FFXIII out simultaneously on PS3/360

Square Enix has finally clarified that Final Fantasy XIII will launch simultaneously on PS3 and 360 in the West.

"We don't have the actual month down yet, but in Japan it's scheduled for a winter release, and in Europe and North American territories it's spring 2010," producer Yoshinori Kitase told VG247 at gamescom.

"For Europe and North American, the PS3 and 360 versions are going to be released simultaneously."

Kitase added that European localisation used to take a year, but should now be "considerably shorter". The European launch of FFXIII, therefore, will be "as close to the North American release as possible".

Square Enix began development on the Western, Xbox 360 version of Final Fantasy XIII in April. However, the PS3 code is complete, and - as Kitase mentioned - goes on sale in Japan this winter.

This aroused suspicion that Western PS3 fans are being made to wait for FFXIII simply because of a simultaneous multi-platform-release deal.