6/8/2025 | Entertainment | GB
For years, Xbox players have watched from the sidelines as PlayStation fans luxuriated in the world of Final Fantasy. The long running franchise, known for its breathtaking visuals and epic storytelling, has largely been a PlayStation exclusive in recent years. That all changed this week when Square Enix announced that not one, but two major Final Fantasy titles would finally make their way to Xbox.
The bigger surprise? One of them is available right now. Final Fantasy 16, the 2023 entry that previously seemed forever locked to PlayStation, has shadow dropped on Xbox. Meanwhile, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, the critically acclaimed reimagining of the 1997 classic, is coming later this year. Fans who have been patiently waiting since the PS5 release in 2021 can finally stop holding their breath.
This news should be cause for celebration, and for many it is. Scrolling through the comments on gaming forums reveals plenty of elated Xbox devotees who refused to believe the naysayers insisting these games would never cross platforms. But beneath the excitement lies a lingering frustration. Why did it take so long? And what does this say about the state of exclusivity deals in gaming?
For anyone not deeply embedded in gaming culture, the concept of platform exclusivity might seem bizarre. Why would a developer intentionally limit their audience? The answer, as always, comes down to money. PlayStation reportedly secures these deals by offering substantial financial incentives to keep certain titles off rival platforms, at least temporarily. In the case of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, that temporary period stretched into half a decade.
Industry insiders have whispered for years about the behind the scenes negotiations that kept Final Fantasy off Xbox. Some suggest Microsoft simply wasn’t willing to match Sony’s offers, while others believe Square Enix was hesitant to split resources between platforms. Whatever the reason, the result was the same. Xbox players missed out on some of the most talked about gaming experiences of the past few years.
Now that the wait is over, the question becomes whether these games will find an audience on Xbox. PlayStation players have already moved on to obsessive debates about what’s next for the franchise. There’s a certain irony in Xbox fans finally getting access to games that have already been dissected and discussed to death elsewhere.
Yet there’s something poetic about the timing. This announcement comes as the gaming industry seems to be shifting away from rigid exclusivity. Even Sony, long the king of locking down major titles, has started porting its first party games to PC. Microsoft has been more aggressive, bringing previously exclusive titles like Sea of Thieves to PlayStation. The walls between platforms are crumbling, and Square Enix’s decision feels like another brick removed.
For the average player, none of this corporate maneuvering matters as much as the simple joy of playing great games. Final Fantasy 7 Remake is a triumph, blending nostalgia with fresh storytelling that even longtime fans find surprising. Final Fantasy 16, while divisive, offers some of the most stunning visuals and emotional moments in recent memory. The fact that more people can experience these titles is undeniably good news.
Perhaps the most telling reaction to this news comes from the comment sections, where PlayStation and Xbox fans are actually finding common ground. After years of bickering about which platform is superior, there’s a shared understanding that great games deserve to be played by as many people as possible. That might be the real victory here.
So to all the Xbox faithful who held out hope, enjoy your long overdue journey through Midgar. And to everyone else, take note. The gaming landscape is changing, and the days of permanent exclusivity might finally be ending.
Legal Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information and rumors. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any gaming platform or publisher.
By Homer Keaton , this article was inspired by this source.