One-year exclusivity deal works to Microsoft's advantage, but European PS3 sales are not expected to suffer by early lack of popular soccer gaming franchises alone

Product Mini Profile Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 in: Soccer links » p/reviews user reviews faqs/guides

Microsoft revealed yesterday that it secured a one-year exclusivity term for Electronic Arts' FIFA 07 and Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 6 on next-gen console platforms, meaning both games will only see release on the Xbox 360 with the PlayStation 3 editions to wait until later next year at the earliest. According to feedback GameIndustry.biz has gathered from retailers in Europe, while the exclusivity contract will certainly prove to be advantageous for Microsoft, it's certainly not a death knell for potential European PS3 sales once the console launches. Said retailers point to the PlayStation's permeating brand power in the console game market alone as a factor which will keep demand for the PS3 strong.

"The market for PS3 is going to be relatively immature for its first year, so EA will be able to release FIFA in 2008 into a more mature market with higher penetration... FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer are still going to be on PS2 this Christmas and that's where the money is going to be for publishers in December, not on PS3," added [Pinnacle Software' MD Peter Sleeman].

"It's a hell of a coup for Microsoft, extremely well done, and by the time PS3 does get a FIFA title it'll be FIFA '08. But it won't change our predictions for the PlayStation 3 one iota," offered [Chips' MD Don McCabe].