox was a long-standing request from fans. The MMORPG has grown in popularity on PlayStation and PC in recent years, and now boasts over 27 million registered players. The Xbox port was first announced by Microsoft in 2019, when the company signed up Square Enix to bring several Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy episodes to Xbox Game Pass. However, this announcement never materialized on the Square Enix side until Friday July 28, 2023.
Behind the scenes, we understand from interviews with Phil Spencer and Naoki Yoshida, producer and director of Final Fantasy XIV, that Microsoft and Square Enix have long been at odds over the conditions of this port. For example, Microsoft was at one time opposed to crossplay, the possibility for Xbox players to take part in the same games as PlayStation and PC players. The company has since changed this position. For its part, Square Enix undoubtedly had other priorities than the development of an Xbox version, a platform known to be a more difficult market for Japanese games.
All these problems seem to have been resolved. Final Fantasy XIV is officially scheduled to arrive on Xbox in spring 2024. It remains to be seen whether an Xbox Game Pass Core subscription will be required to play it. On PlayStation, no PlayStation Plus subscription is required. Xbox gamers will, however, have the chance to discover the new trial version of the game. This allows free play of the MMORPG up to level 70, and now includes the game's first two expansions, Heavensward and Stormblood. An open beta version will be offered in advance of the launch, with no details on the timetable.
Xbox could be the king of MMORPGs
With the acquisition of Bethesda and the forthcoming takeover of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft has acquired cult licenses in several genres. The company can now boast FPS leadership with franchises such as Call of Duty, Halo, Overwatch and Doom. We can also mention the Western RPG genre, thanks to the acquisitions of Bethesda, Obsidian and InXile. From now on, it's MMORPGs that seem destined to shine on Xbox.
Microsoft already offers The Elder Scrolls Online on its console, and can now look forward to the arrival of Final Fantasy XIV. With the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the company may well offer an Xbox version of World of Warcraft. The three MMORPGs would then be offered on the same console.
By announcing the game's imminent arrival, Microsoft is also securing the presence of Final Fantasy XIV on its platform. Since the start of the PS5 generation, Sony has maintained a very close relationship with Square Enix. This may give rise to the idea of a future merger between the two long-standing partners. If this were to happen, Sony would continue to support the game on Xbox, as it does for Destiny 2, and as Microsoft continues to support The Elder Scrolls Online on PlayStation.
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