460°

Square Is Shifting Strategy To Aggressively Pursue Multiplat Releases,Focus On Quality Over Quantity

Square Enix is shifting its strategy to aggressively pursue multiplatform releases and focus on quality over quantity.

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twistedvoxel.com
CantThinkOfAUsername22d ago

Yup, it's official. FFXVI and FFVII Rebirth didn't sell as much as they expected.

gold_drake22d ago

read the report, where exactly does it say what u just said ? lol

TheEroica21d ago

Denial isn't just a river in Egypt for some gamers.... 🤣

Barlos22d ago

It's your interpretation. That doesn't make it 'official'.

CantThinkOfAUsername22d ago

- 1% increase in net sales compared to a year with Forspoken and Octopath Traveller II, which didn't sell more than 3 millions combined (and I'm being generous).

- A 38.3% decrease in operating income despite the release of 'High-Definition' titles namely FFXVI, FF Pixels Remaster, Dragon Quest Monsters, and FFVII Rebirth.

- Aggressive multiplatform strategy one year after saying that exclusivity with PlayStation was mutually desired.

Sure, it's all in my head.

Sonic188122d ago (Edited 22d ago )

Probably for PC and the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. Square Enix games doesn't sell to well on Xbox

Extermin8or3_22d ago

Nothing sells well on Xbox that's precisely Microsoft's problem

The3faces22d ago

Apparently they don't sell well on PlayStation either.

Lightning7722d ago

Square named Drops Xbox as part of their multiplatform approach in their quarterly reports.

Like it matters MS will probably find away to close them down to.

FinalFantasyFanatic21d ago

I can see them going for PS5/Switch/PC for the most part, it'll mostly likely be the Switch 2 by the time their next game enters development, which is probably a good thing since the Switch is struggling with 3rd party games. If they're hurting for money/sales, I don't see them bothering with Xbox, that's just wasted time/money for them.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 21d ago
DarXyde22d ago

I mean, maybe? They'll want as much as possible and I figure they could have been hoping for greater impact on PlayStation, but that's good reason to reflect and realize the resources and development cycle of these games aren't very sustainable. The solution is to make more affordable games with shorter dev cycles, then once in a while bring out the big guns.

I think Final Fantasy VII Re make and Rebirth would do really well if it was multiplatform. Specifically, if Nintendo gets their hardware up to snuff, and the rumors are promising. I don't really have much faith in its performance on Xbox, but Nintendo gamers really commit to buying their games. At one point, Breath of the Wild for Switch outsold the Switch itself.

Granted, Zelda always solos everything except GTA, but Nintendo folk are avid Final Fantasy fans. I think it would do exceptionally. Nintendo just needs to make porting easy and inexpensive and they'll get more games.

FinalFantasyFanatic21d ago

I don't think the exclusivity hurts them as badly as they think, I think it's a range of factors, like the quality of the games, high sales expectations, ESG/DEI, censorship, development costs/time... I also suspect that Square-Enix is extremely inefficient with their resources, they struggled/avoided towns in the FF13 trilogy, and FF14 was mostly wilderness with little to do apart from derp about in the wild (they also avoid towns and making a lot of characters there too). But FF14 also went through development hell, I think Square-Enix just needs to overall how they do everything, because the way they manage that studio just isn't working.

Christopher22d ago

The two most profitable games for them didn't sell as much as expected. Yes. Make it make sense.

MrCrimson22d ago

I interpret it as - they want to be multiplatform, as they will sell more copies.

EternalTitan22d ago

16 isnt even a JRPG let alone a final fantasy game.
So glad that it bombed.

itsmebryan21d ago

Square finally realized what Sony figured out recently, their installed base is not enough. We are going to see a lot less exclusives from everyone moving forward.

MajorLazer21d ago

PS5 is nearly at 60 million only half-way through its life-cycle, but sure, the install base is not enough.

EternalTitan20d ago (Edited 20d ago )

Good exclusives always sell despite install base. Look at Nintendo's recent Zelda.
Its just 16 was awful.

itsmebryan20d ago

@major
It is not enough if it was Sony's operating income wouldn't be down 26% and the company would not have lost $10 billion of value after they missed their sales target .

