I can see that some of the fans might be happy that on some unknown date they will get Final Fantasy on their system, but what does it actually do for Microsoft?

Final Fantasy XII, to my suprise, only sold 5 million WW, with about half of that coming from Japan alone. In NA, the title sold 1.8 million, and in Europe it sold less  than 1 million. Now that I look at the sales, I can see why Sony might have just let this title go. Sure on sites it will be used as fanboy ammo, but splitting the sales of FF in NA and Europe make it seem like the 360 will get little to no hardware boost from this title, and software probably wont break 1,000,000 lifetime in each individual region.

Japan seems to be the only region that makes this game "huge". I'm just wondering if, by the time this is released, it will be completely insignificant as far as hardware goes. (I will add that, since this is the first FF game released this generation, it will probably reach at least 6,000,000 worldwide depending on Japan numbers.)

So yeah, significant as far as fanboy wars go, but probably not worth paying big money for if you are in Sony's financial situation as long as you get it in every region, and get exlusive in Japan. This is also not adding the fact that Versus remains PS3-exclusive, which I'm sure will generate hardware sales of its own.

It does put MS in position of RPG king atm, but I'm sure most of the 360's RPGs will come to the PS3 in time if the PS3 does outsell the 360 WW.

I tend to think this is more about SE needing to make as much money off of FFXIII as possible and the install bases (distribution, etc.) of the two consoles than anything truly significant for MS. I guess seeing a true Final Fantasy game on a Microsoft console is a bit surreal, but other than that it's just another example of MS getting more third party support this gen than last.

Edit: I'm also fully expecting Versus to go multiplatform.

Squeenix has invested huge amounts of cash on FF13. I bet it's the 2nd most expensive thing they've produced next to the FF CG movie that tanked so hard it almost killed the company. That fact, along the PS3 smallish userbase was probably keeping Wada awake at night.

Also, that "unknown date" 360 users will get FF13 will be the same day PS3 users get it unless they can read japanese.

The same can be said is what FFXIII being on PC means? basically PC owns all. =D

really, it doesn't do much for Microsoft, what it does is hurt Sony and make SE money.

I guess if Microsoft is out to try to hurt Sony's chance, then yes, it kicked dirt on Sony's face today, Good for them.

Unless Microsoft can secure at least Japanese release same time as PS3, it won't sell much consoles.

id have to disagree with you.
ff13 on the ps3 will be ne of the highest selling titles this gen.

i have a feeling ff13 on 360 wont sell more than 3 million even that!

pluss it will sell better on the ps3 in those regions as well, but no other ff has ever been hyped like how sony have hyped this back in the day before microsoft stolen it

It's a nice perk for 360 owners who like JRPGs. Does anything else really matter to a GAMER?

It doesn't do much for Microsoft, as previously stated, it's not launching in Japan. Where the game is doing the best. In others, PS3 will have a commanding lead by the launch date, and in America, even if 360 wins (software), The Japanese software will more than make up for the american software. It's not a win for the 360 at all, as much as it's a loss for the PS3.

Who knows if it'll even be good given SE's recent track record.