http://gamingvice.net/2009/04/08/microsofts-deal-with-square-prevents-a-us-demo-of-ffxiii/

http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=70327

Well, it looks like Microsoft has struck again! This time it has affected the playable demo of Final Fantasy XIII that was supposed to be in the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Blu-ray release due out in June 7th, 2009. The Japanese version of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children has the playable demo, obviously because Final fantasy XIII is an exclusive title in Japan and the deal that Microsoft has struck with Square Enix has slowed up the development of the game in general, which is the obvious reason for the game not even being out in Japan yet.

However, this has also affected the localization of the game which should have been in progress by now and would have allowed every version of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children to include a Final Fantasy XIII demo instead of what appears to only be game footage that is already available on the internet instead of a demo that would cause sales for the Blu-ray release of the movie to soar. Thanks a bundle Microsoft…and even more-so, Square Enix who has spent this whole generation making a decision that leads to them dropping the ball repeatedly.

That is still no excuse for there to be such a change in plans for the US and Euro versions of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children to not have this demo available after stating the complete opposite a year ago. I just don’t understand why can’t they provide localization for the demo after all this mess, how much time would it seriously take?

There is however, an alternative for PS3 owners outside of Japan so do not worry!, Play-Asia.com has Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children on Blu-ray for $53.90.…….without the Final Fantasy XIII playable demo, however if you want the Blu-ray version with the playable demo then you’ll only have to fork over a measly $69.90. Alright, maybe it’s just me but the first price scared me away regardless if the playable demo was included, but $70 for a mediocre Anime including the demo of a game that I am souring more and more on by the moment is just ridiculous.

Original sources said a year ago and as early as Christmas that the US version of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children would be getting the Final Fantasy XIII playable demo and I assumed the Euro version would receive this as well. This is proving how much Microsoft is screwing up plans by throwing money around instead of letting the gaming world evolve. I don’t even hate Microsoft, even though I disagree with their practices and also shoving out an incomplete console that is called the XBOX 360.

On top of all this mess, this is one scenario where the 360 version of a game WILL hold back the Playstation 3 version due to it being on DVD9 compared to Blu-ray. I mean look at how cheap Lost Odyssey was made and it was on 4 discs. In the era of HD gaming, you just simply need more capacity than the 7GB of space that Microsoft uses for games and in the RPG genre, space is a must if you are going to have the game in HD. Period. Let alone the fact that Square Enix is just losing more and more fire after each release they come with, and as a PS3 owner, only White Knight Chronicles even counts as a real RPG for me when it eventually releases outside of Japan because Level 5 has become much more reliable than Square Enix at this point.

I know Microsoft is trying it’s best to keep up with Sony’s lineup of games, because that’s where they failed during last gen, but they just need to come with their own exclusives and their own way of combating Sony and Nintendo without trying to buy up all of the3rd party exclusives. Which is fine, but the part that puzzles me is paying for a “Timed Exclusive”, I just don’t get that tactic and so far it has failed because despite all of this and the Playstation 3 being twice the price of the XBOX 360 for 6 months now, they still have been pretty much selling at the same pace since inception and this plan only works for them on paper because they try to make it look like the XBOX 360 is killing the Playstation 3…when they in fact are not.

I look at it like this, the first XBOX came out a year after the Playstation 2 and put the XBOX 360 out a year before Sony did with the PS3, and Sony is still making money off the Playstation 2 while the XBOX is nowhere to be seen. Are they in this for putting out the best gaming experience possible or are they just trying to capitalize like they did in the PC world which they have also lost a grip on as well.

I don’t know what to make of this mess right now and maybe it’ll make more sense later this year when Square Enix starts shedding some light on where they plan on going in this generation, but it looks like they have made one poor mistake after another.

The people that would rebuy Advent Children just to play the demo will likely buy Final Fantasy XIII anyway (provided nothing spoils things... like a bad demo).

Wow that's a real reliable source there detailing a "deal" that doesn't exist.

"However, this has also affected the localization of the game which should have been in progress by now and would have allowed every version of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children to include a Final Fantasy XIII demo instead of what appears to only be game footage that is already available on the internet instead of a demo that would cause sales for the Blu-ray release of the movie to soar."

That has to be the most poorly written sentence I've ever seen.

It's funny that the title of the article rant has a question mark, but then the dude just hurls around a bunch of allegations as if they're facts. "Clearly FFXIII would be done by now." "It's Microsoft's fault North America isn't getting a demo." Proof, plz.

You could pay a ridiculous amount for a demo or you could wait until the game comes out?

Wait, so is the playable demo on the discs or not? At one point you say no, and in a different section you say yes.And why did you say AC is an anime?

I dont see why square doesnt release the demo with the movie, are they retarded or something?

Guilty until proven innocent.

Im just mad the Demo will not be in the US version....no matter what the real REASON is. I wanted that damn demo!!!!