http://www.strategyinformer.com/news/8006/bioware-you-can-put-a-j-in-front-of-it-but-final-fantasy-13-isnt-an-rpg

Talking with Strategy Informer about the upcoming release of Star Wars: The Old Republic, Daniel Erickson, Writing Director for Bioware said that Final Fantasy XIII isn't an RPG. This was in reply to a question about the main staple of The Old Republic being its story, and how the game might be affected without good game play to support it, much like Final Fantasy XIII was. 

"Well, before I address the main point I just want to take a slightly more controversial route: You can put a 'J' in front of it, but it's not an RPG. You don't make any choices, you don't create a character, you don't live your character... I don't know what those are - adventure games maybe? But they're not RPG's." said Erickson.

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So, is he right?

I'd be inclined to agree that the JRPG model seems more like an action/adventure actually, but I haven't played a lot of JRPGs, including FF13, so...

http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=109122&page=1#

By his logic inFamous is an RPG? I mean, you do live your character (you choose whether to be good or bad).

So you have to create a character now to be classified as an RPG?

I think someone is a little butt hurt that a "non-rpg" just kicked his games ASS in sales.