zomgbbqftw
Banned
Foreigner as CEO of a Japanese company. We've been down this failed road too many times. Too much of a cultural upheaval.
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Breaking News: Yoichi Wada resigns as Square Enix CEO, likely being replaced by CFO
- Thread starter duckroll
- Start date
Foreigner as CEO of a Japanese company. We've been down this failed road too many times. Too much of a cultural upheaval.
Sure, though there's little he could have done about a lot of the problems they are (or were) facing. Bad luck and timing issues, not to mention empty promises by 3rd party partners.
oh shiiiit. That is some breaking news. Seems recently, that I felt they were making some of right moves too. With KH 1.5 HD, FFX & x-2 HD, FF XIV: A Realm Reborn, and the rumors on Versus being set as FF15/PS4 exclusive.
Hope this doesn't lead to more mobile games. SE needs to do Type-0 HD or Vita port, and do more HD remasters, specifically looking at FF12 for easy profit.
But man, I recall I was mad at Wada because of the shitty support & focus they had for PS3. Can't believe it took 3-4 years for them to release a PS3 game. They better step it up with PS4.
Hope this doesn't lead to more mobile games. SE needs to do Type-0 HD or Vita port, and do more HD remasters, specifically looking at FF12 for easy profit.
But man, I recall I was mad at Wada because of the shitty support & focus they had for PS3. Can't believe it took 3-4 years for them to release a PS3 game. They better step it up with PS4.
Exentryk
Member
If you don't hear about it till year end, consider it cancelled.
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
You're not entirely wrong about the cultural observation, but it's 2013. Sony had a European CEO recently. He sucked, but that's beside the point. Japanese companies have chosen western presidents before.Dude these are very proud Japanese folks. They seem to be disappointed in PS4 being developed outside Japan. For some thing like this to happen they are going to have change in philosophy.
Not that there is any thing wrong with being proud of your culture
WOW! What DS weapon is that and how do I get it. Cool armor as well.
Did not know that. Always assumed Enix pretty much bailed them out which resulted in Enix being the dominant shareholder.
LiquidSolid
Member
I really wish people would know what they're talking about when saying stuff like this.
1) The company is not in any real trouble. Things aren't great but they're not even close to going out of business like they have been at various points before.
2) The last time the company was in real trouble, it was a man named Yoichi Wada that saved them. Sakaguchi was actually the one that ran them head first into that trouble.
Note that this isn't a defence of Wada, simply two facts. Personally I think Wada overstayed his welcome and should've resigned shortly after the merger.
Pie and Beans
Look for me on the local news, I'll be the guy arrested for trying to burn down a Nintendo exec's house.
fucking FINALLY.
It was clear this guy needed to go like 4 fucking years ago if not more. The Eidos purchase bought him time and Square seems to live on purely through publishing their western efforts.
Insanity like constantly shelving FF Versus in favour of whatever terrible shit Motomu was barfing out, not even releasing their best output in the fucking west despite pledges to release big titles globally (Type-0, Bravely Default), thinking theres a way to save FF14 and pumping even more money into it, dragging their heels on digital re-releases (Birth by Sleep alright you got the Disney wackies, but fucking Crisis Core? If its one song...MAKE A NEW ONE) and remakes.
Company needs a firestorm of ruthless restructuring and firings and hopefully Matsuda has what it takes.
It was clear this guy needed to go like 4 fucking years ago if not more. The Eidos purchase bought him time and Square seems to live on purely through publishing their western efforts.
Insanity like constantly shelving FF Versus in favour of whatever terrible shit Motomu was barfing out, not even releasing their best output in the fucking west despite pledges to release big titles globally (Type-0, Bravely Default), thinking theres a way to save FF14 and pumping even more money into it, dragging their heels on digital re-releases (Birth by Sleep alright you got the Disney wackies, but fucking Crisis Core? If its one song...MAKE A NEW ONE) and remakes.
Company needs a firestorm of ruthless restructuring and firings and hopefully Matsuda has what it takes.
Mihael Mello Keehl
Banned
"Iwata what have you done for me lately? Ooooo oooo oooo yeah"
shinra-bansho
Member
Yeah, the economy is why the 360 and PS3 outsold the Wii U by 4-5x in February. It has nothing to do with the product itself.Nuts to the past, the fact he can't sell a console in a time when the entire world is squeezing pennies is just unforgivable
Iwata has presided over two f-ed up launches and historic losses for the company.
I'm not sure about this. Well it is common knowledge, but I hardly believe that company as Square would go bankrupt after spending $150 mln, and some of this sum they still got back. The movie bombed, but not like nobody watched or bought it, so there is that.
I think it has more to do with Gooch obsessing with whole movie thing, than actual bankruptcy. OTOH, I still think he can make CGI movies, SW wasn't that bad, I've seen a lot much worse (successful financially) movies.
Their main problems are bad hardwrare/concept in combination with bad online/OS and no games. All of this lies years in the past and is on Nintendo alone.
Just funny how frequently this gets repeated, based on no evidence at all. Is it because they're western, everyone just assumes they're raking in the money, even when others point out they're not?
Actually, it is.
The 360 and PS3 are typically sold in massive bundles and for a significant discount. As such, in the time of economic crisis, it's seen as better value for money
And has bounced back considering last quarter they were back in profit. So many launches get screwed up, many people seem to forget this in hindsight. Hell, I fail to think of a single launch that wasn't considered one.
Didn't Nintendo make money last quarter?
If they do continuously lose money though, Iwata's days are numbered, yes.
CosmicGroinPull
Member
Maybe they're waiting to see how Lightning Returns fares. It's going to suck anyway.
