Square Enix Scolded For Misleading Final Fantasy XIII Advertising

[Tom Goldman]

Square Enix Scolded For Misleading Final Fantasy XIII Advertising

Square Enix got itself into a little bit of trouble by using PlayStation 3 footage of Final Fantasy XIII when advertising the Xbox 360 version.

By now we all know that the PlayStation 3 version of Final Fantasy XIII [http://www.amazon.com/Final-Fantasy-XIII-Playstation-3/dp/B000FQ2DTA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1282174536&sr=8-1] looks crisper than the Xbox 360 version. Square Enix has downplayed the difference, but apparently took advantage of it by using images of the PlayStation 3 version in advertisements promoting it on the Xbox 360. The UK's Advertising Standards Authority has accused Square Enix of false advertising for doing so.

A viewer complained to the ASA when he saw an ad for Final Fantasy XIII and believed that Square Enix was being deceptive by using PlayStation 3 footage. The ASA tested the game on both consoles and discovered that there was a difference between the two versions. The organization made this statement on its test results: "We noted that there was a discernible difference in the picture quality of the two - the PlayStation 3 image in video sequences appeared sharper and colors were more vivid than those of the Xbox 360."

The ASA ordered Square Enix to stop running the advertisement, saying: "Because the ad promoted the game on the Xbox 360 platform, it should have featured footage derived from that console. Because it did not, and because we considered that the use of PlayStation 3 footage in the ad exaggerated the quality of the footage available on the Xbox 360, albeit marginally, we concluded the ad was misleading."

Square Enix justified the advertisement by saying it used cinematics for the advertisement and not actual gameplay, but it did admit it used PlayStation 3 footage. It pointed out that the advantage allowing the PlayStation 3 version to look better were "hardware differences" requiring Final Fantasy XIII to be compressed onto 3 discs for the Xbox 360, but could fit on one disc with room to spare thanks to the PlayStation 3's Blu-ray drive. Square Enix also said it "did not believe any average viewer, or indeed avid gamer, would perceive any difference in the output unless reviewing the materially forensically." It's strange that Square Enix would be deceptive when it thinks the difference is that minute, but maybe it was just easier to use the PlayStation 3 version for all of Final Fantasy XIII's ads.

Source: Telegraph [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/7949618/Xbox-advert-criticised-by-advertising-watchdog-for-using-Playstation-images-to-promote-game.html]

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[Jared]

Oh wow...of, all the things. I mean, I suppose it is true, but..come on, it seems like such a minor thing...

 

[icyneesan]

Well you might as well use the footage that looks better for all of your advertisements right? Also I couldn't help but laugh at how they said there was a discernible difference in picture quality for the PS3 and 360 versions

 

[KEM10]

I just want to hop on here before it becomes a fanboy flame war citing this as a reason that PS3 is better than 360.

So I am not the only one who thought that. And it looks as if the ASA is more strict than the FCC. One point America?

 

[Motakikurushi]

In many ways, Square falsely advertised this game. Like, when they advertised it being worth playing.

 

[silver wolf009]

Really I dont see why they called it false advertisment. Its still the same game but I cant claim to know anything about U.K advertisment law.

 

[Waif]

I'm not terribly surprised that such groups like the ASA would hassle credible companies over something so minor. I believe that they wait around for things to whine about so that they can at least feel that they are somehow worthy...of anything. SE will brush this off like every other insignificant point that people with too much time on their hands like to point out.

 

[Banana Phone Man]

I think that Square Enix is right in that the average gamer will not notice any difference on PS3 or 360 and I have found that to be true unless looking really really hard.

There was even a little test on this on gamespot way back when they compared the graphics of a few games for the 360, PC and PS3. All I got from that test is that the PC versions all looked slightly better but other than that there was hardly any difference at all. To be honest I would not have been bothered if they had used PS3 footage for their advertisement even if it did look slightly better, but that's just my opinion.

 

[AfterAscon]

The ASA: Making judgements when it no longer matters.

As bad as this article sounds, this ASA decision will have no impact. Edicts like this are pointless, much like many other similar ASA decisions, because the decision has come long after the advertising campaign finished.

