Final Fantasy 16 Is Exclusive to PS5 for Six Months, Sony Confirms

Expect it will go to PC, but wouldnt expect to see it hit xbox anytime soon if Sony have their way

I wish Sony would drop the pretence. There is no such thing as a PS-exclusive anymore. It's either timed or *

*also on PC

I would be over the moon if FF16 managed to land on Series X. Knowing Sony though that might not be the case…

6month is pointless. with such a potentially stacked year too.

i just hope its a good FF game

@Thumper they'll start using the Console exclusive tag like Microsoft do eventually

I don't see any value in this timed exclusivity thing. If it's first-party and exclusive, fine, but third-party games should be available for everyone to play since day 1. I will still buy it on PlayStation if it's everywhere.

I worry more about first-party games being available on/near release for a better price in other platforms - which would seriously reduce the value of having a PlayStation.

FF7 Remake has been exclusive for over 2 years, shame that wasn't just 6 months.

I don't care about when pc players might be able to play it. I care about when Ill be able to play it, give me the release date already and maybe the demo too if it exists. I need this game even if it's just a 30 min demo

What a waste of money. Either buy the company or stop wasting your money. There's your ps5 price hike.

For me it’s all about competition. If this is how Sony need to compete with MS buying everything up then I’ll trust them on that. Annoying for people without a PlayStation of course, but it’s not necessarily the case they are waiting longer than they would have otherwise because, if the devs had to split their time between multiple systems, it’s likely it would have released months later for everyone anyway.

That’s not too bad.

I don't see these deals as evil and it shouldn't keep the game from coming to Xbox eventually.
I think Square are less bothered about Xbox as I'm pretty sure sales are lower for them on that platform, but that's my assumption, I have no data to back that up.
Either way, I like to see all 3rd party killer apps launch everywhere they can so FF16 on xbox would be nice to see - even if I'm buying it on ps5 at release!

I see the value but no me gusta. When its re-released most of the hype will die down and the first release will have already reaped the rewards, cool.

I just am not really a fan of this type of exclusivity because I feel like the money could be recouped and spent on something else. Maybe actual exclusives, new IPs, something like PS3 MINIS, indies, something different.

This game probably never come out on Xbox 😂 lol.

@Thumper bloodborne on pc?

I really dislike timed exclusive stuff. It always hurts someone on another platform. Only reason why I see Sony doing this is because they want PlayStation to be the place we play Final Fantasy and perhaps it worries them if the game was to go onto Game Pass day 1 then PlayStation wouldn't be seen as that place. They also get the advantage of being seen as the only place to play.

@Cutmastavictory An exception that proves the rule

6 months of exclusivity seems pointless to me. If I was Sony I'd be trying to get at least one year of exclusivity if I wanted people to buy the game and my console. Why not just release it day one on PC instead of a 6 month gap? Seems like a waste of money. Not that it bothers me because I can still play the game day one but these timed exclusive deals are just weird to me. Surely you could fund your own game with that money instead? Curious if it will hit Xbox though. 2 and a half years later we are yet to see Final Fantasy VII Remake hit Xbox and it's on Steam.

@Thumper Nintendo first party games are the only proper exclusives now. Xbox games release on PC day one and PlayStation currently is in a situation of "it will eventually go to PC"

@Thumper
GOW Rangorak
The Last of Us
Gran Turismo 7
Horizon Forbidden West
Ghost of Tsushima
Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart
Returnal
Destruction all stars.

All current 'exceptions' that prove there's no rule! Though I do suspect 4 of them will turn up some time

Surprised it's only 6 months tbh...I won't be playing myself anyway as I'm not interested in final fantasy

Think we all know what Sony's 6 month exclusivity means lol

@Thumper that's not how it works. Lol. A game is simply exclusive till it isn't any more. Simple.

If I am I
Interested in a game, I'll buy it on ps5 regardless. These deals are a slight waste of money. But it's better than the game not being available on ps5 for 6 months.

