Final Fantasy XIII News

For:PS3  Also On: Xbox 360 Release Date: 9 March 2010

Digital distribution model is the future says Square Enix.

Final Fantasy XIII screenshot

Square Enix chief executive Yoichi Wada believes a digital distribution future could bring about a change which sees an end to high upfront game prices, in favour of splitting the experience into smaller, more affordable chunks.

"Two things are clear: The distribution channels will change and the revenue model will change," Wada told Forbes at E3 last week. "It will happen in the entire industry, and we want to stay on top of this trend."

Wada believes digital distribution provides a direct line of communication between the company and its customers, in turn creating a new way to monetise games. An example given by Wada was the idea of selling a title like Final Fantasy - traditionally sold at retail - in smaller chunks for around $5 each.

"We are striving to change the old culture, and as a part of such effort we are trying to bring in fresh blood," said Wada.

Part of this change will be to ensure each future release from Square Enix offers some form of Social or multiplayer element - even for traditionally solo experiences such as the core Final Fantasy franchise.

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Highest Rated Comment

RAGE_OF_THORN's Avatar

RAGE_OF_THORN

I have made many recent posts about this cancerous epidemic...... I TOLD YOU SO.

Gaming life is in the ICU, and I will quit gaming very soon. GREED CRASHES THE PARTY.

F#cK DLC
Posted 05:13 on 25 June 2010

User Comments

RAGE_OF_THORN's Avatar

RAGE_OF_THORN

I have made many recent posts about this cancerous epidemic...... I TOLD YOU SO.

Gaming life is in the ICU, and I will quit gaming very soon. GREED CRASHES THE PARTY.

F#cK DLC
Posted 05:13 on 25 June 2010
DarthValo's Avatar

DarthValo

We complain about paying $60 bucks for games as it is imagine if they start selling it in chunks? Games will end up costing double. I hope gaming never goes completely DD.
Posted 01:20 on 25 June 2010
Stegosaurus-Guy-II's Avatar

Stegosaurus-Guy-II

Yes! Yes! Yessss!! Do it SE!

FFXV will be a HD 2D sprite game for PSN sold as episodic content. RPG's are the only genre that I can see working well sold in parts, since it'll put it into 'chapters' and I really want another 2D FF, and now's the time to do it since everyone else is.
Posted 15:47 on 24 June 2010
Endless's Avatar

Endless

Depends how much game you get for your money. If the 'bang for buck' ratio is the same then i don't see anything but benefit.
Posted 12:27 on 24 June 2010
Wido's Avatar

Wido

Why not take a leaf out of Actvision or Rockstar's book.
Posted 10:55 on 24 June 2010
draytone's Avatar

draytone

Final Fantasy games are always like 30+ hours worth of game play, if they broke the game down in to chunks and sold them off at $5 I would imagine that your going to end up paying more than if you just bought it off the shelf?

Are publishers worried about digital distribution? I think I would be if I was in their shoes!
Posted 10:33 on 24 June 2010
FLYER80's Avatar

FLYER80

This is sh*t.... Sorry Square, but if i buy a game i want the whole game and not simply a part of it. I'm so sick of seeing games come out followed by DLC a few days later - developers are clearly cutting parts out of games and then selling them on as extra's, after people have paid full price.

This is simple greed - and i will NEVER buy games this way...
Posted 10:04 on 24 June 2010