The latest version of the role playing game Final Fantasy III from Sony created by Japanese Square Enix has just been launched for the PlayStation 3 console in Japan and hundreds of eager gamers queued up to be one of the first in the world to get their hands on a copy when it went on sale at 7 am on the 17th December.
Both Sony and Square Enix have high hopes for the game. Sony are hoping that the highly popular game will boost sales of the PlayStation 3 console as people who want to play the latest version of the game rush out to buy the console in order to do it.
This is the first time Final Fantasy XIII has been released for the PlayStation 3 platform, previously sales of Final Fantasy XII for the PlayStation 2 topped six million across the world with nearly half of these in Japan said Misa Tokunaga, a spokeswoman for the games creator.
Currently the PlayStation 3 console is lagging behind in third place with Wii in the number one spot and Microsoft’s Xbox as the second most popular games console.
“Make no mistake, this should help lift sales of the PlayStation” said Yusuke Tsunoda, an analyst at Tokai Tokyo Securities Co.
“The Wii has peaked out, but PlayStation is still on the upswing.”
Square Enix are hoping it will bring new life to the video game market too and aim to sell at least 2 million copies of the game in Japan alone but somehow I don’t think they’re going to have much of a challenge meeting that target, there is nothing to really rival Final Fantasy III in Japan.
However, there’s an interesting story developing. Director of Final Fantasy XIII Motomu Toriyama apparently hinted in a statement that there could be more exciting stuff in store for players so they should maybe hang on to their copies.
“From the announcement at E3 2006, we’ve at last reached this day. ‘Final Fantasy XIII’ is released” said Toriyama.
“For the Final Fantasy XIII world, this is the true start. Perhaps if you keep it nearby forever, there will be some additional good things.”
Hmm, what is meant by “good things” and why do we have to hang on to our copies. Does this mean the possibility of downloadable content? Exciting.
Ok so Japan gets it first for the rest of us in the US, the UK and in Europe Final Fantasy III won’t be released until March 9th 2010.