Sony should be trying to make their OWN final fantasy type of game instead of wasting money on timed exclusivity. Everything wrong with the brand nowadays.

Seems likely the outcome is 6 months after launch is Epic Games Store and then 6 months after that is Steam just like Intergrade.

Seems that analyst Harding Roll (spelling) may have been correct after all, when the game was announced. He said 6months until pc and then another 6months for other console release. I didn't believe him at the time and assumed it would be longer. Seems very short

B-but the gaming monopoly!

Never liked timed exclusivity. Never will.

@Titntin You know very well that it's highly likely those will go to PC in the future. Playstation acquired Nixxes specifically for PC ports.

Not a fan of timed exclusives but they work on me. I want to play it day one. If I had the choice of PC or PS5, I’d purchase it on PC. Now Sony will get my money instead.

@Eagly You get to play the game 6 months sooner than you would if you were on any other system. So, yes, you do get something out of it if you intend to play it within the first 6 months of release. And if you want to play it at a cheaper price, used PS copies will be floating around sooner than they will be elsewhere.

@Thumper lol, I did acknowledge that! Though I'd bet Gran Turismo 7, Ratchet and Clank Rift apart and Destruction all stars wont get PC releases, so they will forever stop you from claiming there's a 'rule'.

Not that I care, I prefer to console than PC, but if there's a reason to pc (like 60 hz on Plague tale 2 or 120hz on FH5), then I'll PC it!

I bought a PS5 for this game alone.

Ok, and also for FFVII part 2.

And for the PSVR2.

Point is : the exclusivity of FFXVI did count in the balance.

I was tired to wait for FFVII on Xbox, and felt that FFXVI was about to go the same way.

Complete waste of money by Sony, if you're not going to aquire SE then keep the money to yourself which can be used on something that's not completely pointless.

I think throwing the money directly into a literal burning dumpster would be more beneficial for everyone, at least everyone would get to play the game 🤷

@Eagly it isnt guaranteed its xbox after 6month is it?

probably PC then and potentially xbox later

If it comes out on just PC after 6 months then it's still a PS exclusive. PC doesn't count as a gaming platform. There, I said it.

@Eagly Bragging rights? No. That is stupid and juvenile. Convenience to play it early? Yes. Only tools brag. I have no interest in bragging. Most FF fans want to play it as soon as possible. That's all. Period. Bringing up bragging rights is seriously baffling. The vast, vast majority of Final Fantasy games throughout the series history have been console exclusives or timed exclusives to either Nintendo or PS. Final Fantasy games on Xbox at release have been the acceptation, not the rule. This is because Sony PS has always had a closer relationship with SquareEnix compared to Microsoft. This is a result of business relationships, a long-formed history over the years, and business strategy. It's not to give a middle finger to Xbox fans. It is to add to the allure of the PS platform so that the platform remains competitive with Xbox and attractive to gamers. You say that Sony could have made another game to bolster the console. Somehow I doubt you know the best strategy for Sony to bolster it's console. Buying exclusivity is cheaper than developing an entire game. And having exclusivity bolsters fans excitement for the system and commit to the system. Yes, of course, it's a contest between consoles. It's called business, and markets do not have infinite growth, so there is competition. There's nothing petty about it.

@Danloaded WERRRLD TIMED CONSOLE EXCLUSIVVVVVVVE

hmmm that's not long at all tbh. I don't think I will have enough self control to wait but I'll probably grab it on PS5 and complete it, then sell it and pick it up on PC 5 months later for full mod support and graphical updates

@Eagly itll be pc not xbox ,Sony are trying to lock down ff ,I wouldn't be surprised if they outright bought square or bought major shares ,in the near future

@Shad361 Buying exclusivity is not wasting money. It is cheaper to buy a timed exclusive than it is to develop an entire game. Having that exclusivity to games, even if they're timed, can massively affect console choice among gamers. This contributes to keeping PS competitive and profitable and the current leader in the market. People in this very comment section have stated they specifically bought a PS5 because Playstation had timed exclusivity to this game. That is not wasted money.

