Confusion surrounds Final Fantasy 16 PS5 exclusivity as both Microsoft and Square Enix have provided conflicting statements on the matter. Microsoft has seemingly regurgitated a common theory in court that Sony paid Square Enix to ensure that Final Fantasy 16 skips Xbox. However, a previous statement by Square Enix contradicts this.
How Final Fantasy 16 ended up being a PS5 console exclusive
It’s no secret that Sony does strike third-party exclusivity deals which — by their very nature — involve skipping a rival platform either for specific content or for the entire game altogether. However, when it comes to Final Fantasy 16, Square Enix revealed that it approached multiple publishers with the game and opted to go with Sony because it made the “best offer.”
Square Enix understandably didn’t reveal what Sony’s offer was, but did say that as part of the deal, Sony would handle Final Fantasy 16’s marketing as well as provide development support to the company, thereby reducing costs incurred to Square Enix.
Square Enix also said that developing games on a single platform allows the development team to remain focused, which is exactly what Bethesda’s Pete Hines said in court when he was quizzed about Starfield’s Xbox exclusivity.
The FTC is doing a pretty poor job of trying to justify blocking Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, but Final Fantasy 16’s exclusivity isn’t the “gotcha” that fans — and even some politicians — were looking for.