Christopher19d ago

Looks to me more like they need multiplatform because they've been failing completely everywhere else. Honestly, Square needs to rethink it's non-FF games. They've been failing hard over there in that regard.

+ Show (7) more repliesLast reply 19d ago
CrashMania22d ago (Edited 22d ago )

Hopefully the next Nintendo system isn't a potato and it can contribute to FF sales in future as well, in addition to PC releases. If this ensures the long term health for SE and franchises than like FF and KH then I'm all for it.

NotoriousWhiz22d ago

Adding Nintendo and PC customers is the best way to increase sales and long term success. Not going to get that from Xbox.

shinoff218322d ago

Hopefully square brings all the lose switch exclusives over to.

Hofstaderman22d ago

Will there be a XBOX for Square to release games on? Or a MS Games service?

thesoftware73022d ago

Hof,

You must not have heard they are launching new hardware and have already committed to a Next-Gen Xbox.

But, for some reason, I think you already knew that and wanted to spin a silly narrative; besides, why wouldn't they release games on the SX/SS? You do know these consoles will still be here, right?

Hofstaderman22d ago (Edited 22d ago )

Optics. They have a STATED plan to do so. Thats not commitment. The shareholders and board are calling the shots now. Lets see if they have the appetite for hardware because they are owed 80 Billion Dollars already. Investment in hardware, R and D and marketing is how much again? That cost with the history of their hardware performance....at most maybe a handheld. What I am certain of XBOX is finished, the writing has been on the wall before the studio closures. Its MS Games and they are not hardware. They are software because MS is a software company. Expect them to be folded in the Surface team.

DarXyde22d ago

*hardware

I believe they committed to hardware.

I hate to nitpick, but that's kind of the company they are. You have to.

22d ago
Michiel198922d ago

@hofstaderman the board and shareholders have always called the shots or had a huge impact on decisions.

Xbox finished lmao, the writing has been on the wall? mate they just spend 70 BILLION dollars, and you see the writing is on the wall that they're done. 0 idea what you're talking about. They grafiti'd on the wall and you still can't see it.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 22d ago
Aloymetal22d ago

No to both, not worth the effort, money and time on an already dying brand.

22d ago
thesoftware73022d ago

"They have a STATED plan to do so. That's not commitment."

Huh? What are you talking about? They announced they would be unveiling new Hardware this holiday season; how else are they supposed to commit to it?

" Lets see if they have the appetite for hardware because they are owed 80 Billion Dollars already"

What a silly statement, you think this deal was approved so they could make 80 billion in less than a year? This is a long-term commitment, a future-proofing of profit.

"What I am certain of XBOX is finished,"

No, you are not certain of this lol; as you stated, if they make even a Handheld in the form of a Steam-Deck that can dock to a TV/monitor, wouldn't that be just changing the form factor but still XBOX?

Closing these studios has really got you guys delusional; that is what happens in companies, in a changing market: you acquire, and you trim; like it or not, that is the way things are done. Lets look.

Where is the new Psygnosis with a new wipeout?
What happened to Japan Studio? Pixl Opus? London Studio?
Where is Zipper Interactive?

I can list more, but you see, closing devs doesn't mean your company is finished, especially when you have like 30+ dev teams.

Extermin8or3_22d ago

They won't be unveiling the hardware this holiday season it will be like the series x and s they got a tease at the game awards 2018. But no details until year of their release in 2020 lol

Relientk7722d ago

Please tell me the Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is still coming. I feel like I've been waiting forever for that game.

gold_drake22d ago

i think the juggernauts kingdom hearts (disney provides the money for that one) final fantasy and dragon quest are fine, the rest not as much

Michiel198922d ago

I'm kinda worried about the future of DQ though, Toriyama and the composer both passed away. Huge blow to the franchise.

FinalFantasyFanatic21d ago

@Michiel1989,
Akira Toriyama had an understudy though, he emulates his style, so maybe he'll do the art for Dragon Quest games, I would love to see Nobue Uematsu do music for the series though, that could be fun if they could convince him.

