Tales of Vesperia confirmed, then denied, as PS3 game

by Andrew Yoon { May 14th 2008 at 1:00PM }

The internet excitedly responded to Namco Bandai's recent presentation to the press, which showed Tales of Vesperia as both an Xbox 360 and PS3 game. The long-running RPG series has a strong fan following, but Microsoft secured exclusivity for the game. Since then, Namco Bandai has revised its presentation, removing mention of a PS3 version, apologizing for the confusion.

Also unseen on this revised release schedule is the previously announced PS3 version of Eternal Sonata, another Xbox 360-exclusive RPG. Considering Microsoft's subpar performance in the Japanese region, it surprises us to see Namco Bandai stick with that platform exclusively, especially for a genre that's so popular in Japan. We're pretty certain that we'll see more of Tales of Vesperia and Eternal Sonata on PS3, once Microsoft's moneyhats wear off.

[Via NeoGAF]

Tags: eternal-sonata, namco-bandai, tales-of-vesperia

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Eggy @ May 14th 2008 1:24PM

Why do they still keep it exclusive though. Nobody wants a freaking xbox 360 in Japan, it seems all they care about is a bit of money instead of their fans and their game being played.

Otsego_Undead @ May 14th 2008 1:25PM

Forget Vesperia, where the sh!t is my Katamari????

Roto13 @ May 14th 2008 2:19PM

You're better off sticking with the PS2 ones anyway.

True_Darknight @ May 14th 2008 1:27PM

so they want to keep the game on a system that sells under 2k a week in Japan?

yeah good Strategy!!!

doc j @ May 14th 2008 1:58PM

Did Microsoft pay for exclusivity (I am assuming they did, but not sure)? If so, how much?

It must be pretty substantial to abandon a notably RPG friendly console family (Playstation) for a notably RPG un-friendly platform (X360). I mean, just look at how the "great" Japanese developed RPGs for 360 have faired around the world. Blue Dragon? Eternal Sonata? Lost Odyssey?

Sure, games like Mass Effect and Oblivion do well - but they are notably distinct from the gameplay style.

*shrug*

Fiddlesworth @ May 14th 2008 1:58PM

Microsoft's tactic isn't so much strengthening their own platform as weakening Sony's with exclusivity agreements like this. The usual anti-competitive crap you'd expect from them.

It's clear the games will turn up eventually though and probably with more content like Eternal Sonata.

http://namco-ch.net/trustybell_ps3/index.php

starsforeyes(XBL) @ May 14th 2008 7:58PM

If they put out Tales of Vesperia on PS3 with extras then Namco will get two sales from me. I'm buying this day one on the 360.

I really can't imagine this being a 360 exclusive, but I was reading an article in PLAY magazine with the creators and they really sounded like they weren't putting this out on the PS3. But, I don't think they get to make that choice.

Even Tales of Symphonia went from being on the GC only for a while and then came out on the PS2 in Japan (did the PS2 version release in the US?).

reson8er @ May 14th 2008 2:12PM

/rant on

Fucking Microsoft.

If I could get the near the absurd price I paid for it, I'd throw my piece of shit 360 back at them.

All those assholes do is throw their fucking money around and buy up shit.

/rant off

deaftly @ May 14th 2008 3:20PM

Sony did the same shit last generation, stop whining.

Ninjakamster (PSN: Chin-Poh) @ May 14th 2008 5:56PM

Give me some proof deafly.

Vincent @ May 14th 2008 2:17PM

Those 3 guys with 360 in Japan will enjoy Vesperia a lot! A pity two of them are going back to USA after a few months!

deusmecha @ May 14th 2008 2:31PM

Took the words right out of my mouth.

Eric E @ May 14th 2008 2:33PM

WHERE IS ETERNAL SONATA?!
I've been checking once a week for any kind of news.
Its been almost a year since they announced it. all they are doing is adding some costumes and more story. At this rate FF XIV will be out before it and it wont have a chance (yeah thats right, 14 b*tch*s. Thats VII x 2.

leiwei @ May 14th 2008 2:43PM

Not sure if MS paid money for exclusitivity. All I know is that there IS a Microsoft branch in Japan that oversees the software division. I'm also not sure if it's tied to the Xbox division there. All I do know is that MS is using their usual tactic of preventing other competitors from entering the market so that they can have a foothold on it first (e.g. IE to block out Netscape, WMP to block out other media players). And if they can't, they'll try to go against them while at the same time introduce new technologies/IPs/markets (e.g. Live! Marketplace introducing DD to mainstream, Zune Edge against iTunes introduces other forms of DRM, HDi from HD-DVD goin into Marketplace video DD).

leiwei @ May 14th 2008 2:45PM

Forgot to mention, their business tactic is very smart. Cheat the competition and steal from them if you can, hence a whole mess of anti-trust issues and lawsuits going at them. $1.8 billion lawsuit from EU because of WMP? Yea...

Ysleiro @ May 14th 2008 5:17PM

Leiwei if you sold cars and all your cars come with AC ?

Is if fair for the government to ask you not to include AC so that competitors can have a chance of putting their AC in your cars.

Are car companies sued because their cars include features that other companies like JL Audio and Pioneer sell also. Can pioneer get mad at Honda for putting a stereo in all their cars. Because it limits Pioneer's sales. NO Pioneer has no right to do that.

Windows comes with WMP do I use it? NO. I use iTunes. MS can't stop people from downloading whatever program they want and installing it.

It's like asking Burger King to include a Big Mac with every Double Whopper.

Let me ask you something. Does Apple have to include the competition's software on it's machines? NO.

