BitSnark

Originally announced for the PS3 and utilising the proprietary ‘White’ engine made by developers Square Enix, the latest in the world’s most recognisable and popular JRPG was regarded as the one console exclusive least likely to leave the Sony nest.

That changed at E3.

Final Fantasy XIII is now due to release simultaneously with the PS3 version in all Western territories (with the lack of 360 user base in Japan no doubt being the reason for the lack of a Japanese announcement).

I’ll say it straight; this announcement blew my mind. Since Square-Enix began supporting Microsoft hardware, all that has been seen from the JRPG giant was new IP (Infinite Undiscovery, The Last Remnant) and Final Fantasy XI. And for a time, it would seem that 360 owners would get nothing but the scraps from the plate, instead of a taste of the main course, that main course being a ‘proper’ instalment of the Final Fantasy series.

The announcement of Star Ocean as a current 360 exclusive in retrospect provided some kind of indication, but still, this is a seismic shift for the Japanese developer. It’s one thing to stick the newest iteration of Dragon Quest on the NDS, but it’s quite something else to release Final Fantasy XIII on the very western XBOX 360.

The reason? I can only assume that development costs combined with a less than adequate PS3 user base has forced Square-Enix’s hand to create a XBOX 360 version of the previously exclusive PS3 title. More than anything, I want to see how they overcome the technical hurdle of storage space (standard DVD Vs Blu-Ray Disc) and what differences there will be between the two versions.

A megaton announcement if there ever was one. My only complaint is surely we’re way overdue to see actual some gameplay footage. After all, there is only so much rejigging Square-Enix can do with the same pre-rendered footage that they have been touting for the last two years.

There’s been a lot of boiling rumour about this one folks, but it finally looks like it’s all coming to a head as at E3, Portfolio.com interviewed EA boss John Riccitiello who was quoted as saying that they have ‘two of the most compelling MMO’s in development today’. One obviously being the long anticipated Warhammer Online and when questioned if the other was a KOTOR MMO, there was no standard denial or cheeky ‘wait and see’, instead it was a plain old ‘yes’.

Wow. While no details are known about the project at all except for the fact that Bioware is working with EA on the project, it is good to see them forge ahead with this.

More details as and when.

Okay, let’s get this rolling.

Starting tomorrow, i’ll be doing an E3 blowout of coverage and my own personal opinions, those who are interested feel free to tune in, and those aren’t well, don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out 🙂