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New CEO Identifies Problem with Square Enix's Games; Aims to Shorten Launch Cycle for Major Titles

Topher

Gold Member
Square Enix published the transcript of the latest financial conference call for investors and analysts, citing new CEO Takashi Kiryu as he provided interesting insight about his plans.

According to the document, Kiryu-san was asked what he believes the issues are with the company's HD Game sub-segment, which includes titles for consoles and PC. According to the executives, the problem is mostly one of insufficient selection and the fact that development resources are spread too thin. The new goal is to focus the company's resources on major projects.

"We see the issue as one of insufficient selection and concentration, as well as of our resources—especially the Group’s development resources—being spread too thin. We believe the key to resolving the issue is to concentrate our resources on major projects. One example of us integrating our resources is the merger of Luminous Productions into Square Enix Co., Ltd."

Kiryu-san was also asked whether the launch cycle for major games will become shorter, which he confirmed.

"We intend to shorten our content launch cycle by establishing a framework that allows us to launch new titles at a steady pace. That includes not only promising releases from major existing franchises, but also multiple other major titles, which we will continue to nurture."

Square Enix just released Final Fantasy XVI, which is currently available exclusively for PS5 and you can read our enthusiastic review in which our Andrew Stretch defined the game as "everything he could have hoped for and more" and "a deep story and fully fleshed out world that you'll want to be protecting."

Another big Final Fantasy game, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, is coming in early 2024, also for PS5, while Final Fantasy XIV fans are waiting for information about the next expansion, which will likely be shared in July at the upcoming North American fanfest. The successful MMORPG has recently received the major 6.4 update "The Dark Throne."

 

Disco Dave

Member
Disgusting. Not one mention of diversity.

On behalf of Eurogamer, I present Square this trophy...

I8ptyXE.gif
 
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Erm isn't it a bigger risk to bet everything on single big titles?

Granted with FF14 and mobile revenue they kinda can deal with it for some time.
 

Nautilus

Banned
Hmmmm. This could be a good or bad thing.

When you read consolidating resources into major games, one could interpret as they backing out of smaller projects like the HD 2D remakes they are making, or smaller new games in general, like Octopath Traveler, Triangle Strategy and the new Valkyria game.

On the other hand, it coukd just mean that they will refocus on games, and avoid big expenses like having western studios, the Luminous engines, or doing cross media projects, which would be a good thing in my book.

Guess it remains to be seen which of the two it will be(or if it will be both)
 

Majukun

Member
that sounds really stupid and can backfire in so many ways.
what you need is better management and better hiring

typical ceo mentality that just looks at numbers and not to the actual process

but what do i know, he is a ceo and i'm just some dumb guy
 

violence

Member
Kiryu-san elaborated that before each project, they are going to buy a hamster.. and if the hamster dies before the project is released, the entire staff will be laid off.




















f5uzJmx.gif
 
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  • LOL
Reactions: Fbh

Fbh

Member
Doesn't sound bad. I think what they need is more consistency in their releases. There was a time when reading "Squaresoft" on a box instantly gave you high expectations regarding story, visuals, gameplay, music, etc.
Now Square doesn't mean anything anymore, the game might be good or it might be trash.

Also Kiryu-san?
tumblr_ozepu8lBQ11skp6koo1_r1_400.gif



Erm isn't it a bigger risk to bet everything on single big titles?

Granted with FF14 and mobile revenue they kinda can deal with it for some time.

True but I also think spreading out their money and devs on tons of smaller "just ok" projects isn't working out that well for them.
Last year in the span of like 2 months they released Valkyrie Elysium, Diofield Chronicle and Star Ocean: The Divine Force. Not only are they overwhelming their audience that might not have the time or money to play $180 worth of new Square games in 2 months. But all 3 of them got a middling reception from both critics and users (69 average on Metacritic, even lower user score and "mixed" reviews on Steam).

Maybe if they had focused on making only 1 of those games instead, but making it really good, they'd have had a successful product with better sales than all 3 of these combined.
 
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K2D

Banned
Sounds like a monkey's paw to me. Hope I'm wrong.

If they'd manage to concoct three experimental titles compared to today's one every four or more years, It'd be a promising start.

Dial down their ambition for graphics and double down on writing, music, art and game design.
 
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mortal

Gold Member
Music to my ears. Being a FF fan during the Imperial Hot days was painful.
 
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RoboFu

One of the green rats
I would like to see an actual 2d Final fantasy again. No not bravely default .. a real FF WITHOUT A BREAK SYSYEM!!.

The prototype 2d screens for a 2d FF7 looked really good. Let’s have a split FF series. 3D can fool around as much as they want but make a main line 2d for switch / switch 2.
 

Dis

Member
If they capcom their ip’s 👐👐👐

Chrono Trigger remake
Xenogears remake
Front Mission 3 remake
Final Fantasy Tactics remake
Final Fantasy VI remake
Final Fantasy IX remake
Final Fantasy VIII remake
Parasite Eve remake
Vagrant Story remake
Final Fantasy X remake

And finally change the name Square-Enix to Squaresoft.

They will fk up some commas
 

Killer8

Member
This new CEO sounds based. Finally homed in on the issue being that they release so much AA-tier dogshit. I would happily trade Forspoken, Harvestella, Valkyrie Elysium, Diofield Chronicles, Various Daylife, Chocobo GP, Babylon's Fall, and whatever other wretched shite they released in the last year, for one major Final Fantasy project.
 
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The new CEO is saying the same shit every new Square Enix CEO has said the past 20 years. They've been unhappy about how Final Fantasy games take 7-10 years to make and are released as unfocused messes since like FFXII. And it still keeps happening.

FFXVI was a step in the right direction but that's more because of how disciplined CBU3 are compared to the rest of the company. They need to prove with FFXVII (which won't be made by CBU3) that they really are serious about controlling scope and budget of projects to actually ship consistently and ship games that work at launch.
 
FFXVI was a step in the right direction
PBPc2vu.gif

but that's more because of how disciplined CBU3 are compared to the rest of the company. They need to prove with FFXVII (which won't be made by CBU3) that they really are serious about controlling scope and budget of projects to actually ship consistently and ship games that work at launch.
i mean. i see what you are saying. but if FFXVI is the way it is due to all kindz of constraints and limitations of Inadequate technology....that fucking sucks and FFXVI sucks because of it.

SE really fucked up with the luminous Engine.
 
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