Final Fantasy to Xbox

While this is not exactly Nintendo News it still affacts Nintendo. Microsoft has struck a deal with the creator of Final Fantasy, the games which help Sony Secure Success with the Psone are moving over to the new Microsoft Console.Hironobu Sakaguchi will lead the creation of two role-playing games exclusive to the next-generation Xbox, Microsoft said.

Mr Sakaguchi is best known for creating the Final Fantasy series in which heroes join forces to save the world over an intricate computer landscape.The games have sold 60 million units worldwide and helped in Sony’s own conquest to dominate the home console market.

“”Microsoft’s cutting-edge technologies in the next-generation platform will allow me to bring to life an array of ideas that I have had for many years,”” Mr Sakaguchi said in a statement.

It is not know when the new titles will come out although the next-generation Xbox is widely expected to be launch either this year or early next year.

Microsoft has sold 19.9 million Xboxes worldwide since the console was launched in February 2002, but sales have been especially sluggish in Japan, home of Sony and Nintendo. This has left Nintendo with 18.03 Worldwide Cube sales since in September 2001 and Sony has shipped 81.4 million PlayStation 2 consoles since March 2000.

So how does this affect Nintendo? Well on the Handheld front the Square Enix and more importantly the Final Fantasy games are secure for the DS and GBA. However I would’nt expect to see another Final Fantasy on the Cube.