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The history of the rivalry between Xbox and PlayStation is filled with decisions that could have completely changed the balance of power in the industry, and it seems that one of the biggest was Microsoft's loss of Final Fantasy. The former head of Xbox Publishing, Ed Fries, admitted years later that this series tops the list of "missed opportunities." Interestingly, the issue wasn't just about negotiations, but a much more complex market situation where Japanese publishers were balancing the desire to support the competition with the fear of Sony's reaction.
Japanese publishers between a rock and a hard place
According to Fries, companies like Square Enix, as well as Konami and Capcom, were interested in supporting Xbox, especially at the beginning of its existence. The problem was that the relationships with Sony were so significant that no one wanted to risk damaging them. In practice, this meant very cautious moves; even when collaborations with Microsoft emerged, they were often limited or less visible.
Fries suggests that publishers wanted to avoid a situation where Sony could "punish" them by delaying access to devkits or restricting the promotion of their games on the PlayStation platform. This shows how much influence one company's dominance had on the market and how it greatly hindered the building of real competition, especially in Japan, where Xbox had a tough start from the beginning.
Final Fantasy that could have changed everything
The absence of Final Fantasy on the original Xbox is not just a matter of one title, but a potential turning point for the entire console brand. The series has long been one of the pillars of PlayStation's popularity, so its appearance on Xbox could have significantly changed the perception of the hardware, especially in the Japanese market. Ultimately, the collaboration with Square Enix only materialised later, bringing titles like Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIII, but it was already too late to reverse the trend. Interestingly, some studios tried to delicately balance the situation; a prime example is the Dead or Alive series, which temporarily went exclusive to Xbox, meant to be a subtle signal to Sony that competition was needed. However, these were exceptions rather than the rule and did not have the same impact as the potential shift of Final Fantasy.
History shows that one decision can influence an entire generation of consoles. The absence of Final Fantasy on Xbox is one of those moments that could have changed the balance of power but ultimately solidified PlayStation's dominance.
source: gamesradar