Timed exclusives especially less than 1 year, never made sense to me, as I have a humongous backlog. I guess that this is for “I want it now” crowd.

Wait let me get this straight so Sony are going to pay probably millions to keep it off PC for a mere 6 months and at the same time are porting all their games to PC? If anything shouldn't Sony be championing for it's immediate release along with PS5?

@Titntin Only game in that list that I doubt will ever make it to PC is Destruction Allstars, simply because its a service game that they already plan to entirely abandon (if they have not already.)

@Milktastrophe "PC doesn't count as a gaming platform. There, I said it."

I guess this is your way of coping with Sony putting all of their exclusives on PC. If anything PC is the be all end all as you're able to play almost everything from everyone which includes every past system and game that has ever existed 🙂

Extremely silly games to be playing, especially with Microsoft holding the keys to Activision/Blizzard IPs.

@Tecinthebrain more like I don't care what is or isn't on PC, so much so that I don't even register it as comparable to playing on a console. Gaming on console, sitting on a comfy couch in front of a giant TV, is and always has been an infinitely better gaming experience than PC. Everything just works, no need to worry about not being able to run the game because your machine is a couple years old.

I do not care if timed console exclusive - just let me know upfront what the time is before the PC version is out.

Annoying is when they keep it a secret and you end up with the crap version you would have not played.

People should not need a leak to know that MH: RISE is also coming to PC or super vision to catch disclaimers on FF16 trailers

I respect Microsoft for that. Games are Xbox and PC... upfront and simple.

@Eagly but they havent got 7 remake what 2yrs later. and still dont have ff14.

so cant be sure

@Tharsman I'd bet real money on gt7 never making it. Its a highly bespoke engine that would require a lot of attention and time to transfer.
But thats almost irrelevent, I do agree the bulk of titles will come of course! 😀
My preference for playing on console means thats where I'll consume, but if your a patient pc gamer, you'll get most of it in the end, and thats great as far as im concerned. Its just not there yet!

Stop this timed exclusive bs and buying away multiplatform titles from any system (that's capable. Sorry Switch!). Period! It's just pointless and annoying. And I can't imagine that those methods ever brought a significant number of players to buy a specific console. Make your own f'n games!

Well, better than nothing.

I never understood this fake outrage some gamers have over other gamers not being able to play games they clearly knew wasn't gonna be on the console they picked.

Final fantasy has been synonymous with playstation since ff7 that's like 24 freaking years this is not new.

Wait… Sony have actually communicated something? Wow it’s like 2014 all over again!

@KaijuKaiser They meant PC Xbox will probably never get this game.

@nookie_egg I do think Sony and Square are close to an acquisition. I think Sony is holding out until after Activision Blizzard is dealt with. It would look bad for their argument if they bought a publisher then accused Microsoft of trying to make Activision exclusive. Lol.

@NomNom probably right regarding Activision. Having said that I'd have thought they would have gone for it when tomb raider etc was on the cards. Now they'd literally be buying it for final fantasy.

After what they pulled with DQXI S I just can't risk them releasing a complete version of the game, which they will, and not giving you an upgrade path to make you buy the whole game again. I will wait for the royal version.

@nookie_egg people look at the deal as 3 so studios and several IP for $300 M, but an important element to the deal was that Embracer took on all outstanding debt from Square. This means that the company is running a very healthy budget right now. The acquisition would make more sense, seeing that so many of Square's upcoming games are PlayStation console exclusive. Though Final Fantasy is the biggest game on Square's docket, they do have other solid brands, and an amazing live action MMORPG in FF14.

Games like:
Kingdom hearts
Life is strange
StarOcean

Are also solid.