 

[BakaSmurf]

This news makes me laugh, does a slighter lesser video quality than advertised really count as false advertising? Really? And like you said, why would they waste money when they can just use the same footage for both versions, especially there is only a minute difference between the two? I mean, it's not like the PS3 version uses the latest in computer animation technology, and the 360 version has bloody construction paper cut-outs.

People need to learn to not overreact to everything, seriously.

 

[squid5580]

They should have gotten in trouble for saying it was good

 

[shadow skill]

It seems petty but if it makes people think twice about doing things like this it is a good thing.

 

[Woodsey]

Not as funny as the PS3 owners on the Mafia 2 forums declaring it false-advertising to release a pre-final build screenshot of Mafia 2 with blades of grass in it.

But anyway, this is stupid. I'm pretty sure for games like TFU (not saying they did this with TFU) where the game is appearing on every platform possible they just advertise the best looking one (the 360 version say) and go, "yeah, it's coming to the Wii and PSP too".

 

[Assassin Xaero]

Novalogic did the same with Black Hawk Down. They were advertising the PS2 and Xbox versions, and the Xbox was a copy of the PC version while the PS2 one was completely redone. They are even using the PS2 version's screenshots to advertise the game on Steam. Plus I don't see how this is any different than the Dragon Age trailers that look nothing at all like the game...

 

[Uber Evil]

In many ways, Square falsely advertised this game. Like, when they advertised it being worth playing.

That is your opinion, my friend, and when it comes to opinions, not everyones are the same, so some people probably enjoyed FFXIII and thought it was worth playing, and some didn't. So if Sqeenix thinks it is worth playing, then they can say that, and as it is their opinion and others, it is not false advertising.

 

[Unrulyhandbag]

I just want to hop on here before it becomes a fanboy flame war citing this as a reason that PS3 is better than 360.

So I am not the only one who thought that. And it looks as if the ASA is more strict than the FCC. One point America?

God no, in britain we have various bodies doing the work of the American FCC the ASA is one of the few government spawned bodies that is halfway competent, they have one job and hey usually do it well. Plenty of things get complained about usually they decide it's too minor to worry about but the liars and quacks get stomped on.

False advertising isn't something to tolerate no matter how minor the deception and they wouldn't have had a problem if the ad wasn't xbox focused. In ff13 my brother in laws ps3 rental was visibly better than my xbox copy so i'm not surprised they got ticked off.

The ASA: Making judgements when it no longer matters.

As bad as this article sounds, this ASA decision will have no impact. Edicts like this are pointless, much like many other similar ASA decisions, because the decision has come long after the advertising campaign finished.

in this case your right but it's probably because they actually had to do some work for once, and game advertising is only done for a couple of weeks around launch day.
Homeopathy companies making wonder cure claims and saying freephone with 0870 numbers and needing the ad to be relevant for months get killed pretty swiftly.

 

[DamienHell]

BUT they did just get 2 copies of their game purchased by the ASA. That smells like profit to me.

 

[MattAn24]

Okay, the constant bitching and "joking" saying FFXIII SHOULD have been in trouble for advertising it as good has got to stop. That's YOUR opinion. YOUR problem. Play YOUR games and let people who actually enjoy playing it ENJOY IT WITHOUT BITCHING. You obviously don't like it when people diss YOUR choice of game. Please STFU. I'm being unbiased here, because I've barely played XIII lately, but it's just common sense and decency..

Anyway, why is FFXIII getting blamed for this when I'm CERTAIN that many games ads do the same. They ALL have the console logos at the end of the ad (non-exclusives that is). They're not going to switch back and forth between versions on ADVERTISING, just because it's slightly different quality. It has been mentioned many times that the PS3 version looks shinier due to anti-aliasing and blu-ray, whereas the 360 version has a quicker framerate, etc. They've been directly compared before and there's been NO PROBLEM.

 

[GideonB]

In many ways, Square falsely advertised this game. Like, when they advertised it being worth playing.

Pure fucking gold
Also Yeah, ASA are idiots. They will ban random shit. Just like Facepunch mods.