FinalFantasyFanatic21d ago

I'll be so p*ssed if that doesn't go ahead, also, where's DQ12 at? They've been silent on that for so long, and it was announced years ago.

@gold_Drake,
I'm pretty sure they can siphon some profit from A Realm Reborn to keep FF and Dragon Quest going too. I think the company would have gone bankrupt if it wasn't for that cash cow.

gold_drake21d ago

14 is definitely brings in the a consistant cashflow

Charal22d ago (Edited 22d ago )

Another sign that dedicated consoles market is in trouble, while PC seems more and more attractive to big publishers.

Having a good gaming PC and a PS5 myself, given current trend form both Sony and MS I am less and less playing on PS5, waiting for exclusives to release on PC, so I understand the logic behind the new strategy.

anast22d ago

Post those numbers. Then your comment might make sense.

thesoftware73022d ago (Edited 22d ago )

Ants,

I get that we don't know exactly without numbers, but come on, man, we can clearly see what's happening.

The console market has not grown much, the highest-selling console in history is still the PS2. You can play the " prove it" game all you want, but Sony's more aggressive PC push, SE completely rebooting their company/business, after being mainly exclusive to one console and showing a sizeable profit loss is telling.

PC is a high seller, and your doubtful PS5 dominant stance does not change the clear writing on the wall, straight from Sony's mouth, that they need to be, and will be more aggressive in the very lucrative PC market.

So, in other words, PC market is indeed looking more and more attractive to Pubs.

anast22d ago

@730

Numbers?

I'm willing to bet the farm that ¨PC gamers are not the dominate number compared to console, but I don't know because I don't have numbers. However, the price point of entry can allow us to infer what I had just stated.

anast22d ago

I don't click on links on forums. Tell me why that .com source is legit.

Tacoboto22d ago

What an ironic thing to say on a link-agreggate site like N4G. Explains your comment history perfectly.

Michiel198922d ago

asks for numbers. receives numbers and then continues to say I don't wanna click a website (because it might shatter my illusion)

anast21d ago (Edited 21d ago )

@All the people with that good 'ol folk wisdom

It's ironic how I clearly asked for the site and people still can't even answer this simple question.

Tell me how many people click on random links on forums?

Tell me the site and I will look. I don't mind being wrong and I'm barely intelligent enough to change my mind with something substantial.

All the numbers I have seen is that PC doesn't even come close console gaming in revenue, and nothing touches mobile gaming. More people touching something doesn't mean anything. It just means more people own PC for work and touch Steam every now and again, those numbers mean even less.

Charal21d ago

Anast I wasn’t expecting more from you and I haven’t be disappointed.

Don’t believe any number if you want, but things cannot be more evident that most of games companies are pushing to get the most they can from PC market.

Hell, we have both MS and Sony that are releasing their biggest franchise on PC with no or less and less delay vs console release, that is never seen before in the industry.

What is surprising me is that PC is not cheap in term of hardware cost, a rig close to PS5/XBX perfs may be close to double the price I guess, and close to 4x for a good gaming PC.
Plus, PC gaming does not have physical release anymore.

So a lot of supposed advantages from console market are not there but PC market is successful anyway, it would be very interesting to understand it.
Maybe one big argument is that we are more likely to need a PC at home, were we can work with, browse, and game, than a dedicated gaming machine. That why handled console market have been crushed by smartphones, we could see a repeating pattern here.

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 21d ago
Babadook721d ago

From what I can ascertain PC is a smaller market than PS. There are occasionally times when PC looks to be stronger but overall it's still behind.

FinalFantasyFanatic21d ago

PC also has a lot more competition, especially when people can easily buy and play older games from 20 or so years ago on it.

anast19d ago

PC has the potential to be a bigger player, but the market is smaller in terms of revenue nonetheless. People conflate sign up numbers with money spent on a product.

anast21d ago

You probably need to worry about yourself and your own expectations.

You still haven't even complete the simplest task in telling me the name of the website. Let that sink in. I asked for the name of the website so I can look at it and you couldn't even complete that task.

