Support NeoGAF

[Kagari]

Via PR:

As Square Enix re-aligns its business in the West against a rapidly changing market, we have made some strategic changes to some studio teams. Details below:

Darrell Gallagher will take on the position of Head of Studios, heading up all studios in North America and Europe, previously Gallagher was Studio Head at Crystal Dynamics the team behind this year’s Tomb Raider reboot. Whilst he will also retain his role at Crystal for the immediate future, he will work directly with other studios on our ongoing portfolio strategy.

David Anfossi is moving up to become Studio Head at Eidos-Montréal - formerly Executive Producer on Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Anfossi has 18 years’ experience in project management. He will lead the studio as it completes its development of Thief as well as oversee two other unannounced projects currently in development at the studio.

At Square Enix Montréal, Patrick Naud will take on a central leadership role as the studio is built into a centre of excellence for game development on smart devices (primarily tablets). The studio will focus immediately on games around the Hitman brand, and in time will also work on games outside of this franchise, using their AAA development experience to set new standards in this space.

And Hannes Seifert has taken on the role of Studio Head full-time at IO Interactive, where they are in pre-production on a new AAA Hitman project.

“Our focus remains firmly set on making great games and delivering unforgettable experiences,” said Phil Rogers, CEO of Square Enix America & Europe. “Whilst our games will come in different shapes and sizes, we want to deliver them faster and better and we believe these changes will help our studios achieve just that.”

TLDR:
-Crystal Dynamic's Tomb Raider project director is now the head of all Western studios at Square Enix. Crystal Dynamics is believed to be making two console titles (Tomb Raider 2 and a new IP).
-Eidos Montreal has two unannounced titles, believed to be Deus Ex 4 and that medieval Uncharted game (these are both console titles). Deus Ex: Human Revolution's executive producer was promoted to head of Eidos Montreal.-
-Eidos Montreal's former head (Stephane D'Astous) has been promoted to some unknown role and is working with the above Crystal Dynamics guy.
-Square Enix Montreal has been moved to AAA tablet development starting with Hitman and eventually moving to other franchises.
-IO Interactive had their new IP canceled and will just be making AAA console Hitman games going forward.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Those all sound like promotions. Who got canned?

 

[JehutyRunner]

Bit interesting on the Square Enix Montreal side. Everyone assumed it was making a proper next-gen Hitman game when it was announced in 2011. Now, it seems like it's actually a mobile studio of some sort (though it's still working on a Hitman game).

 

[Kifimbo]

Those all sound like promotions. Who got canned?

Stéphane D'Astous was director of Eidos Montreal. Don't know if Anfossi is replacing him.

 

[CypherSignal]

Bit interesting on the Square Enix Montreal side. Everyone assumed it was making a proper next-gen Hitman game when it was announced in 2011. Now, it seems like it's actually a mobile studio of some sort (though it's still working on a Hitman game).

Can't wait for the thrilling third-person action Hitman game for iOS, eh?

Actually, if they do it right, they could make a great point-and-click-adventure. I still think that Hitman Blood Money, when played without guns, practically was a 3D SCUMM game already.

 

[Kagari]

So basically:

Eidos Montreal has 2 unannounced AAA titles in the works.
Square Enix Montreal is now focused on tablet games with Hitman being one of them.
IO is making another Hitman title.

 

[Stone Ocean]

2 unnannounced Eidos Montreal games? If one of those isn't a proper new Deus Ex I'm gonna riot.

IO is making another Hitman title.

Didn't they show some artwork for the next Hitman game a while back?

 

[Corleth the Fey]

Making big bets on tired old franchises like Hitman and Tomb Raider will be the death of Square Enix, no matter how you shuffle the staff around.

 

[Kagari]

Making big bets on tired old franchises like Hitman and Tomb Raider will be the death of Square Enix, no matter how you shuffle the staff around.

Is Hitman even that popular anymore? I don't know...

 

[2San]

So has SE made any big bets on new IP's for next gen?

 

[Stone Ocean]

Is Hitman even that popular anymore? I don't know...

Didn't Absolution sell like 4 million copies?

Sure, "failed to meet expectations" and yadda yadda but still.

