^^ but the thread's topic is for U.S.

At this point, I'm pretty sure that Steve Ballmer kidnapped the Namco CEO's daughter and is holding her ransom.

That's the only thing I can come up with to make sense of these continued exclusives.

I think he was responding to an earlier post to see if Eternal Sonata was coming to PS3 or not.

I already explained why MS keeps getting exclusives from Namco. Money hats, why release the game on PS3 with no financial incentive when MS will pretty foot the bill for its development? The PS3 isn't exactly lighting up the charts in Japan. Going the time exclusive route ensures that Namco will be able to profit for the game. After Gundam Mushou missed their expectations in Japan, Namco has pretty much given MS as many timed exclusives as they can pay for. As I said then, PS3 owners need to be happy that MS keeps footing the bill for games they get eventually. Without MS's money hats, I think Japanese third parties would be throwing their support more heavily behind Wii out of financial necessity.

@Darc Requiem

There are alternative explanations. When I look at the console market in Japan I see three critical things that just about every poster on these forums ignores. The first thing is that Japan comprises less then twenty percent of the console market. In Japan the portable market is over three times the size of the console market. The portable market has sold well over one hundred million software titles.

Those factors are staggering so when any developer that is looking to make a console role playing game must seriously consider the 360s market share in North America which is far more lucrative then the limited domestic one. The added bonus of exclusivity is Microsoft's promotion of the title. Then to enhance the situation the delayed PS3 port will have positive demand upon launch thanks to deferred gratification.

I am not saying that Microsoft doesn't buy exclusivity or sweetens the deal as it were. They very well can, but there are also probably times when they do not have to. They do offer a compelling argument to developers to bring their games to the 360 first. Now lambasting Microsoft for doing that is somewhat backwards.

I would rather a company put forth the effort and the resources to secure me a good library. Rather then have a company sell itself on brand name, and expect to have games handed to them. I would say its almost disrespecting Microsoft for being the hard worker, and applauding Sony for being lazy. Thinking they are too good to have to work for it. I really hope that things like this start to pay off for Microsoft it will be good for the genre, and more to the point it will get Sony and Nintendo seriously involved.

Say what you will but of all three Microsoft is the only manufacturer putting the real effort into cultivating a diverse library. This title timed exclusive or not is only highlighting how well Microsoft is doing in this genre. They have managed a complete turn around.

This game will sell even LESS than Trusty Bell on 360, I wonder how much Microsoft paid for this limited exclusivity

What a waste, if one game that makes no sense on xbox, it's this one.

Well, the Japanese will just wait for the PS3 edition.

@Dodece

Your argument makes good sense, until you stop and consider the game in question. Tales games usually sell considerably less than a million copies each worldwide, and almost all of those copies are sold in Japan. Ergo, Japan IS the largest market for Tales games. That in mind, putting the game on the 360 is in fact a death sentence for its sales overall.

They both work for it, only in different ways. MS buys 3rd party exclusivity contracts (or timed, like the above). Sony makes 2nd party agreements and outright buys developers to cultivate it's 1st party line up.

Over the past three years, Sony has signed contracts making Media Molecule (LittleBigPlanet), Ninja Theory (Heavenly Sword), and Quantic Dream (Heavy Rain) all 2nd party for the foreseeable future. Over this same time span they bought Zipper Interactive (SOCOM), Evolution Studios (MotorStorm), and Guerrilla Games (Killzone) making them 1st party.

Just because they don't spend $50 mil. on exclusive downloadable content doesn't mean they are not working to increase their game line-up.

 Lol, in fact, the Xbox 360 has more JRPG's than any other current-gen console, and the only ones PS3 has (other than the craptastic Folklore) are 360 ports.

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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I think i have to add this to my sig

sony fanboys at their best