Then why should MS? people can get any software they want on any machine it's not MS job to include Netscape, RealPlayer etc.. with every copy of THEIR product sold.

leiwei @ May 14th 2008 3:42PM

^ Well it's not MS's thing to do so, but because they include these apps, it leaves the competition out. There are tons of PCs out there w/ Windows but the many consumers do not download RealPlayer or Quicktime for kicks. Many consumers like my dad wouldn't even know what RealPlayer is for, but they will know what WMP is and what it does. It goes to the point where there is no "reason" to get RealPlayer because MS will just update WMP to have more features albeit not so great. You download and use iTunes? Well I use it too, and it's competition from Apple which drives MS to continue to update its WMP w/ iTune-like features including its own music distribution store. Do you realize that MS keeps telling the public that they "welcome" other competition but whine later that "it's not fair" when they do not have a part of the competition? Do you realize that MS started complaining about Yahoo using Google ads stating it to be a monopoly?

uh-oh polio @ May 14th 2008 3:20PM

"If I could get the near the absurd price I paid for it, I'd throw my piece of shit 360 back at them."

agreed

Meadows14 @ May 14th 2008 3:45PM

We really need eternal sonata over here, i hate how XBOX takes some of those little hits off us, like Katamari for example

Organic_Shadow @ May 14th 2008 5:42PM

MS is essentially blocking PS3 from any Japanese following they can possibly get by paying for exclusivity of Japanese game franchises. They are NOT getting these exclusives for sales, they are getting the exclusives so that the PS3 cannot. They know they won't sell very well on the 360, but they are willing to spend the money to ensure PS3 doesn't get a few sales here or there.

Do we know if MS has paid Namco for exclusivity across the board? Doubtful, seeing as rumors keep surfacing about Ace Combat making its return to Playstation, either as multiplatform or exclusively. Also Eternal Sonata PS3 was officially announced, and even has it's own site. Remember when Beautiful Katamari was coming out and they said PS3 will get the next true Katamari sequel since BK really wasn't?

To me it seems like Namco is enjoying the free under the table money from MS while they can and making sure they always have the ability to put their games on Sony platforms once the install base is high enough to be profitable and once they learn the PS3 a little better. It's only a matter of time before we start seeing AC, Katamari, etc. on PS3 and with more titles following.

Ninjakamster (PSN: Chin-Poh) @ May 14th 2008 6:01PM

Lets hope we can get Tales of Vesperia on the PS3 later, maybe even a better port like Eternal Sonata is coming on the PS3.

Face it, you put it on PS3, Japanese games will get much more attention and sales, not only in Japan but everywhere as well.

Try as you may Microsoft, securing Japanese exclusives won't let you get good sales in Japan, just give up that region for ***** sake PLEASE.

Your right Organic_Shadow, their probably doing this so we can't get these games, if MS can't get them (with good sales), nobody can.

Tales of Vesperia won't sell on the 360 in Japan and not much elsewhere either. Many PS3 owners are very hungry for great Japanese RPGs, not 360 owners, their happy with their Western style games.

I will buy a 360 later on and will buy it to play Western RPGs and first person shooters and a PS3 for Japanese games.

Please Namco, don't whore yourself out by MS's checks, bring the game to PS3 where it belongs!

Yuel @ May 14th 2008 8:34PM

You gotta be kidding me, i bought a ps3 just to play a lot of rpg and action games juts like i did with ps2, then the PS3 lost exclusivity and all the good games are muiltiplataform now like DMC and GTA4 (not using the blue-ray capacity and normal graphics) and then a great rpg from tales series goes exclusive for Xbox360, i did't buy my PS# for this, i think i bought the wrong console, sony must do something about this and microsoft, you never have enough money, do you?

Kabapu @ May 14th 2008 10:17PM

Agreed ... this is what frustrates me as well.

All these things that Sony used to have going for it, it's lost ... and it really doesn't make sense. All these games would be better suited (as relative sales have shown, time and time again) on the PS3.

ACEDOH @ May 14th 2008 8:57PM

The truth is Microsoft plays to win... Whether you like it or not that is how they play. SONY can either step up and play the same way or hope for the best. If these consumers really want the games they will buy the other console. In the end that is what Microsoft hopes for. Although I don't think the Japanese consumer is sold on an American console.

Kabapu @ May 14th 2008 10:18PM

Oh ... and furthermore ... where the hell is Eternal Sonata for the PS3? I'm still waiting Namco.

mike @ May 15th 2008 12:01AM

yup. the days of doing game business the honest way is over. its all about money now. if M$ wants something they get it and money always talk. Sony better step up and secure some third party exclusives as well though i don't think they want to get into a bidding war with M$.

Valr @ May 15th 2008 2:49AM

Since when the hell do 360 owners like RPGs?

The few Japanese that have 360's are going to buy this game for sure, but what about American and European owners? Doubtful, they love shooters more than RPGs. That's why I purchased a PS3, hoping it was going to have the continued trend of RPG games like the PS2 had.

I'm gonna end up being FORCED to buy a 360 if RPGs continue to be 360 exclusive. I love the Tales of series, and this news is just shitty.

pesmerga00 @ May 15th 2008 3:32PM

I am getting so sick and damn tired of waiting for an RPG on my PS3, and don't give me that crap about Oblivion (which sucks without mods via the PC version) and that piece of shit they call Folklore. I personally don't give a damn if XBOX360 gets the RPGs too just give them to your REAL FANBASE on the PS3. They must think that PS3 users in the US don't like jRPGs or something. I guarantee the first "good" jRPG to hit the PS3 is gonna sell like mad. Get with the fucking program already and give the PS3 the RPGs it deserves, don't make us wait until late 2009/early 2010 for this...that would be a dick move guys.