Show all comments (113)
160°

Why is Steam Blocked in Vietnam? Government Shares Reason

Finally, the Vietnamese government has officially responded to Steam being blocked in the country.

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spieltimes.com
blacktiger1d 3h ago

AMAZING! Thank You Gabe, stand for freedom of speech!!!!

PRIMORDUS1d 3h ago

VPN to buy games, fuck that if it's allowed or not, or just use a VPN and torrent what you can.

seanpitt2315h ago

I just cannot believe we haven't had a game from them this generation nearly 4 years in.. crazy!

Knightofelemia20h ago

If the game is crap then yes there will always be negative feedback it comes with the territory. It's called word of mouth or welcome to the internet. Where the truth about a game comes out really fast whether the game is good or crap. If you can't handle the criticism because of a game then why publish the game. Why should people who never criticized or even played the game be punished? Vietnam has some really screwed up laws block Steam because they don't answer us rule. And going on a witch hunt with Steam please. Where's the proof, where's the evidence of this witch hunt. Somebody is butt hurt and has a Vietnamese Karen leading the witch hunt.

250°

Take-Two CEO Doesn’t Think AI Will Reduce Employment or Dev Costs; “Stupidest Thing” He’s Heard

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick doesn't think AI will reduce employment or lower development costs, and calls it "stupidest thing" he's ever heard.

lodossrage2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

They already have AI trained to do coding.......

How he thinks it's stupid is beyond me, Especially since we see it happening in real time.

CS72d ago

Company A has 300 employees and lays of 200 to replace them with AI to release the same quality game.

Company B has 300 employees and keeps all 300 but instead uses AI to release a game with dramatically larger scale, scope, complexity, short dev cycle etc.

Company B would release a dramatically better product by using humans + AI and consumers would buy the better game.

I actually agree with this concept.

Huey_My_D_Long2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

This is key facet. Its how the AI is used. It's actually is impressive as is and really would make an amazing addition to alot of people in their jobs, not just tech. It also has the potential for businesses to use to lay off large amounts of people, as much as they could to save money on labor. I hope too many companies don't go with the latter. But since usually companies are worried about bottom line over people...we will see some try and hopefully fail. But yeah, if its to help workers like in your company B scenario I'm totally down...Just scared Company A may be too enticing to some ceos and businesses.

Darkegg2d ago

Value of AI and value of humans will both be increased with human-AI complex. Each, by themselves, will not be independently better than the other. Whether AI will ever be independent from humans is the fear question of humans, ironically because of our doing. At this stage, most of the doing is because of humans, not because of AI. AI is doing exactly that by our design, until we have failed ourselves with an AI development that went awry. The biggest take is that humans have only ourselves to blame when things become wrong, and we have to decide what is the ultimate goal with AI we want to accomplish. It would take a person with high morals and high ethics to make right of AI. I would not want businessman to decide what AI should do or what capabilities it can have. AI should be in the hands of people with high moral fiber, or those operating on love, kindness, and compassion.

BlackOni2d ago

AI is SUPPOSED to be used as a tool, not a replacement. It's designed to do two important things artists can take advantage of immediately.

- Make the ideation/reference imaging process much quicker and easier (basically using it as a google search)
- Make mundane and time consuming tasks faster and easier so more time is spent on creation.

Unfortunately, what many have done is used it as a way to replace rather than supplement.

Einhander19722d ago (Edited 2d ago )

CS7

In the ideal world yes.

In the real world where companies have shown little desire to innovate and spent every effort to maximize profits the end result will be the same quality games (if were lucky) made by less people and more AI.

Company Real World: Fires 200 people and makes the same game cheaper using AI and the executives get record bonuses.

Edit:

Lets look at history, specifically auto manufacturing.

In the 70's and 80's the auto unions tried to oppose automation of jobs (robots) stating that they would take peoples jobs. And the people in charge who wanted to make more money said the exact same types of things that are being said about AI. But we can look at history and see that countless types of jobs were in fact replaced by automation, that was of course even compounded upon by computers.

