Nomura: "We'd like to put BBS on PlayStation Network buuuuuut..."

[Shamdeo]

In the newest issue of Dengeki PlayStation, Kingdom Hearts director Tetsuya Nomura was asked about the NGP and PSN content. He replied that he wasn't ready to discuss any possible NGP titles; he did mention that he wants to put Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep on the PlayStation Network as a downloadable title (and therefore making it a NGP title as well).

However...

Apparently he says Disney and Utada are holding the process up. While no explicit reason was given (since Square-Enix's legal department is probably working their magic, and Nomura wouldn't be able to comment further) Disney is rather skittish about releasing digitally downloadable content and that's more that likely the same case with Utada as well. They also may have to re-apply for a license to use her content in this version.

Update: There are some reports that say that Nomura states that Disney and Utada are not what are putting the game on hold, but that he has something else (he wouldn't specify) that he's working on first.

http://ff-reunion.net/
http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2011/02/22/nomura_dengeki_interview/

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

I get why Disney is shifty over digital downloads, but Utada should have just give an automatic yes. They are paying her for the song so it shouldn't really matter.

 

[YoshiAngemon]

And yet they release WiiWare games like Jelly Cars 2? Crazy, much?

 

[Shamdeo]

lawyers being lawyers

utada wants to bargain for more money
square-enix wants to not have to spend as much money

commence~

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

lawyers being lawyers

utada wants to bargain for more money
square-enix wants to not have to spend as much money

commence~

She should be happy they are paying her whatever they are giving her, considering how frugal Disney and SE are. Oh well. They can go at it. I have a copy so I don't really care.

 

[Tempus]

This is dumb. Is this why we've never seen a digital release of the previous games or the final mixes? I don't understand how they have to re-license something that was already covered in the original agreement. Oh well.... another thing I can chalk up to idiotic/antiquated (and mostly American) copywrite law and those in control having no idea how to do business in this day and age (AKA they're old lol).

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

This is dumb. Is this why we've never seen a digital release of the previous games or the final mixes? I don't understand how they have to re-license something that was already covered in the original agreement. Oh well.... another thing I can chalk up to idiotic/antiquated (and mostly American) copywrite law and those in control having no idea how to do business in this day and age (AKA they're old lol).

Digital downloads weren't covered under the contracts, obviously. And we haven't had digital downloads of many PS2 games from SE.

 

[Shamdeo]

This is dumb. Is this why we've never seen a digital release of the previous games or the final mixes?

Well the games would have to go through the same channels to get digital releases, but I can't say that's the reason why. BBS is the only PSP game in the KH franchise, and I'm not aware of Nintendo doing anything like downloadable DS or GBA games. In regard to a game like KH2FM+ there could be many reasons, but Square-Enix and most companies in general haven't gotten on board to PS2 games as downloadable titles.

I don't understand how they have to re-license something that was already covered in the original agreement. Oh well.... another thing I can chalk up to idiotic/antiquated (and mostly American) copywrite law and those in control having no idea how to do business in this day and age (AKA they're old lol).

Actually, the original license probably only states physical game copies, which is why they would have to talk to Disney and Utada again to be able to use their intellectual property on a new format. It's even more complicated when you have to re-file for each region (Japan, North America, and Europe). It's a similar situation for when the Parasite Eve games went on PSN since they're based off of Hideaki Sena's novel and how Square-Enix had to clear it with him first. It doesn't mean that the game is going to be stalled forever, it just might be a while until all the Legalese is in print.

 

[Ikkin]

...well, this sure seems to imply that an NGP release is in the future. "No comment" from Nomura usually means "yes, but I'm not allowed to mention it" to begin with, but the fact that they're still trying to negotiate the digital rights for Birth by Sleep after the vast majority of total sales have been made suggests they might have need of those rights in the future (ie. for a NGP game, which is required to be dual-release).

If it means we get the Final Mix version over here, I'll gladly pay a second time for a backwards-compatible digital copy. >.>

 

[Hero]

This will probably be made worse by the fact that Utada is taking this entire year off.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

This will probably be made worse by the fact that Utada is taking this entire year off.

Longer than a year, actually.

 

[ajmrowland]

Digital downloads weren't covered under the contracts, obviously. And we haven't had digital downloads of many PS2 games from SE.

so you mean we've had any at all? mind listing them?

We havent even had many downloads of PS2 games period. Only the most popular like Prince of Persia, God of War, and Medal of Honor

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

so you mean we've had any at all? mind listing them?

We havent even had many downloads of PS2 games period. Only the most popular like Prince of Persia, God of War, and Medal of Honor

Now where did I say that there were. My sentence was a blanket statement.

 

[XIII Heartless]

This will probably be made worse by the fact that Utada is taking this entire year off.

What does her hiatus have to do with this?

 

[ajmrowland]

Now where did I say that there were. My sentence was a blanket statement.

Blanket statement or not, you implied by saying there "weren't many", implying there must be at least one.

I luv technicalities.

 

[XIII Heartless]

You implied by saying there "weren't many", implying there must be at least one.

I luv technicalities.

Don't argue with her. She's the black/female Spock. She'll own you with logic. XD

 

[madammina]

Why wouldn't Disney want it's stuff on the PSN? It has licensed games over on the EU PSN.

 

[ajmrowland]

Copyright protection, no doubt. Look at the games they have on the PSN. They're all old license titles they dont really have priority of and dont care about being pirated.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Copyright protection, no doubt. Look at the games they have on the PSN. They're all old license titles they dont really have priority of and dont care about being pirated.

Right, because when FFVII and FFVIII go for $80 a pop in original copy used retail, nobody wants to pirate it.

 

[Lanydx reborn]

Disney......Why do you do this to us?