PSP gets first dibs on new Final Fantasy movie?

Advent Children may be UMD exclusive.

Posted by Staff
PSP gets first dibs on new Final Fantasy movie?
During the official unveiling of the Sony PSP at E3, the only non-Sony movie confirmed for the new UMD format was Final Fantasy: Advent Children. Indeed, Square Enix has subsequently stated that it had actually planned on giving the film’s release a PSP exclusive period. However, that was with reference to a summer launch date. Bearing in mind that the PSP won’t be released until winter (in Japan), it seems unlikely that such chronologically impossible plans will work out in that order.

Work on the film itself is almost complete, so Square Enix has found itself in somewhat of a quandary. If it chooses to sit on the game until Christmas, it would probably enjoy decent sales on the basis that FFAC would be one of the first UMD movies, which eager PSP owners may want to buy to test out their new machine’s media playback capabilities. Adversely, in the meantime the company would be missing out on potential profits.

Sony will be doing its best to convince Square Enix to stick with the PSP exclusive period, as it would be a great help to the machine’s Japanese launch. However, Advent Children will definitely see a DVD release at some point, and that time may have to be ahead of the PSP’s official release.
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Comments

Joji 30 Jun 2004 13:08
1/8
Sony and your bleedin exclusives, I find Sony depends on these exclusives a little too much. Tekken or FF game is one thing but FFAC is a movie. It will show how good the PSP playback is but will also show how bad the bloody PSP battery life is, possibly then convincing folk to forget about movies if they can't play games after watching FFAC.

Stop hiding under Sony's dress Square. We all been waiting ages to see FFAC so stop stalling and release it. Square are set to make enough money from this and Full Metal Alchemist stateside on their own, they aren't Sony's bitch so I wish they'd stop bending over and greasing up for Sony.

Next thing they be saying is they wanna release the dvd version when PS3 comes out. LOL. Just put the thing on dvd at put fans out of their misery.

Pandaman 30 Jun 2004 16:08
2/8
Remeber when they used to have exclusive "games"? Man, those were the days...
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Deviluck 30 Jun 2004 16:51
3/8
Rumour has it that the DVD release will have FF7 on a ps2 disc with it.
almondVanHelsing 30 Jun 2004 20:56
4/8
Remember when Sony were known more for the walkman than for the PlayStation?

Sony ARE still an entertainment company, not just games, not just DVD players and not just electronics any more. Why shouldn't they exclusive their movies to their hardware?
Pandaman 3 Jul 2004 21:42
5/8
almondVanHelsing wrote:

>Remember when Sony were known more for the
>walkman than for the PlayStation?
>
>Sony ARE still an entertainment company, not just
>games, not just DVD players and not just
>electronics any more. Why shouldn't they
>exclusive their movies to their hardware?

I wasn't saying it was bad move on Sony's part. Far from it. I'm just saying that this is another sign of the gaming industry moving in a bad direction, if it proves to be succesful.
Joji 4 Jul 2004 18:14
6/8
This could be counter productive, though I hate to be so negative. Square need to get a decent return from doing these types of films after the FF:TSW film. Final Flight of the Osiris, in the Matrix Trilogy helped them back after that FF disaster.

What FF:AC needs is dvd exposure to reach the masses, both gamers and non-gamers. If a cinema release is out of the question, dvds would help Square out much more, and give them a decent exposure through sales and rentals. Though a PSP release would be nice, it could mark FFAC's terroritory for gamers and make many non gamers think it's a game and not a film, since the gap between games CG and film CG is next to nothing now.

Non- gamers will just be more confused, where as if a dvd release came either first or at the same time would help Square more. It would take the piss now if this film is gonna be delayed even more now PSP is gonna be late. Come on Square, cause if this film isn't out by Xmas it's gonna turn into a real joke. Step out of Sony's money filled pocket for a second and do the right thing.

kami 4 Jul 2004 23:14
7/8
Well I think many 'non gamers' will more or less see it more as 'gaming territory' any way considering it's more or less based on FF7 and I'm assuming some understanding of the film needs to come from having played the actual game. Either way I don't think it'd be quite something that'd appeal to the mainstream. Still, I would find it very amusing if someone thought it was a video game and was wondering why nobody was using a controller - mind control perhaps? ^_^

Although I am wondering how many 'hardcore gamers' will actually go to the trouble of watching it on their PSP's. I'd certainly much rather watch it on a TV than on a PSP screen.
fluffstardx 5 Jul 2004 08:49
8/8
I think that, what with the current mass delays of the PSP, they'd be better off sticking to a format people may actually be able to use. They've proven they're willing to be a bit more independent with FF:CC and the possibility of Xbox2 development; now they need to start breaking free of Sony exclusivity to the "classic series" and getting units shifted.

I myself no longer have a PS2; it's pretty much useless to me, so i sold it. So the idea of having to buy yet more Sony stuff just to play a handful of games i like is ludicrous.

So, here's hoping Square tell em where to stick the UMDs, and finally break free of the Sony-plated chain around their ankles...
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