The net effect was that the rich got richer less jobs were needed so wages were forced down by competition for the jobs that were left.

hombreacabado1d 9h ago

that concept works in the initial beginning phase of AI but once AI learns and surpasses the knowledge and coding expertise of even the best human employee than this CEO will no longer need competent humans in that line of work.

Extermin8or3_1d 7h ago

@Hue_My£D_Long

Yes but that is a choice then by massively increased productivity and this greater income and wealth and stagnating with similar levels of productivity and output and not creating much wealth. Usually the option that creates wealth prevails because a rising tide raises all ships.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 1d 7h ago
Number1TailzFan2d ago

You can already make your own SFX with text prompts now as well, of course it will lower development cost and time

1Victor2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

WARNING WARNING ‼️ SARCASM AHEAD
Sure Strauss and robots didn’t take jobs from car factories.
Edit:Sad thing is he believes it and unfortunately he won’t be replaced for a long time by AI

senorfartcushion2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

He doesn't, he's just lying. These people lay people off so they can get bonuses. If AI takes jobs, their bonus goes bigger and the workforce goes smaller.

porkChop2d ago

Because he sees AI as a tool to aid development. He wants to use AI to help make bigger and better games in the same timeframe. Other CEOs want to replace devs with AI to cut costs and make lifeless games faster for a quick buck. Strauss has the right idea, this is how AI should be used. To extend and expand the capabilities of devs.

neutralgamer19921d 8h ago

There will be few companies who will go overboard and try to replace their employees with AI tech. The ones that will make the most money will be the ones that utilize ai, along with their employee talent, to make the best product possible

AI could handle some of the most time consuming processes. To expediate the development, so in return, costing the publisher's last money end time.

Extermin8or3_1d 7h ago

Not reliably they haven't. Coding done by ai is generally abysmal for all but the most generic tasks.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 1d 7h ago
jambola2d ago

Ceo says stupid thing
Part 5837384

Zeref2d ago (Edited 2d ago )

I think maybe sometimes we give people in these positions too much credit when it comes to intelligence.

DarXyde1d 12h ago

I think you mean candor, not intelligence.

If you take him to mean what he's saying at face value, sure.

I don't. And I think he's clearly lying.

romulus232d ago

As long as it doesn't effect his inflated executive salary or his ridiculous bonuses I'm sure he's fine with it.

RNTody2d ago

Hahaha yeah trust the CEO suit over the actual developers making the games. Good one.

Show all comments (37)
100°

Every PlayStation Studios game available now on Windows PC

Windows Central writes: "Many PlayStation Studios games that are ported to PC get dedicated PS5 DualSense support, which allows users to experience haptic feedback and adaptive trigger support without actually having to own a PS5.

According to Hermen Hulst, head of PlayStation Studios, it's still the company's intent to launch the bigger single-player games on PS5 first, before later bringing the games to PC. This might not be the case for multiplayer games however, which are considered okay to launch simultaneously on console and PC."

Read Full Story >>
windowscentral.com
ocelot073d ago

My guess is after god of war. Probably last of us 2 that's a almost 4 year old game now and by the time it's released on pc it will be more than 4 years old or close to 5.

Elda3d ago

Every old Playstation game that is now on PC.

shinoff21833d ago

Right. I definitely see what a headlined from a website named windows central was trying to do though. It's cute little wordplay to help out the green box

Flewid6381h ago(Edited 1h ago)

They are a unique website for sure.

Flewid6382d ago

Are PlayStation games no longer good or worth playing once they are old?

Elda2d ago

I'm guessing my comment went over your head.

Flewid6388h ago

I'm guessing you were never really saying anything that made sense.

Elda8h ago

You're still ranting on an old article. Your comment to me 2 days ago didn't make any sense including this recent one. It's time to move on, get out of your basement & go on about life.

Flewid6381h ago

Ooof, I had no idea you were this down bad. Sorry to hear you hate life.

Ah well....stay salty! 👍

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 1h ago
XiNatsuDragnel3d ago

Good at least they can sell hardware