I think they knew, too.

But I don't think they paid to keep it JPN exclusive. I just think SE realized it wouldn't be worth porting a version that won't sell very much. I would guess most 360 owners in Japan own a PS3 because only the most hardcore gamers in Japan would buy a 360.

Of course or else it would be comming to 360 Japan as well.

Of course they knew... if they didn't it'd just be horribly rude and hurt their buisness practices. They had to at least been told that they were pursueing a deal with Microsoft.

I'd think they'd be notified as Squares third biggest stock holder.

But of course they knew. Well, can't be sure but it seems pretty obvious.

Japan wouldn't be getting the X360 version anyway. Not because of the cost but because SE wouldn't really gain too much from that; now they at least help Sony in Japan, and that's where Sony needs help the most.

^sony might of pay them to keep it exclusive in japan

Sony still has a 15% of Square ...of course they knew.Thats how they managed to grab the Japan exclusivity,and maybe something else.

They must have felt like crap when SE told them they were going to port FFXIII to the 360.

Yes, I also think they knew it.

I think it's impossible to keep this as a secret to the creator of the console you're developing one of the biggest and most awaited games for. And even if it would have been possible, I think it wouldn't have made any sense for SE to hide this announcement from Sony.

A famous Japanese blogger who's in the industry stated a couple of months ago in his blog that this decision was made a long time ago. I guess it's been widely known among industry insiders in Japan. Not to mention Sony. SE's statement that it's a recent decision is just SE being diplomatic.

I think they knew and like FishyJoe said, they talked about the third party exclusives being a thing of that past. Since they prolly knew for a few months, knowing that MS would announce it at E3, they SHOULD have something big, if not, all hell breaks loose (for Sony fanboys)

Oh man if they hadn't known ahead of time that would have been crazy.

Imagine if Sony was building FF13 as a big part of their presentation tomorrow and got egg on their face after MS showed them up today. Nah Square wouldn't have pissed Sony off like that. I'm sure they had the courtesy to tell them it was going to be ported to the 360.