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Square Enix: Games as a Service is "the mainstream model for gaming in the future"

N

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
So we knew Square Enix was going to focus on Games as a Service for at least some titles going forward, but with extra clarification it seems they want to focus on it for basically all of their major titles.

To note, in case the slide is to small to see, they're talking about their HD Games segment as well, which focuses on consoles/handhelds/traditional PC titles. Their MMOs (separate division) and mobile games (separate division) are already service titles.

squaregamesasaservice2cp01.png


Titles that have become global hits recently have tended
to be offered via the “Games as a Service” model, and we
believe this is going to be the mainstream model for
gaming in the future. In developing future titles, we will
approach game design with a mind to generate recurring
revenue streams.

From the perspective of “Games as Media,” we note the
strong demand for the streaming of game contents and
intend to unlock new potential for our arcade business by
streaming arcade game play globally.
Click to expand...
Source: http://www.hd.square-enix.com/eng/news/pdf/17q4outline.pdf
 
S

Screamapillar

Member
Release games quicker, because you can patch/ add/ change things after release, and keep interest up. I can't disagree. As long as they're initially still worth $60.
 
J

jon bones

hot hot hanuman-on-man action
sweet, i love the idea of games as a platform that you dig into over time

encourages game devs to create games with a lot of depth as it needs to maintain interest over time

also means we get expensive skins which i am all about
 
A

Arkeband

Banned
quesalupa said:
If these means more free content because dumb whales will pay for microtransactions that's fine with me.
Click to expand...

It'll mean a relaxed approach toward shipping unfinished titles as long as consumers are forgiving enough to allow them to patch it over the next year and a half or so.

We tacitly approved of this race to the bottom.
 
K

KingBroly

Banned
I really take the whole 'games as a service' thing to mean 'less games, but you pay a lot more for them over time.' Not really a fan.
 
E

ExoSoul

Banned
Get ready for an all new FF VII!!!!!

Enemy drops need to be unlocked with a special mako key!

You can also buy mako crates for extra lute and consumables :D


KingBroly said:
I really take the whole 'games as a service' thing to mean 'less games, but you pay a lot more for them over time.' Not really a fan.
Click to expand...

That's because it's what it is.
 
D

Death Penalty

Member
They're not wrong, but I on a personal level will likely move away from their games if they adopt too many of the bad aspects of games as a service. They're already delving unfortunately far into the AAA model of finishing a game after release, so I don't have a lot of faith they'll make the right moves with this new direction.
 
X

Xandremi

Member
Well i'm not surprised since its already happening with the big AAA publishers right now but i shy away from such games so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
U

UtterlyPerplexed

Member
If you try and apply this model to single player games all you do is erode away all incentives for me to purchase your games within a year of its release. Sure, on paper it sounds attractive to allow for the potential of a steady stream of add-on scenarios and miscellaneous content to help give your game good post-launch legs in the longer term, but their current guinea pig in the form of FFXV has offered me no reason to treat this approach with any enthusiasm. There's nothing stopping them from releasing a barebones game at launch with the express desire to flesh it out with paid DLC later on.

That said, this sort of approach is definitely something they would pull with Dissidia, and perhaps very effectively so.
 
E

E_Darkness

Member
Maybe this is why it might be 3 more years until KH3 and FFVIIR. Maybe they're retooling them to be Games as a Service.
[thinking emoji]
 
S

spekkeh

Banned
Well who can be against getting a service?

Games as debasing Skinner boxes filled to the rim with unfair gambling practices however..
 
T

Trago

Member
UtterlyPerplexed said:
If you try and apply this model to single player games all you do is erode away all incentives for me to purchase your games within a year of its release. Sure, on paper it sounds attractive to allow for the potential of a steady stream of add-on scenarios and miscellaneous content to help give your game good post-launch legs in the longer term, but their current guinea pig in the form of FFXV has offered me to reason to treat this approach with any enthusiasm. There's nothing stopping them from releasing a barebones game at launch with the express desire to flesh it out with paid DLC later on.

That said, this sort of approach is definitely something they would pull with Dissidia, and perhaps very effectively so.
Click to expand...

There are ways to make the model work without it seeming like shit. Witcher 3 is probably the shining gold example of this. Quality expansions/add-on content. And judging by their earnings reports, it's working out really well for them.

Square on the other hand, have royally fucked up with FFXV. This sort of thing should not be complicated, especially for a single player game.
 
Shadow Broker

Shadow Broker

Banned
Can someone educate me on exactly what "games as a service" is exactly?

I've seen this phrase posted here often buy never paid mind to it.

We will still get the Single player Final Fantasy's and other JRPG'S from Square? How would it effect those games? If we'll still get those single player games and doesn't change those games much sure knock yourself out Square. Do your thing.
 
D

Death Penalty

Member
Trago said:
There are ways to make the model work without it seeming like shit. Witcher 3 is probably the shining gold example of this. Quality expansions/add-on content. And judging by their earnings reports, it's working out really well for them.

Square on the other hand, have royally fucked up with FFXV. This sort of thing should not be complicated, especially for a single player game.
Click to expand...

XV was just awful in this way, so I don't think we have a lot of good reason to believe SE is looking to pump out some Witchers with this. I wish they would, though. I think Final Fantasy could benefit a lot from a design philosophy like that, where you create a large, feature-rich game and then provide meaty expansions as your core DLC.
 
D

Dark Cloud

Member
Gridlock said:
Can someone educate me on exactly what "games as a service" is exactly?

I've seen this phrase posted here often buy never paid mind to it.

We will still get the Single player Final Fantasy's and other JRPG'S from Square? How would it effect those games? If we'll still get those single player games and doesn't change those games much sure knock yourself out Square. Do your thing.
Click to expand...

You'll still get single player games. It's just they'll keep adding to the game as time goes on.
 
T

tearsintherain

Member
But then why did you dump Hitman, SE :(

Games as a service means the game has an always online component, supports cosmetic microtransactions and other ways to get more money long after launch, and keeps adding content (even if only costumes and stuff) long after launch, and has some sort of multiplayer factor that gets people to keep playing even if they have finished the story.

Destiny, Call of Duty, Titanfall, Rainbow Six, etc.
 
T

Trago

Member
Gridlock said:
Can someone educate me on exactly what "games as a service" is exactly?

I've seen this phrase posted here often buy never paid mind to it.

We will still get the Single player Final Fantasy's and other JRPG'S from Square? How would it effect those games? If we'll still get those single player games and doesn't change those games much sure knock yourself out Square. Do your thing.
Click to expand...

Basically monetizing a game over time. There are different ways to go about it, which is probably why it carries a negative connotation with some people. They might not like one of many methods that publishers employ to monetize a game that has already released, micro-transaction for example.
 
B

Blackleg-sanji1

Banned
Gridlock said:
Can someone educate me on exactly what "games as a service" is exactly?

I've seen this phrase posted here often buy never paid mind to it.

We will still get the Single player Final Fantasy's and other JRPG'S from Square? How would it effect those games? If we'll still get those single player games and doesn't change those games much sure knock yourself out Square. Do your thing.
Click to expand...
Games as a service I'll use rainbow six siege as an example. By now usually in the old days we'd have a sequel announced or out by now however, games as a service plan to maximize profits and longevity of a game thru various dlcs,expansions, and other means.
Big examples would be:
Overwatch
The division
Destiny
Rainbow six siege
Etc

Single player gamers yes can potentially be the same by offering expansions,character stories, as seen with ffxv adding multiplayer later
 
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