 

[Kagari]

So has SE made any big bets on new IP's for next gen?

Hah.

No.

 

[AHA-Lambda]

Wow, they really want to keep shitting on Hitman don't they?

 

[Kagari]

Didn't Absolution sell like 4 million copies?

Sure, "failed to meet expectations" and yadda yadda but still.

3.6m shipped.

 

[kurahador]

Making big bets on tired old franchises like Hitman and Tomb Raider will be the death of Square Enix, no matter how you shuffle the staff around.

Tomb Raider is still good, they can just shuffle between AAA and isometric gameplay to keep the franchise interesting.

Hitman on the other hand.....

 

[PlanetSmasher]

All things considered, there hasn't been a single Eidos game since Just Cause 2 that I've actually wanted to play. I'm fine with Square reorganizing their Western output if it means more focus on the games that actually matter.

Refocusing those branches toward tablet games definitely won't end well though. Even as an iPad owner, I just can't see myself ever paying full price for anything they put out on iOS. Too unwieldy to play.

 

[ULTROS!]

So this means that the Western studios are now iOS focused now? Hope this means that the Japanese division is gearing towards consoles now.

 

[Kagari]

So this means that the Western studios are now iOS focused now? Hope this means that the Japanese division is gearing towards consoles now.

I'd be surprised if we got anything more than FFXIV/XV/KH3 for quite some time.

 

[Stone Ocean]

3.6m shipped.

Worst case scenario they still got some decent numbers in, no?

 

[Kagari]

Worst case scenario they still got some decent numbers in, no?

Massively overshipped - I imagine a good lot of that is still on shelves or bought back.

 

[kmax]

Hitman Absolution was absolutely terrible. Tomb Raider was a great game, however. Much better than I expected

With that said, I really believe that SE are better off venturing with new IP's, rather than trying to breath life into old and stale franchises. They're obviously not going to hit their projected sales targets anytime soon with either of those, so it's better to roll the dice with something completely new.

Who knows, they might come up with the latest TLoU?

 

[Stone Ocean]

Massively overshipped - I imagine a good lot of that is still on shelves or bought back.

Ouch. Well, that explains why the game is on sale for $5 every other week lol

 

[2San]

Hah.

No.

Hmm, while I think it's fair strategy to play it safe, but you got to do something for next gen. :| Though their safe strategy is odd as well considering how much they spend on certain franchises.

 

[EatChildren]

- Deus Ex: Human Revolution 2
- That weird sword night cosmos thing I dunno

 

[JehutyRunner]

Stéphane D'Astous is doing something else within Square Enix now.

A spokesperson for the company told Develop that former Eidos Montreal studio head Stephane D'Astous has now “taken on a new project in the company working directly with Darrell Gallagher across our studios focusing on cross studio operations".

Link

Also, I'm going to be controversial: I liked Hitman Absolution.

 

[Corleth the Fey]

3.6m shipped.

I just checked a popular British online videogame stores website. £12.85 for new copy of Hitman Absolution. 3.6 shipped, half them still sitting a warehouse.

Square needs an injection of originality, they need new things for the start of a new gen. By all means keep pumping out ever increasing Final Fantasy numbers. We expect that and they do change between installments - 15 looking especially good. But weak sauce variants of previous successes aren't working for them. Cheaper download versions that retained what the fans loved about these games would most likely produce a much better return on investment.

 

[Zukuu]

I'd be surprised if we got anything more than FFXIV/XV/KH3 for quite some time.

I can live with that.

 

[Steverulez]

Also, I'm going to be controversial: I liked Hitman Absolution.

The mechanics were fine but the execution of the smaller levels etc were just annoying as hell. I have no reason to believe if they went back to Blood Money style levels that the next one wouldn't be just as good.

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

I think thief is going to underperform for them too. Wonder what will happen after that

 

[EMT0]

And Square will continue to not port to their mobile games to handhelds. Oh boy.

 

[Hindle]

Soo, the Square Montreal Hitman game isn't on the consoles?

Edit. So wait, the next Hitman game is on the tablets? I seriously doubt that.

