Xbox Advert Using PS3 Footage

The Advertising Standards Authority has given Square Enix a firm slap on the wrist and blocked the broadcasting of an Xbox 360 Final Fantasy XIII advert. The ASA responded after a viewer complained back in March that the Xbox 360 advert was using footage taken from the PS3 version. They claimed that the PS3 produced higher quality images compared to that of its rival.

A spokesman for the ASA said “the ASA noted that the viewer, who saw the ad in HD, was concerned that the images from the PS3 version of the game were sharper than those on the XBOX 360.” Bother versions were sent to the ASA where they were able to run them side by side.

“We tested the two games, on screens with an identical set up, and ran them alongside one another. We noted that there was a discernible difference in the picture quality of the two – the PS3 image in video sequences appeared sharper and colours were more vivid than those of the XBOX 360.”

“We considered that, 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 PS3 footage in the ad exaggerated the quality of the footage available on the XBOX 360, albeit marginally, we concluded the ad was misleading.”

Sqaure Enix have said that the advert did not use in game footage but instead used FMV and that there are ‘hardware differences’ meaning the PS3 version could be compressed on to one disc and the 360 version on to 3 discs. They also claim there is ‘no substantive difference’ except in HD and most viewers would not notice the ‘slight difference’. They ‘did not believe any average viewer, or indeed avid gamer, would perceive any difference in the output unless reviewing the materially forensically’.

I’m not sure I could tell the difference to be honest but I’m sure some of you would disagree. One thing that is clear is that this is slightly embarrassing for both Square Enix and Microsoft.

Source: Telegraph

28 Comments

  1. Not good eh?

    You cant help but think if this was the other way round MS would be screaming from the rooftops about it…

    • my thoughts exactly… and all the people that own a 360

  2. This really sounds like what is going to happen to 2K with Mafia 2 pictures of in game ps3 ad’s and then oh no there was before we optimize the code.

  3. Ah so the mafia 2 fiasco has come full circle…

    • Call it a draw. Or maybe not, Mafia II looks a gash game on any platform if you ask me.

      • haha, yea i agree, mafia dosen’t look good anywhere imo.

        Also, nice to see the shite argument that its not worth dev time, or its to hard to make PS3 versions of games look good on multiplat titles silenced on this story! it clearly is possible and it is worth the dev time, as out putting sub-staderd work in any industry should be frowned upon on.

  4. Embarrassing to say the least

    • Yeah, wonder why they decided to show the PS3 version, ay Microsoft?

  5. Balancing out the mafia 2 story ? There will never be an actual winner with these both have limitations

  6. I hated the way the advert had a disclaimer on the bottom that said “not actual game footage” anyway. Kinda makes you wonder what the point in the advert is in the first place if the footage it’s showing isn’t actually from the game.

    • I agree with tony everytime I hear a great game coming out and want to see the adverts or on youtube until it says not actual game footage I’d be like ffs might aswell wait for the demo if there is one!

      • If I ever see “not actual game footage” on an advert it makes me think they’ve got something hide.

        It also reminds me of the Buzz Lightyear advert in Toy Story “not a flying toy”

      • lol I still got that toy in the box along with woddy.
        What!?!?! I’m a collectible guy. :P

  7. Read this in the Metro this morning, pretty shocking really.

  8. Pretty sure all the footage of red dead that was put out was from 360 for the same reasons. Theyre going to want to show the product in the best light. Difference here is I dont remember seeing RDR ads for just 360. Really dislike the way MS advertise multi platform games with the impression theyre XBox only, no matter what content they show froma game.

    • No, the difference is that there were no adverts specifically for rdr on ps3 using 360 footage. This is about an xbox game ad using ps3 graphics.

  9. hmmm, Seems I need to complain about the Dreamland advert for the Wii version of Toy Story shown on the Disney channel in Belgium. There they show the PS3 footage (the one with Zurg) and only advertise it for Wii.
    Mind that it’s an advert for a toy shop called Dreamland that is selling the Wii version of Toy Story.

  10. What a complete waste of time. They’re no longer able to air this advertisement? It wouldn’t have been aired in the last several months anyway. I doubt either SquareEnix or Microsoft are too concerned by this and it’s hardly a great deterrent for them to do it again in the future.

    • Exactly, taking five months to make a decision is pointless. The ad campaign has been and gone and only gamers who happen to read gaming news today will ever know about it. Of course, I’m sure some fanboy will dig it up to use in some obscure argument 14 months from now, but apart from that it serves no purpose.

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