Square doesn't have many main studios. From what I can tell most of them are support studios to their bread and butter titles. So even I do agree that the acquisition of Square Enix will be expensive, but the titles will be system sellers.

@EaglyTheKawaiiShika Yeah, Sony just shelled out millions for timed exclusivity without it benefiting them. You're totally right. The industry leader in video games doesn't know what they're doing or have statistics to back up their strategy. You should be running Sony with what I'm sure is great business acumen.

Your hot take is an absolute joke.

Anyone with half a brain knows the high level of anticipation and media engagement generated for the PS5 when the slate of games were first being announced near launch. FF16 headlined many of those presentations. It has been hotly anticipated and has only picked up steam since. People are basically salivating for this game. To think that that doesn't affect sales of the PS5 is beyond mind boggling.

People who are not delusional know that a 6-month exclusivity does not mean that the game is going to Xbox in 6 months. It's likely going to PC after 6 months. Same as FF7R. When it goes to Xbox is anyones guess. PS is the place to play FF16, and fans of the series are not going to buy Xbox to play it later down the road. Console gamers who want to play FF16 are buying a PS. End of story.

@EaglyTheKawaiiShika Lol, yes, I can say what I said because I said it. You're trying to demean me by likening my response to something Jim Ryan would say as opposed to actually countering the points I made by standing up for your own opinions with rationale reasoning. Lame tactics.

Yes, PC gamers are a different breed and may be less likely to migrate to PS than from a rival console competitor. But you have to understand, that perceived exclusivity, whether it's timed or not, is about brand recognition. PS wants to be the place associated with FF. They want to be the place that always gets it first. That builds the PS brand and retains loyalty.

Maybe that doesn't work on you. But it does on a lot of people. I, for one, grew up on FF. I played Nintendo because of FF. And I now play PS because of FF. I like the convenience of a console, but I don't care what console I play so long as they have FF as soon as possible. This is what Sony is banking on. That is their strategy, and it is one they've stuck to the majority of time since the launch of the original PS and FF7.

They do it for a reason because it clearly benefits them. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to see that. But, yeah, gone on about how it would benefit PS more to assume risk heavily in an unknown project than to moderately invest in timed-exclusivity with a franchise they have a long standing history with, contributes toward their brand recognition and gamer retention, and is wildly successful.

In any case, PS already does invest in new IP regularly. It turns out they do both! Wild idea.

@EaglyTheKawaiiShika Lol, I never said you don't know the first thing about running a video game company.

This is what I sarcastically said: The industry leader in video games doesn't know what they're doing or have statistics to back up their strategy. You should be running Sony with what I'm sure is great business acumen.

I'm sarcastically suggesting here that it's ludicrous that you, some random gamer on Pushsquare, think you know better than the professionals who are literally in the business of making Sony the leader in the video game industry. You think you know better than they do about how timed exclusivity actually works and whether or not it benefits the company.

Why is it that you think you know what is best for Sony's business strategy when you have access to virtually none of the insider information that these business professionals have access to and rely upon to craft the company's business strategy?

Everything I said after that was my own opinion based on widely accepted marketing tactics that you don't have to a brain surgeon to understand. None of which you actually refuted.

But, no, I'm not trying to say that I know what is best for Sony. And I'm in no way shape or form suggesting I know better than you or anyone else about what it takes to run a video game company. But you are by proclaiming that timed exclusivity is basically pointless. Like, seriously, how are you evening remotely equipped to make this statement? It's crazy to think that you know more than insiders who have access to the data, sales reports, business plans, etc. Just so ludicrous.

There is no logical fallacy in saying that.

@EaglyTheKawaiiShika Show me where I said, "[You] don’t know the first thing about running a game company". Yeah, this conversation does become ridiculous when you misconstrue what I write and bang on about a logical fallacy based on a point I was not making. But by all means continue lofting your uneducated opinion over professionals who are actually experts in their field and lead an industry.

Playstation > Epic store, Steam...But no Xbox..