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Square Enix: Multiplayer is now prominent over singleplayer, focusing on GAAS games

D

DJIzana

Member
So Octopath Traveler multiplayer confirmed? I'd try it. Setsuna's pvp sounded cool. I'm impartial on XV's multiplayer though.
 
Z

Zaventem

Member
Can't wait for this ship to sink. we went through a stage where every dev thought they needed to tack multiplayer on onto their games. Soon they will understand not every game will succeed as GAAS.
 
N

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
DJIzana said:
So Octopath Traveler multiplayer confirmed? I'd try it. Setsuna's pvp sounded cool. I'm impartial on XV's multiplayer though.
Click to expand...
Generally Square Enix hA a lot of long in development games that don't match their newly announced initiatives.
 
Marker007

Marker007

Member
It sounds to me like they are thinking of GAAS as being like western DLC support. Hopefully they don't make multiplayer only games going forward, that would be a travesty when they are finally getting back into the saddle as far as massive single player epics are concerned.
 
F

FStubbs

Member
SG-17 said:
An entire generation of games is just going to end up unplayable in the future.
Click to expand...

That's the point. Square-Enix and companies like it hate that people can reject their big bloated messes like FF15 and go back and play their classics. Companies like EA want you buying Madden every year without fail. GaaS works for them because you're forced to upgrade to the latest on their timetable and play what they force you to play.

... Though you can always opt to NOT play. That's what will eventually happen to them. But for now, they're still under the mindset that gamers are addicts and we want to buy these games more than they want to sell them.
 
E

Evil Monkey DTT

Banned
I'm not as doom and gloom reading this, I strongly believe in games as a service IF the game is coming out strong. I know alot of people hate ff15 but as someone who actually enjoyed it I didn't feel cheated but I'm happy to know my replay is going to be even better with more content.

Now forced multiplayer on the other hand is just a waste of my time and theirs... And microtranactions incoming.
 
L

legend166

Member
Games-as-a-product-designed-to-exploit-psychological-flaws-in-consumers-and-get-them-to-us-more-money-to-make-our-game-not-boring.
 
T

texhnolyze

Banned
Mashin Haters said:
Guaranteed that tabatas next game will be Destiny-esque. Multiplayer Co-op loot game.
Click to expand...

This needs to happen.
destiny-more18.jpg
Click to expand...
 
K

KuwabaraTheMan

Banned
Even if the industry is headed in that direction, stuff like this is just depressing to read.

I hope that Kingdom Hearts, Nier, and the stuff from Asano and Tokyo RPG factory can avoid the push towards everything being multiplayer focused and filled with microtransactions.

I've largely come to accept over the past year that Final Fantasy is dead.
 
M

mas8705

Member
I realize there are too many "NO!" gifs on the internet, so pick your favorite and put it here!

Seriously Square! Don't do it, man! Multiplayer works if you have a strong Multiplayer experience, otherwise, you get stuck with lackluster experiences!

...

Then again, we haven't really fully explored FFXV's multiplayer yet. I won't hold my breath on it of course, but I might use that as a way to gauge if Square actually has an understanding on how the multiplayer game is done. Otherwise, they really should just stick with the memorable SP experience.,
 
D

djtiesto

is beloved, despite what anyone might say
I dunno, I kinda like my long RPGs to tell a complete story from start to finish, instead of getting story updates patched in months later (FFXV), or waste development effort on a forced multiplayer mode I won't even bother with (cuz I prefer games as a solitary experience).

Also, hasn't S-E tried this a few times before unsuccessfully? Or was that cloud/streaming games? I can't keep track of the number of times S-E jumped on some trendy bandwagon only to falter and dust it under the rug. Hopefully GAAS will be the same.
 
A

Astery

Member
To think that I've just praised SE for doing well in the games as a product department (outside of mobile) with recent successes like Life is Strange, Nier Automata, announcing Left Alive as single player focused,,,Y u do dis SE.
 
R

rainking187

Member
Eh, if I really like a single player game I can put tons of time into it. I've spent hundreds of hours in Fallout games, but I doubt even my most played multiplayer games get up to three digit hour playtimes. Just because something is multiplayer doesn't mean it's going to get more play.
 
A

Ahasverus

Member
Wow this Gen is gonna be my last isn't it.