I'm so conflicted now. I shouldn't buy the game if I want Toriyama gone, but I still want to complete my Lightning collection....
Iwata is next on the chopping block.
Awesome GIF. ROFL
I can't help but wonder if he would've been a good choice though. Unlike Square with Enix, Eidos actually DID need to be bailed out as they were actively looking for a buyer, and I can't help but wonder if that'd really screw over the games I'd like that still come from Japan: just what would someone like that want done with DQ to make it more of an international success?
Plus wasn't it pointed out that part of what was underwhelming were the consoles game sales in the west? 90% of which have been Eidos games as of late? Unless they're including handhelds (VERY plausible) and FFXIII-2 as underperforming anyway, which wouldn't surprise me but only FFXIII-2 would've had big bets put on it, and that was still largely recycled content.
zomgbbqftw
Banned
wada go fast
Damo Yoshi
Member
Oh Pokemon Snap, this is pretty big.
As soon as I opened this page, "Tidal Terror" from DKCR started playing.
STAR OCEAN: YOU MUST BELIEVE
As soon as I opened this page, "Tidal Terror" from DKCR started playing.
STAR OCEAN: YOU MUST BELIEVE
sacrificengineer
Member
Only way is up.
Choppasmith
Member
This was LONG overdue. I know it's not a guarantee things will get better, but I'm hopeful things can get better.
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
Even if they're not raking in cash, diversifying and expanding your game output will greatly hide the failures of the home branch.
Yep. Hitman should have done well and deserved to, but it most certainly didn't make any money.
Yeah, they did return to profit. However much of it was due to the shift in the yen, however that was also instrumental in their losses. Their operating income is still at a loss, but a considerable reduction on previous losses so it's turning around. Contrary to what people believe, these things do not resolve overnight
FantasticMrFoxdie
Mumber
ItsHappening.gif
I hope this is for the good of Squenix.
I hope this is for the good of Squenix.
IrishNinja
Member
damn, forgot how damming LevelNth's assessment in the 1st & 3rd posts were
Mihael Mello Keehl
Banned
Thats why Iwata already has a set goal for this year and if it doesnt meet he will resign. They are making changes to meet this goal hopefully.
Not true, Vita has perfect hardware and its selling like tail.
lmao at the people thinking it's Hitman or Tomb Raider's fault, Hitman sold 500,000 plus in UK alone, not only that, but they are actually real games that are selling. On the Japan side you have Versus (6 and more years of nothing) and FFXIV, the biggest flop of the company which is still taking most of the resources.
True indeed. The world of technology seems to move to fast for Nintendo. They really should stop making Hardware if they insist on being a gen behind.
About square enix. They developed whag one good console game this gen, Nier. Actually didn't Cavia make that? Square Enix has been pretty worthless besides Eidos games.
Nintendo would be in a far worse position than they are now if the Wii U was as powerful as the PS4. It'd be sold at a considerable loss, it being successful would be the worst idea and would make them just lose money constantly with software unlikely to make up for it. Sony have yet to recoup the losses made from the first 4 years of the PS3
sechsterangriff
Member
I heard somewhere this guy changed the company's headquarters based on a psychic premonition.
If stuff like this is remotely true, then I can't even imagine how the decision making process in that company goes...
If stuff like this is remotely true, then I can't even imagine how the decision making process in that company goes...
Auto_aim1
MeisaMcCaffrey
He is a much respected figure. When the market dynamics change, the CEO has to adapt and steer the ship accordingly. Iwata was a bit late to respond and that's why he is feeling the heat. Past achievements only buy you time based on goodwill, but ultimately it's just a business with a primary goal of making profit. If that isn't achievable then the leadership has to change and will change.
I agree, and that's one of the reasons why so many people are frustrated at them for not giving a higher priority to Versus. They have been exploring different markets, different business models, and their objective was to churn out an FF game every two years. I think they should just follow Take Two's business model of releasing super high quality titles when it comes to the FF brand. These spin offs aren't going to help them.
AHA-Lambda
Member
Iwata next?
How will this affect the Eidos output? It sounds like some of the blame is on that. Please don't screw up the Eidos side, it's easily the best thing they've got going :-s
How will this affect the Eidos output? It sounds like some of the blame is on that. Please don't screw up the Eidos side, it's easily the best thing they've got going :-s
Part of the problem is that investors sound as if they expect that themselves, thus the heat Iwata's under. I kind of expect with a longer view he'd still do OK, 3DS recovered from a poor launch and the Wii U probably needs killer apps mainly, even if neither are the insane successes their predecessors were (though hopefully 3DS still follows the trend of outselling most consoles, and Wii U is very far from being the GC.)
Whiteshirt
Member
Hitman's success was probably mostly after it got send to the bomba bin, as far as I can tell. It definitely wasn't a success.
zomgbbqftw
Banned
Vita does not have perfect hardware. The reason it is selling so poorly is because of the hardware. Big, bulky, doesn't have the ability to make phonecalls. It's about 4 years too late to the market. If Sony had released Vita in 2007 they would have had a fighting chance because the explosion in Apps and iPhone/Android hadn't happened yet, even 2008 would have been good. Vita as a device is outmoded and been made irrelevant by Android/iPhone.
Femmeworth
Banned
Hah, good one.
Will sell worse than FF XIII and probably XIII-2, i can guarantee them that much.
shinra-bansho
Member
It is everything to do with the product itself, as other products are selling fine even given their age. It's not the economy, it's not the marketing, it's the product.
The difference in average selling price for the PS3 and Wii U is $60. They are better value for money. They have games to play.
Currency gains - that's Shinzo Abe's doing not Iwata's. So, every system launch in history was a botched launch now?
Similar threads
- Locked