It's no secret that the relationship between Xbox and Square Enix is strained. PlayStation has taken advantage of this distance to secure important games like Final Fantasy XVI, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Final Fantasy XIV, and soon, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.
As one of the top references in the RPG genre, the absence of Final Fantasy on Xbox is a significant blow, especially considering that the company has struggled to gain ground in Japan and has, for a time, faced a shortage of JRPGs in its lineup.
Although Xbox wants to improve its relationship with Square Enix, the reality is that it has gradually become the undisputed king of RPGs. Thus, it has what it takes to cope with the absence of Final Fantasy in its ecosystem.
PlayStation wants Final Fantasy to stay off Xbox
It's no coincidence that Jim Ryan, head of Sony Interactive Entertainment, recently boasted about their relationship with Square Enix. He stated that the studio is one of PlayStation's most valuable partners and that their alliance has never been stronger.
In fact, some reports suggest that PlayStation aims to become the home of Final Fantasy during this generation, a mission it is clearly fulfilling. This makes perfect sense, as the saga is directly linked to the history of PlayStation.
Although the franchise originated on Nintendo consoles and later expanded to multiple platforms, it is undeniable that Final Fantasy is closely tied to PlayStation. The release of Final Fantasy VII in 1997 marked a milestone in the history of JRPGs and was a turning point for the franchise as a whole.
Since then, the main Final Fantasy games have been closely associated with PlayStation, even despite being released on PC. Subsequent installments of the series and multiple spin-offs have added great value to the catalogs of PlayStation and PlayStation 2.
Now, Sony wants to hold onto the value that the franchise brought to its systems years ago, strengthen the PlayStation 5 catalog, and take a shot at its rival. However, there is another important reason that perhaps has gone unnoticed by some: Xbox is already a powerhouse in the RPG genre. In its hands, it has some of the most important western RPG series and renowned role-playing studios.
As if that weren't enough, Xbox has managed to attract significant Japanese developers. This means that currently, very important JRPG franchises are already part of its ecosystem: Persona, Yakuza, Kingdom Hearts, Shin Megami Tensei, Ys, The Legend of Heroes, and Neptunia, to name a few.
However, this doesn't mean that Xbox wants to do without Final Fantasy. The company has fought for its slice of the pie and has ensured that most of the franchise's games are available on its consoles. They have also brought some of its most iconic entries to Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass. We even know that Microsoft considered the idea of buying Square Enix a few years ago to strengthen Xbox and its services.
The fact is that Xbox now finally has a solid proposal of JRPG titles in its catalog, complementing its enviable offering of western RPGs. Meanwhile, everything indicates that PlayStation will struggle to capture the attention of RPG fans in the future.
Xbox will become the undisputed king of RPGs
Little by little, Xbox Game Studios has become the biggest exponent and developer of RPGs, at least in the western market. In its ranks are authentic masters of the genre, such as Bethesda, inXile Entertainment, and Obsidian Entertainment.
Each of these studios has a long relationship with the genre, and among them are legendary figures that have shaped the course of role-playing games for decades. Just mentioning names like Todd Howard, Brian Fargo, Feargus Urquhart, and Josh Sawyer, among many others, demonstrates that Xbox has a dream team to develop as many RPGs as they desire. Additionally, Playground Games will soon join this Olympus with its first foray into the genre.
When it comes to franchises, there is no equal to Xbox at the moment. They have gems like Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Wasteland, The Bard's Tale, Pillars of Eternity, The Outer Worlds, and Fable, among others.
Furthermore, it's only a matter of time before new franchises and installments of established series join this attractive catalog. Examples include Starfield, The Elder Scrolls VI, Fallout 5, Avowed, Clockwork Revolution, The Outer Worlds 2, and more expansions for The Elder Scrolls Online.
Xbox also has partners working on titles that will strengthen this catalog. IO Interactive, the studio behind HITMAN, is preparing Project Fantasy, an online fantasy RPG that sounds promising.
Additionally, the purchase of Activision Blizzard will soon be finalized, putting Diablo and World of Warcraft in Xbox's hands as the icing on the cake. What if Microsoft manages to acquire Square Enix or SEGA? Xbox would become the true king of the genre in both East and West.
Xbox's weight in the western RPG market is no accident, as they have always carried it in their DNA. If we go back to the beginning of the brand, we find renowned titles such as Fable, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and Baldur's Gate.
This made the brand very attractive to fans of western RPGs, one of the strengths of PC gaming. With this in mind, it is clear that Xbox has a substantial lead and is now the undisputed king of RPGs.
PlayStation clings to Final Fantasy, but it won't be enough
How will PlayStation respond to Xbox's arsenal? It seems challenging for them to do so, especially if Microsoft plans to make future RPGs exclusive to its ecosystem. Whether due to oversight or following a well-defined strategy, PlayStation Studios lacks teams focused on the genre. Meanwhile, Xbox has a solid group of studios specializing in RPGs.
This seems strange considering the importance of the genre in the history of PlayStation. While Final Fantasy is one of the great representatives of the genre, it is clear that it won't be enough to compete with the wave of games being developed within Xbox Game Studios.
For this reason, it seems that PlayStation can only depend on third-party developers to balance the scale a bit. There are still studios that are reference points in the genre and are working on multi-platform releases. Notable examples include CD Projekt Red, Larian Studios, and BioWare, to name a few. It may also strengthen its relationship with Square Enix even further. However, it is undeniable that its battle for RPG dominance is already lost.
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