 

[Jotamide]

Eidos Montreal used to be one of my favorite studios. After the Deus Ex bullshit they can go to hell along with all Square Enix and their overpriced iOS shovelware.

 

[2San]

I think thief is going to underperform for them too. Wonder what will happen after that

Yeah, I'm not feeling the hype for that game on forums and I highly doubt it's a game that's too interesting outside of enthusiasts.

 

[Black Republican]

So.........Freedom Fighters is coming back?

 

[Nirolak]

So this means that the Western studios are now iOS focused now? Hope this means that the Japanese division is gearing towards consoles now.

No only Square Enix Montreal.

Eidos Montreal's two unannounced games are Deus Ex 4 and their New IP, and Crystal Dynamics guy getting promoted implies both of their two AAA titles are still going.

 

[SmokyDave]

I hope Logitech send the Montreal guys a controller to work with. Good things could come from that.

 

[Hindle]

It's pretty disappointing if Hitman has been reduced to being on a tablet. I swear they were making a full fledged 360/PS3 title.

Edit. RIP Hitman. It's become a dam tablet franchise, and IO are in charge of the console series. Yep it's done.

 

[Pooya]

They should have canned IOI and put them on tablets instead. Chances of new talent in SEM to make a good hitman game was definitely higher...

 

[Nirolak]

I added a summary to the OP since some people seem very confused.

 

[Famassu]

I'd be surprised if we got anything more than FFXIV/XV/KH3 for quite some time.

They definitely have more in the works, but they are putting emphasis on KHIII & FFXV's promotion because... well, those games need to be out ASAP and they need to be out there while whatever other games they have in the line have never been unveiled and probably aren't straight continuation to stories that had their previous mainline release on consoles 7 years ago, so they can wait until those are close to release. I'm certain they are cooking more for late 2014-early 2016 than just KHIII & FFXV. They have to be, a company of SQEX's size cannot survive with that few releases in the next 3-ish years.

 

[kayos90]

No only Square Enix Montreal.

Eidos Montreal's two unannounced games are Deus Ex 4 and their New IP, and Crystal Dynamics guy getting promoted implies both of their two AAA titles are still going.

Most definitely. Hopefully it won't take as long for it to come out. =/

 

[Nirolak]

Most definitely. Hopefully it won't take as long for it to come out. =/

Well if they promoted the guy in charge of the project to run the studio, presumably it's going pretty well.

 

[kayos90]

Well if they promoted the guy in charge of the project to run the studio, presumably it's going pretty well.

Yeah. All these promotions look solid to me since they indicate that the projects are running smoothly enough. I am expecting great things from Eidos Montreal.

 

[Stuart444]

Not played the new Tomb Raider but I enjoyed Hitman Absolution so I'd probably try a new Hitman game. (picked up Hitman on PS+.)

I'd love a Sleeping Dogs 2 from them sometime. Sleeping Dogs was great!

 

[Kagari]

They definitely have more in the works, but they are putting emphasis on KHIII & FFXV's promotion because... well, those games need to be out ASAP and they need to be out there while whatever other games they have in the line have never been unveiled and probably aren't straight continuation to stories that had their previous mainline release on consoles 7 years ago, so they can wait until those are close to release. I'm certain they are cooking more for late 2014-early 2016 than just KHIII & FFXV. They have to be, a company of SQEX's size cannot survive with that few releases in the next 3-ish years.

I think people said similar things in 2011... oh how we were naive...

 

[2San]

I think people said similar things in 2011... oh how we were naive...

We also thought FFVersusXIII would come out.

 

[chickdigger802]

hmmm... so sleeping dogs 2. Would like one of those

But SE mostly just published that right?

 

[Kagari]

We also thought FFVersusXIII would come out.

Even Square Enix did! Near the end of 2011 was supposed to be "Versus XIII's turn".

 

[Hindle]

I'm thinking they release Thief in March 2014 and Deus Ex in October. Two games a year from thier western studios basically.

 

[Kifimbo]

They should have canned IOI and put them on tablets instead. Chances of new talent in SEM to make a good hitman game was definitely higher...

Yeah, but 2 "AAA" studios in the same city is kinda weird.