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 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
