NeoGAF

Nirolak · 09:19 PM

Edge reported this up yesterday. I assume it's from the fiscal call given the anemic slide presentation.

Originally Posted by Edge:

In financial news, MSN Japan has reported that Square Enix is in the red after failing to meet sales expectations for the period of April to December 2012, the first time the company has reported a loss since the merging of former rivals Square and Enix in 2003. Square Enix’s business in the mobile market seems to have performed well, in particular their Sengoku IXA game and their Final Fantasy social games, but they haven’t had a real smash hit in their core home console market in some time.

“The slump is reportedly down to the company’s new online RPG venture, Dragon Quest X,” reports MSN. “While the disappointing financial turn for the company can be partially attributed to the burden of running the new online service, it is also down to game sales not meeting expectations. The Wii (and soon to be Wii U) game is however, making ‘steady progress’ according to Square Enix.

Source: http://www.edge-online.com/features/...-the-industry/

Originally Posted by Aeana:

[16:16] Aeana http://sankei.jp.msn.com/economy/new...7070018-n1.htm
[16:18] Aeana They claim it's advancing steadily, but it wasn't the big hit that they expected.

Akkad · (02-10-2013, 08:53 PM)

Make more mobile games.

Dragonzord · (02-10-2013, 08:53 PM)

Making it an MMO in 2013 really just goes to show how out of touch Square is on that stuff. Especially with their business model.

MYE · (02-10-2013, 08:53 PM)

Shouldnt have been an MMO

schuelma · (02-10-2013, 08:53 PM)

Is that quote from SE or from a financial analyst?

Grakl · 10:05 PM

Has there ever really been a successful console MMO?

edit: Alright, I see. Forgot about FFXI.

Yuripaw · (02-10-2013, 08:53 PM)

Um...release it in North America, then I will buy the hell out of it. An MMO is not gonna reach huge numbers in one region...

Nirolak · (02-10-2013, 08:54 PM)

Originally Posted by schuelma:

Is that quote from SE or from a financial analyst?

This is the entire context.

TreIII · (02-10-2013, 08:54 PM)

Originally Posted by MYE:

Shouldnt have been an MMO

Gonna have to agree with this.

Tagg9 · (02-10-2013, 08:54 PM)

Should have put it on 3DS.

Atolm · (02-10-2013, 08:54 PM)

Originally Posted by Grakl:

Has there ever really been a successful console MMO?

FFXI

ShockingAlberto · (02-10-2013, 08:54 PM)

Quote:

Square Enix’s business in the mobile market seems to have performed well, in particular their Sengoku IXA game and their Final Fantasy social games, but they haven’t had a real smash hit in their core home console market in some time.

Sweet, more All The Bravest.

AniHawk · (02-10-2013, 08:54 PM)

Originally Posted by Grakl:

Has there ever really been a successful console MMO?

final fantasy xi

lunchwithyuzo · (02-10-2013, 08:54 PM)

Isn't this the opposite of what SE reported last quarter? Y'know, when they pointed out DQX already made back it's dev costs and was demolishing FFXI for uptake in sales/subscriptions?

If true I guess subscriptions aren't holding/growing at the rate they'd like... time to go f2p?

neptunes · (02-10-2013, 08:54 PM)

What were their expectations? Surely not too much considering the time it was released and the type of game it is.

Marz · (02-10-2013, 08:54 PM)

Originally Posted by Grakl:

Has there ever really been a successful console MMO?

DC universe online

Yuripaw · (02-10-2013, 08:54 PM)

Originally Posted by Grakl:

Has there ever really been a successful console MMO?

Final Fantasy XI was a successful MMO, regardless of what non-fans may think. It was very profitable for SE for years...why else do you think they made FFXIV?

Bladenic · (02-10-2013, 08:55 PM)

Originally Posted by MYE:

Shouldnt have been an MMO

Exactly. DQ11 better go back to pre 9 style. And on a console but that's just because I want a glorious HD DQ game.

Chie Satonaka · (02-10-2013, 08:55 PM)

Originally Posted by Grakl:

Has there ever really been a successful console MMO?

Final Fantasy XI.

Still on the market. Still making money.

Edit: Blast. Beaten.

schuelma · (02-10-2013, 08:55 PM)

Originally Posted by Nirolak:

This is the entire context.

Interesting..I would find it hard to believe SE expected too much more than what they've achieved, but who knows.

Nirolak · (02-10-2013, 08:55 PM)

Originally Posted by lunchwithyuzo:

Isn't this the opposite if what SE reported last quarter? I guess subscriptions aren't holding/growing at the rate they'd like... time to go f2p?

Yeah this isn't wholly unheard of.

SWTOR's first report or two were quite positive, then went decidedly negative.

StuBurns · (02-10-2013, 08:55 PM)

I wonder when it comes out worldwide (assuming it does), if they adopt an alternative to subscription.

Nirolak · (02-10-2013, 08:55 PM)

Originally Posted by schuelma:

Interesting..I would find it hard to believe SE expected too much more than what they've achieved, but who knows.

My guess would be it declined as opposed to the start being poor, since the start was quite healthy.

UberTag · (02-10-2013, 08:55 PM)

Clearly we need more games of the caliber of All the Bravest.
Also, we need more games with Lightning, more Toriyama-written stories and more browser games.
Plus one or two more titles for GREE.

vazel · 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by Grakl:

Has there ever really been a successful console MMO?

