Firstly, the title refers to Final Fantasy returning to the PC in terms of future HD console installments receiving PC versions, like plenty of other multiplatforms such as Dark Souls, Resident Evil 5, ORC, 6. I am not on about future Final Fantasy titles being exclusively PC; that will certainly never happen for obvious reasons. Also, I am aware that FFXI and FFXIV are/will also on PC, but they're MMOs, so of course they are. But let's forget about them for the time being.
Even if their management has been appalling, Square-Enix has been pretty good when it comes to PC ports of their Eidos titles. They even came out with a PC version of The Last Remnant (granted, it's because they wanted to make a worldwide hit, hence Unreal Engine 3 being used), a game I have never played, but I heard the PC version is infinitely preferable to the Xbox 360 release.
When it comes to Final Fantasy, they have done it before. FFVII and FFVIII have both received PC versions, though they haven't been bothering since. Just recently and now, there are signs of them trying to dip their feet into the PC pool again. Final Fantasy VII was given a digital re-release for the PC, albeit with an online-only feature for absolutely no adequate reason. And they've just announced that Japan will get a similar re-release, sans the fact that it's the International version.
Obviously, re-releasing FFVII in 2013 with little effort needed is a considerable distance away from creating a full PC port of a future mainline game. But with the Luminous Engine and their next-gen engine being a lot more flexible than Crystal Tools, while in terms of architecture, the PS4 - and Durango most certainly - will be similar to the PC, it is very do-able to make a decent PC port. And since Square loves their graphics and rock-polishing so much, you'd think that kind of focus and attention would get along very well with a particular section of the PC audience that enjoys playing with the highest possible graphical fidelity.
The question is: do you think it will happen, and would you want this to happen? Will there be any demand for them? Would you purchase a future (multiplatform, obviously) mainline FF game for the PC? Or are you one of those people with an abject dislike for PC and believe mainline Final Fantasy should be console-only and miles away from that odious PC gaming cancer?
I personally don't think this will happen too soon. You know how reactive Square-Enix have been, and given their current state of financial affairs, they most certainly are now. Square, despite the fact that From Software and Capcom for example have been putting out PC versions, will most certainly look at the state of the PC market in Japan, still consider it to be in its infancy and decide it won't be worth it. They have most certainly become as hyper-reactive and wary of any form of risk since the nineties. Look at how unwilling they've been to localise Type-0 and Bravely Default, for instance.
I still think it's very do-able, but it's a case of won't rather than can't for Square. Look at FFXIV for PC for instance. It's a sure sign that they can do it, and at the very least half-satisfy people who want all the shiny graphics they can get.
While I lack the PC power to be able to run a next-gen mainline Final Fantasy game, I would support seeing more PC efforts from Square-Enix Japan in some shape or form - especially on Steam. It can be a real winner for Japanese games. You have Final Fantasy being available to gamers who aren't usually of a console persuasion who can try it during a Steam sale (or ex-FF fans who have simply moved on exclusively to PCs since), and even if your name is not Final Fantasy, Steam can be a great platform for niche Japanese games as well. The ones currently on Steam have received attention from gamers who otherwise wouldn't have purchased - or have heard of - them.
And also, just so I can play it, I would like to see Type-0 on Steam, if they're so scared of supporting handhelds in the west.
Even if their management has been appalling, Square-Enix has been pretty good when it comes to PC ports of their Eidos titles. They even came out with a PC version of The Last Remnant (granted, it's because they wanted to make a worldwide hit, hence Unreal Engine 3 being used), a game I have never played, but I heard the PC version is infinitely preferable to the Xbox 360 release.
When it comes to Final Fantasy, they have done it before. FFVII and FFVIII have both received PC versions, though they haven't been bothering since. Just recently and now, there are signs of them trying to dip their feet into the PC pool again. Final Fantasy VII was given a digital re-release for the PC, albeit with an online-only feature for absolutely no adequate reason. And they've just announced that Japan will get a similar re-release, sans the fact that it's the International version.
Obviously, re-releasing FFVII in 2013 with little effort needed is a considerable distance away from creating a full PC port of a future mainline game. But with the Luminous Engine and their next-gen engine being a lot more flexible than Crystal Tools, while in terms of architecture, the PS4 - and Durango most certainly - will be similar to the PC, it is very do-able to make a decent PC port. And since Square loves their graphics and rock-polishing so much, you'd think that kind of focus and attention would get along very well with a particular section of the PC audience that enjoys playing with the highest possible graphical fidelity.
The question is: do you think it will happen, and would you want this to happen? Will there be any demand for them? Would you purchase a future (multiplatform, obviously) mainline FF game for the PC? Or are you one of those people with an abject dislike for PC and believe mainline Final Fantasy should be console-only and miles away from that odious PC gaming cancer?
I personally don't think this will happen too soon. You know how reactive Square-Enix have been, and given their current state of financial affairs, they most certainly are now. Square, despite the fact that From Software and Capcom for example have been putting out PC versions, will most certainly look at the state of the PC market in Japan, still consider it to be in its infancy and decide it won't be worth it. They have most certainly become as hyper-reactive and wary of any form of risk since the nineties. Look at how unwilling they've been to localise Type-0 and Bravely Default, for instance.
I still think it's very do-able, but it's a case of won't rather than can't for Square. Look at FFXIV for PC for instance. It's a sure sign that they can do it, and at the very least half-satisfy people who want all the shiny graphics they can get.
While I lack the PC power to be able to run a next-gen mainline Final Fantasy game, I would support seeing more PC efforts from Square-Enix Japan in some shape or form - especially on Steam. It can be a real winner for Japanese games. You have Final Fantasy being available to gamers who aren't usually of a console persuasion who can try it during a Steam sale (or ex-FF fans who have simply moved on exclusively to PCs since), and even if your name is not Final Fantasy, Steam can be a great platform for niche Japanese games as well. The ones currently on Steam have received attention from gamers who otherwise wouldn't have purchased - or have heard of - them.
And also, just so I can play it, I would like to see Type-0 on Steam, if they're so scared of supporting handhelds in the west.
