I say wait for FF versus XIII. Then we'll see if FF really has been damaged in the US despite FF versus 13 looking like a solid entry for the franchise.

You must all agree that the OP's suggestion is plausible, much like Toastboy's suggestion that Gran Turismo 5 would indirectly increase Kinect sales.

But I think we can all agree that SE has directly damaged the Final Fantasy brand.

(IMO) The game was compromised to fit content in 3 hd dvd's. XIII-2 came with 1 hd dvd so imagine the content differences excluding CGI cut-scenes and audio.

Besides that, its selling more on PS3 dispite the fact they have exclusive DLC content on xbox360, and Square Enix still can't figure out why... go figure.

My awful spelling fixed. I feel like FF13-2 played like a hybrid (13 did not at all aka no open world), and that most games that they released this gen feel like a forced hybrid of WRPG and JRPG (3rd birthday, Dissidia, etc.). Star Ocean 4 was one of the few true JRPGs this gen from them (IMO).

Infinite Undiscovery possibly (for the 360) and MAYBE Last Remnant were also traditional JRPGs, but both games were a little underwhelming

Oh, give me a break.

FF13 was not designed to appeal to western gamers. Look at western RPGs, they are big, open worlds with true freedom. FF and most JRPGs have false freedom and restricted worlds even if it feels open ended. If anything FF13 was designed to more appeal to Japanese gamers tastes by focuses on character development, story, and turn based battles. Oh and let's not forget cinematic flare, something western RPGs tend to sacrifice for expanding world detail and freedom. If it had been designed with western gamers in mind it would have featured real time combat, an optional first person mode, and a character designer.

Oh and the game was worked on as a PS3 exclusive for nearly all of it's development process. It wasn't until the game was nearly finished and they had already cut what they were going to cut and already had finalized what they were going to put in that the game was hastily ported to the 360. The 360 and the western market was an after thought. In fact I'd be willing to bet that the game was basically finished and was delayed for the port because Microsoft has a rule that all multiplatform games must be released on the same day or before other versions unless they contain extra features. FF13 was designed for Japan then localized and ported. That is all. It would have been the same game had it been PS3 exclusive and only released in Japan.

Xbox 360 didn't damage the "Final Fantasy" brand. There are a few reasons why.

Final Fantasy XIII was a radical change from the series norm. The game was also hyped to high hell by the fans. So smaller disappointments became massive ones due to how it was being held on such a pedestal.

Final Fantasy XIV had such a poor launch, and a very flawed design structure that I don't even know what the hell happened. Combined with a premature launch caused a catastrophe. Lucikly the new team has things under control, and plans to fix it with 2.0 later this year.

I don't think that the Final Fantasy brand has been damaged a lot, but the initial FFXIV launch was a massive disappointment. I just hope to high hell Square can deliver on Versus (oh and they can't either) because the fans are setting themselves up for failure yet again.

Square-Enix is not a perfect company. They make mistakes, they're humans just like the rest of us (I hope).

Going multi-platform may have had a minor effect on development and more specifically development time, but from everything I've read about the development of FFXIII it sounds like they lacked any form of vision, focus or leadership for long periods topped off with poor inter-department communication. None of those things can be blamed on the 360. In fact, they didn't really have an idea of where the game was going until they made the demo. This article does a pretty good job of painting a picture of the development cycle:

http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2010/10/exclusive_behind_the_scenes_of_3.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+gamesetwatch+%28GameSetWatch%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

To be honest, the best thing Square Enix has done this gen is to buy Eidos.

Although i liked FF XIII I think Square Enix will kill it if they continue like this. They need to make a totally new FF instead of just making Sequels of Sequels. The thing I really loved about Final Fantasy was that every Sequel was a completely new game, with new Characters a new world and a new Story.

This is a blatant lie.

ff13 was actually primarily developed for ps2, which is why it was in development for so long, which is why it had to be multi-plat to recoup the dev losses, which is why there is an ff13-2, which is why versus is taking forever because they are trying to recoup losses with the same game that nobody really wants (well, I like it but still).

Also, I was just joking when I said it was a blatant lie.

Dissidai is a fighting game, why do people keep bringing that game up?? Havent played 3rd birthday, or any of the other games truth be told. Havent heard great things.  Thank god for PS1 classics, PSP, and DS or I dont know how I will be getting my JRPG fix.  and the obsucre PS3 titles