Shame on me for not being a whale or liking to spent time with people online after spending all the day with other people irl.
 
R

Rad-

Member
Well it's not like SE has been good as a developer in the last 10 years anyways. They have had some small successes as a publisher lately but as a developer we aren't losing much.
 
H

hollomat

Banned
Games as a service can be fantastic if done correctly (path of exile), but square Enix are going to completely fuck this up. It'll be shitty games with tons of micro transactions.

It's crazy how awful square Enix has been since they went from square soft to square Enix. So many bad decisions following each other. Hopefully kingdom hearts 3 isn't part of this.
 
C

Chaserjoey

Member
I’m a bit confused by some of the reactions in here? Doesn’t it just mean that Square Enix will be focused on adding to their games through free updates and DLC expansions? I didn’t interprete what he said to mean “games moving forward will all be multiplayer games”, just that they would be looking into developing some games with multiplayer features like what they’re now doing with Final Fantasy XV.

I’m going to tackle my thoughts on this using the Kingdom Hearts series as an example, since that’s the one I can best think of.

My understanding of them pushing “games as a service” comes through with thinking if Kingdom Hearts II had been made in this climate e.g. game patches and DLC, instead of them holding back all this content for a re-release of the game. We got the original game, and if patches were a thing, then additional story such as Xemnas going to talk to Aqua’s armour could have been patched in for free (Final Fantasy XV has done this with Chapter 13v.2). The Cavern of Rememberance could have been developed for free and added in a patch for an additional challenge. The Lingering Will could have been sold as DLC, marketed as “Purchase this DLC and fight the toughest boss in the Kingdom Hearts series!” I could have seen the Secret Episode of Birth by Sleep being sold as a DLC expansion pack on the PSN.

Free patches for the games help improve the quality of life of the games as well. Without fan feedback, 0.2’s critical mode would still be critiqued by fans. I can see Kingdom Hearts III being patched with fixes and new content as well, when it finally launches next year. And whatever they patch into the game can invite players back to the game to try out these new fixes, features, and more.

Basically, aren’t they just taking what’s been happening in this industry for a while (patches, DLC) and giving a name to it (‘Games as a Service’)? If they want to take the time and develop multiplayer expansions, that’s fine. Final Fantasy XV’s Comrades doesn’t affect anyone unless you purchase it and play it. We know that Kingdom Hearts III will be a primarily single player game, and they’ve teased multiplayer which suggests that it could be a game as a service.

I don’t know if I’ve just misinterpreted what Square Enix was actually saying, and I could be wrong and I ask for your forgiveness and patience with helping me understand what’s actually going on, but I just feel they’ve put a name to what this industry and other companies have been doing for a while. If they want to work on their games and bring in new free and paid content then I’m happy with that as I get to enjoy more of what I love.
 
A

APZonerunner

Member
Mark it, FF16 will be the FF/SE/Japanese take on something that's Destiny/Division/Anthem-esque, I can feel it. This is also the natural bridge between current single-player FF and the MMOs, too - a sort of halfway house.
 
M

Markoman

Member
This Gaas shit might kill the whole industry if you ask me. Once people accept that paying 100§+ for a game is ok because they will play nothing else but this game for months, especially SE can kiss their ass goodbye, because they don't have a "hot" franchise on their hand. Only a few franchises will benefit from this trend as we can already see - you'll have FIFA, GTA, COD, BF and maybe a few other games like the occasional indie hit (PUBG).

Well, in a worst case scenario I will go old-school and meet other old men playing cards or dice.
 
M

m00h

Banned
Hard times are coming for people who don't give a single f--- about MP games with this whole GaaS bs.
I'd love to see more SP games, and not every game needs to be open world. Not every gamer is a teenager with unlimited time to be spent on games.
 
J

jj984jj

He's a pretty swell guy in my books anyway.
Uh, most of their games don't really lend them-selves to this though. I'm guessing this is going to be a big part of their S-E UK/Eidos side going forward... and this is a hint at what their Marvel titles will be aiming for.
 
L

Lothars

Member
Chaserjoey said:
I’m a bit confused by some of the reactions in here? Doesn’t it just mean that Square Enix will be focused on adding to their games through free updates and DLC expansions? I didn’t interprete what he said to mean “games moving forward will all be multiplayer games”, just that they would be looking into developing some games with multiplayer features like what they’re now doing with Final Fantasy XV.
Click to expand...
Yes that’s exactly it which is why I don’t get the people not reading. I definitely don’t see how this is a bad thing.
 
