Anyone can argue that "_____ would have happened anyway" so if you're going to exclude such revolutionary things, then you may as well exclude all revolutions.

I can't say I've read this article, as work has blocked 1up. But the posts slating VII always appear to me as just people slating a game because it's popular and has a lot of fans. There is a good reason why that game has those fans, it should be noted. How many other Eastern style RPGs have made it so big in the Western world?