Definitely not a fluke, but it's a whole new ball game this time around. You can't compare the PS2 v Xbox to PS3 v Xbox 360. Entirely different circumstances on every front. Microsoft has so many advantages out of the gate... it will be hard for Sony to overcome.

I think it's going to come down to how much Playstation is. If it's over 400 bucks with x360 probably around 250 by then, Sony will take a dive. Personally, I can't imagine it being less than 499.

BTW...That story's segment about Sony's failure to create an XBOX-Live type online service is shocking to me!!!

Square has said recently that they might make Final Fantasy games on all consoles but I wouldn't bank on that happening. If anything I could see something like the GTA thing where the other consoles might get the game several months after Sony.

Well, they already made Final Fantasy games for the GBA and Gamecube, and soon the DS, PSP, and mobile phones. So they could go that route, with different games being on different systems. That alone would boost Xbox 360 sales in Japan.

Not to mention Final Fantasy 11 (the online one) is slated for 360 also.

Nonetheless, I don't think Sony is going to be knocked out with the PS3. But I think MS is going to gain some solid market share.

Yes, Square has made remakes of old Final Fantasy games for the DS and GBA as well as a Final Fantasy Tactics game for the GBA and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles for the GameCube. As far as the main series is concerned only new entries have appeared on a Sony console with the exception of FFXI, which was an MMO, but other than that all FF games since VII have only appeared on a Sony console. The next game, FFXII, will be on the PS2 and I would expect ones to follow will also be on a Playstation system, whether it be on the PS2 or PS3. You have to remember Square was on the verge of Bankruptcy after the disaster with Spirits Within and Sony bailed them out. Now I don't know what the current ties are between the two companies since Square joined up with Enix but I imagine that any future Final Fantasy games will make an appearance on a Sony console first. I still believe this is an advantage for Sony.

There is a rumor and only a rumor that FFVII is being completely re-done for the PS3 and while I'm not a big fan of that game it is probably the most popular in the series and if Sony has it for launch of the PS3 they're going to be sitting pretty sweet.

Way way back when Final Fantasy 1 was first released on the NES, Square was nearly bankrupt, and they were planning on going out of business. Final Fantasy was to be their last game ever, which is why it was called "Final Fantasy." The game turned out to be an unexpected major hit, and they made a ton of money. Square kept releasing Final Fantasy sequels on Nintendo systems and kept raking in the money from them. In a way, Nintendo saved them from bankruptcy first, but that didn't stop Square from backstabbing them and switching to the Sony console in the N64/P21 era.

That rumor has been around for several years. I think the rumor actually started as saying the FF7 remake would be on PS2.

Did they really back stab Nintendo?? I don't think so. Square liked the idea that the PlayStation used CD's and for them that meant more storage and it cost less. Nintendo wanted to stick with a cartridge based system and for Square that would have meant carts that needed more memory making them more expensive. I remember spending $75 for Final Fantasy III at Toy's R Us back in 1994, it would have been the same scenario on the N64. Plus Square felt they could do things they never could before using CD media.

Also, it wasn't Nintendo that bailed out Square back in 1987, it was Square bailing themselves out. Sony had to give/lend Square money to prevent them from filing Bankruptcy.


Hmmm. Ok. Never heard that before.

I haven't read the article but from the title I'd have to disagree. Sony isn't going anywhere. They're number 1 in the industry saleswise and appeal wise, the playstation name is huge. Sony would be a fool to let Final Fantasy slip away from them (Final Fantasy XI doesn't count as an FF game), and I'm skeptical that would happen. Even though the FFVII remake rumors have been flying forever, I have a feeling (especially with Advent Children fever) that they really might do it on the PS3, and going by the tech demo, it's going to be amazing. I'm not too sure about the portable market. So far they've been blessed with people snatching up UMD's, but as far as games, espcially compared to the DS there haven't been that many hits yet.

I don't think I or anyone said that PSPs were just being bought primarily for use media players, but rather that was what many people (that we know personally, or on forums like this one) were saying they were using them as mainly at this point, because they were dissapointed with the game offerings so far.

And of course we don't know everyone, we were just saying that the general vibe (everywhere but the sony only forums) is that people are dissappointed.

In addition to the internet forum vibe, egm has made some comments in the same veign, as have many gaming sites.

The PSP got off to a hot start, and now people have generally been itching for more great games to play.

You haven't really offered even any anecdotal evidence to counter, by showing that you've heard/read of people raving about the game lineup. The official reviews dont' really count as that doesn't mean that people are pleased, and the forum vibe would support that.

I agree. Everyone's opinion on the DS and PSP here have been based on first hand experience from those they know, or what they've read from others. Most of us here are pretty tuned to or involved in the goings ons of the video game industry, and it seems that more then a few would agree that the DS has been fairly solid while the PSP has been lackluster. Sure, game reviews might show that PSP has some good games out there, but it certainly doesn't match the vibe that some of us are getting.

I tried to search for some game sales numbers real quick, but didn't really come with much. This article was interesting though:

http://biz.gamedaily.com/features.asp?article_id=11089

That might not mean a whole lot, but I think many would agree that GTA has been the biggest game to come out on the PSP yet, and it could be a concern that it hasn't been able to drive sales.

Whenever I see someone bashing a handheld, be it the gba, ds, or the psp, I want to go to their house, smack them, take away their handheld and give them a tetris watch to play with. That way they can see they are living in an awesome time to be a video game player and quit worrying about whether or not their favorite handheld has a bigger penis.

http://crystaltips.typepad.com/photo...zed/39_1_b.JPG

I disagree with that totally. I'm barely hanging on to my interest in gaming thanks to an occasional old school styled game.

The SNES/Genesisi days were the awesome time to be a gamer IMO.

Let me rephrase that, I forgot a word, an awesome time to be a HANDHELD video game player.

That I'll agree with. The GBA has had a ton of great games, and the DS has had a great first year.

Pretty much the only things keeping me in gaming the past year.

I like what Nintendo has done with the DS this first year. I did think the Micro was a step backward, but it appears to be a flop in the US so I guess it was mostly a Japanese marketing ploy.

I'll actually be the first DVD Talk Reviewer to review some DS games so I'm pretty excited about that. :)