FFXI is the most successful FF game.

OldJadedGamer · (02-10-2013, 08:56 PM)

A game that requires online put on a home system with the weakest online structure.

Acosta · (02-10-2013, 08:56 PM)

Originally Posted by Grakl:

Has there ever really been a successful console MMO?

Final Fantasy XI, AKA the most successful Final Fantasy ever.

MMOs are still tremendously successful, including F2Ps. Sega is super pleased with Phantasy Star Online 2 for example. But you can't launch a MMO for Wii of all platforms and expect it to be a raging success, it was a poor idea. Without PC you are missing a lot of potential customers (and the ones that are more eager to put money on it).

Dragonzord · (02-10-2013, 08:56 PM)

Originally Posted by UberTag:

Clearly we need more games of the caliber of All the Bravest.
Also, we need more games with Lightning, more Toriyama-written stories and more browser games.
Plus one or two more titles for GREE.

You mean the first ever female Final Fantasy protagonist, Lightning?

schuelma · (02-10-2013, 08:56 PM)

Originally Posted by Nirolak:

My guess would be it declined as opposed to the start being poor, since the start was quite healthy.

Very possible.

This is where I doubt SE is too happy at how Nintendo basically give up on the Wii 2 years ago. Not exactly a healthy and active userbase it launched onto..

neptunes · (02-10-2013, 08:56 PM)

Anyone else think they might have released the game a little to late? I can't imagine how FFXI would have performed if it released any later than it did.

Qurupeke · (02-10-2013, 08:57 PM)

So, it's not coming to the West? :(

picklecannon · (02-10-2013, 08:57 PM)

Originally Posted by MYE:

Shouldnt have been an MMO

Yeah. Way to late to jump on the MMO wagon and now that genre is just churning out death.

Pie and Beans · (02-10-2013, 08:57 PM)

Almost tanking both Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy in just one generation and still keeping your job: Wada-guy.

ElTopo · (02-10-2013, 08:57 PM)

Originally Posted by schuelma:

Very possible.

This is where I doubt SE is too happy at how Nintendo basically give up on the Wii 2 years ago. Not exactly a healthy and active userbase it launched onto..

As usual SE have no one to blame but themselves.

Originally Posted by Pie and Beans:

Almost tanking both Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy in just one generation and still keeping your job: Wada-guy.

It takes a special kind of incompetence coupled with ambition to do that. How the fuck does he still have his job ?

farnham · (02-10-2013, 08:57 PM)

well they have 400k subscribers from what i have heard. As FF XI had about 600k subscribers and was considered the most succesful FF to date I think we should take a wait and see approach here. I think the WiiU version in japan will also play a big role in the long run if they want to reach FFXI numbers

Meelow · (02-10-2013, 08:58 PM)

Well, they released it only in Japan on a console (Wii) that was getting replaced by the Wii U and it's a MMO, I can't say I'm shocked.

The game should expand when the Wii U version releases, I'll gladly buy the Wii U version if it comes here.

electroplankton · (02-10-2013, 08:58 PM)

Expectations about sales? Subscribers? What? Like one month ago Square Enix said it was satisfied with the game.

Terrell · (02-10-2013, 08:58 PM)

Isn't there also FFIV to consider here? Feels like there's too much blame being shouldered on one game when there is a huge string of problems with other titles to account for.

RPGCrazied · (02-10-2013, 08:58 PM)

I think they should release the Wii version in NA as F2P, with some sort of micro-transactions.

Rocky · (02-10-2013, 08:58 PM)

Originally Posted by AniHawk:

final fantasy xi

I don't think FF XI should count since it was on PC as well and that attributed to most of its success. Heck, it was released in NA on PC before PS2.

mr stroke · (02-10-2013, 08:58 PM)

Time to release it on PC Free to Play.

Solstice · (02-10-2013, 08:58 PM)

I quit Dragon Quest after 8. I can't stand Toriyama's character designs.

funkystudent · (02-10-2013, 08:59 PM)

A console exclusive MMO just doesnt seem like a good long term idea.

A Nintendo console exclusive MMO is just silly.

Relaxed Muscle · (02-10-2013, 08:59 PM)

Originally Posted by ShockingAlberto:

Sweet, more All The Bravest.

People will blame and get pissed off to SE for this, but the real culprits is all the people who bought that piece of shit.

sd28821 · (02-10-2013, 08:59 PM)

time to go free to play ?

JordanLMiller · (02-10-2013, 08:59 PM)

Square Enix is not meeting expectations

chertipros · (02-10-2013, 08:59 PM)

Didn't the game already recoup development costs?

Acosta · (02-10-2013, 08:59 PM)

Originally Posted by Rocky:

I don't think FF XI should count since it was on PC as well and that attributed to most of its success. Heck, it was released in NA on PC before PS2.

Most players in Japan came from the PS2 version.

ShockingAlberto · (02-10-2013, 08:59 PM)

Originally Posted by Relaxed Muscle:

People will blame and get pissed off to SE for this, but the real culprits is all the people who bought that piece of shit.

I am very okay with blaming many people.

Darryl · (02-10-2013, 09:00 PM)

Originally Posted by Rocky:

I don't think FF XI should count since it was on PC as well and that attributed to most of its success. Heck, it was released in NA on PC before PS2.

no.. it had a very large amount of console success.