Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy might never arrive on Xbox as reports suggest the series to be a PlayStation exclusive

Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy might never arrive on Xbox consoles, as new reports suggest the series is headed toward a PlayStation-exclusive route. According to the recent Washington Post reports, Sony and Square Enix are discussing the benefits of console exclusivity and making the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy a PlayStation-exclusive IP.

Final Fantasy being exclusive to PlayStation isn't a new thing, as the series was predominantly a PlayStation classic until the eighth generation console. In fact, the original Final Fantasy 7, which came out in 1996, was released exclusively for PlayStation before being ported to other consoles and platforms in the following years.

However, PlayStation now locking the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy behind its console ecosystem does feel a bit jarring, especially when contrasted with Xbox's approach to games and console exclusivity.

Note: Aspects of this article are subjective and reflect the author's opinions.

---

Sony is reportedly locking Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy as a PlayStation console exclusive

Initial reports of Sony and Square Enix making the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy a PlayStation console exclusive come from the Washington Post. The information is further solidified by the statements made by Christian Svensson, vice president of second and third-party content ventures and strategic initiatives at Sony Interactive Entertainment.

Shedding light on the history of PlayStation and its first-party exclusive lineup, Svensson stated:

“Back in that same console generation for the original PlayStation, Sony Computer Entertainment had few franchises of its own, and in order to find its place in a very competitive video game industry, we sought to win the hearts and minds of key third-party developers like Square.”

"That focus on securing third-party deals is “ingrained in our DNA to this day, and connects directly to how we’ve worked together on Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.”

Svensson further added that Square Enix is:

"one of the best in the business at pushing beyond their fans’ lofty expectations and showing off what can be done with PlayStation hardware.”

While 2020's Final Fantasy 7 Remake eventually made its way to PC, it never reached other platforms, like Xbox or Nintendo. If reports are to be believed, the series probably will not make the jump to other platforms anymore.

Also, Sony's push for third-party console exclusives for PlayStation feels quite harsh when you look at how Microsoft and Xbox look at games and console exclusivity. Recently, games like the critically acclaimed Hi-Fi Rush from developer Tango Gameworks made the jump to PS5 despite being an Xbox first-party title.

---

Console exclusives do have their perks, serving as the driving force behind the popularity and sales of the said console hardware. However, in today's date, where every major third-party game releases with crossplay and cross-platform support, console exclusivity just feels like an unnecessary brick wall between players and video games.