N

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
jj984jj said:
Uh, most of their games don't really lend them-selves to this though. I'm guessing this is going to be a big part of their S-E UK/Eidos side going forward... and this is a hint at what their Marvel titles will be aiming for.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure that jives with what we've been seeing Square Enix Japan do.

1.) Dragon Quest Builders 1 had no multiplayer, now the second one has full four player co-op

2.) The same is true of Dragon Quest Heroes, which went from no multiplayer to expansive multiplayer with the sequel.

3.) Final Fantasy XV has gotten tons of updates and even an added in multiplayer mode.

4.) Setsuna's Switch version got an added multiplayer mode.

5.) Square Enix implied there's at least some kind of online component on Left Alive.

6.) Nomura teased online for Kingdom Hearts 3, and the last three titles in the series had multiplayer.

7.) Square Enix frequently talks about how they want to be the leading force in Japanese eSports and how Dissidia is planned to be a big part of that (which is very online centric).

8.) Basically all of Square Enix's mobile games are service titles.

9.) They also have several MMOs they brag about frequently.

I think it would be harder to come up with Japanese products of theirs that aren't headed in that direction.
 
J

jj984jj

He's a pretty swell guy in my books anyway.
Nirolak said:
I'm not sure that jives with what we've been seeing Square Enix Japan do.

1.) Dragon Quest Builders 1 had no multiplayer, now the second one has full four player co-op

2.) The same is true of Dragon Quest Heroes, which went from no multiplayer to expansive multiplayer with the sequel.

3.) Final Fantasy XV has gotten tons of updates and even an added in multiplayer mode.

4.) Setsuna's Switch version got an added multiplayer mode.

5.) Square Enix implied there's at least some kind of online component on Left Alive.

6.) Nomura teased online for Kingdom Hearts 3, and the last three titles in the series had multiplayer.

7.) Square Enix frequently talks about how they want to be the leading force in Japanese eSports and how Dissidia is planned to be a big part of that (which is very online centric).

8.) Basically all of Square Enix's mobile games are service titles.

9.) They also have several MMOs they brag about frequently.

I think it would be harder to come up with Japanese products of theirs that aren't headed in that direction.
Click to expand...

I guess the bigger question to ask though, what does this mean for other major titles going forward? Are FFXV and DQXI the last of the games that will focus being single-player games? Will the development teams of FFXVI and DQXII be forced to develop the games with multi-player in mind from the start?

They plan to expand on Nier as an IP, does that mean it will follow this model as well?

How about Hideo Baba's game?

Will Final Fantasy VII Remake be completely reworked now? I do think this could change it from being episodic at the very least. Does it have to launch with multi-player though?

Getting back to smaller games a bit, how about Lost Sphear? As you pointed out, I am Setsuna launched on Switch with a multi-player mode, does that mean Lost Sphear will receive a multi-player update? Why did they launch I am Setsuna on Switch with multi-player but let the team make Lost Sphear without any such mode?

Will Project Octopath Traveler have multi-player?

I think a lot of these individual cases were already there, and don't indicate a shift in their development style. I know you talked about Dragon Quest Builders first but it was actually the one game that came to mind when reading this. It really does lend itself to this model. I think there's a few questions to ask there as well though. Is there any indication that they plan to change the model they're using to develop this game? Introducing multiplayer is one thing, but it was a feature often requested during the development of the first game and all signs pointed to it being included if they made a sequel. Is there an indication that they'll be focusing on content updates instead of moving on?

Overall I do think DQB will be the most interesting one to watch in the short-term.
 
P

patapuf

Member
Hedge said:
I'm not even sure what Games as a service encompasses. I thought it was always-online stuff.
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It's a catch all term for long term support with both free patches and paid content.

You build your game as a "platform" so to speak.

It's most common in long lasting Multiplayer games but it can work for some SP games as well. Strategy games for example, often have lots of expansion, big and small, over years.
 
G

Gilgamesh

Member
Hey, if the video game industry wants to shift to a multiplayer focus, that just saves me time and money since I will be buying drastically less games.
 
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