Square Enix: "This generation has been way too long"; talks Wii U and more

I strongly believe that the Wii U is going to provide new ways of interacting with games and there is definitely a community out there that is interested in that. Now there will definitely be another community that won't be too interested in this, and will be interested more in Hollywood blockbuster type of games with cinematic gameplay experiences.
Click to expand...

That's really what Nintendo needs to change. What's with the perception that Nintendo gamers don't want this type of games?
I like Mario and Zelda but i also like Gears or Uncharted!

Now tell me Square-Enix, how many Hollywood blockbuster games have you done for Nintendo in the last 10 years? How do you know what we want?
 
Aeana said:
I personally think Chaos Rings is pretty bad, but it does have its fans.
Click to expand...

You would know Aeana. :) Sad news about the bugs in DQ X.
 
aeroslash said:
That's really what Nintendo needs to change. What's with the perception that Nintendo gamers don't want this type of games?
Click to expand...

Because those types of games don't hold a candle to Nintendos. The closest example that comes to mind that Nintendo had a hand in was Other M, a game many assume has killed Metroid. I think the big cinematic game experience is just a bubble where the games allow you to do less and less, but they happen to look pretty. I don't really want to play those types of games anymore. Nintendo's philosophy has never, ever embraced that.
 
I say this because you have a lot of developers that work on a new platform, and perhaps will not succeed, so they will wait for the next generation
Click to expand...

.... Honestly what kind of logic is that? Why wouldn't you succeed? How do you know you won't apply that same logic in the next generation and the generation after that?
 
You see, Versus XIII was always intended to be a three-generation-spanning title. This long generation has thrown off all of Square's plans.
 
SE haven't changed their productivity at all. They've released three 'flagship' single player Final Fantasy's every generation. If there is a XIII-3 and Versus makes it out, there will have been four this time.

It feels very slow because of how they were announced, but it's business as usual for SE.
 
I wonder if Sony and Microsoft will move away from complex proprietary hardware for the sake of industry's health, and based on the rumours so far that looks very likely. I think that would be the best for everyone involved - cheaper consoles ---> healthy install base ---> optimal development environment ---> overall healthy industry.

The only downside is that the hardware could be maxed out within a few years, but in all honesty, I think that's fine. This Luminous tech sounds pretty exciting, very good interview.

StuBurns said:
SE haven't changed their productivity at all. They've released three 'flagship' single player Final Fantasy's every generation. If there is a XIII-3 and Versus makes it out, there will have been four this time.

It feels very slow because of how they were announced, but it's business as usual for SE.
Click to expand...
Yes. If they didn't mess up with Crystal Tools, their output would have been higher than previous gen.
 
StuBurns said:
SE haven't changed their productivity at all. They've released three 'flagship' single player Final Fantasy's every generation. If there is a XIII-3 and Versus makes it out, there will have been four this time.

It feels very slow because of how they were announced, but it's business as usual for SE.
Click to expand...

More like 3 mainline numbered FFs. This will be the first generation we only get 2.
 
Yo, there's only one sentence about Wii U and it wasn't even worth highlighting; hit bait title :(

But really good and intelligent interview; SE may not make great FF anymore, but overall they are among the most intelligent publishers
 
djplaeskool said:
They've done a lot, actually, when you consider handheld software.
Click to expand...

Not even considering handhelds they've put out about as many HD console games as a lot of other huge devs this gen anyway, but yeah, overall they've made something like 20-30 games anyway in total (if not more, don't feel like checking the exact number).

I think I agree with them anyway though, specifically about the gen lasting to long, but at this point I think it's a mutual feeling among everyone.
 
-Pyromaniac- said:
But yeah, I agree. I think the longer this generation lasts, the more time developers have to explore other platforms, other platforms they may like more and find more profitable for them.
Click to expand...

well i think a game will sell a lot better to 130 million userbase than on brand new console, right? New console has a limited userbase meaning limited sales.

So I dont quite understand whats the problem here, especially with SE and their low output as it is.

I think they would like someone else fixing their problems.
 
cosmicblizzard said:
More like 3 mainline numbered FFs. This will be the first generation we only get 2.
Click to expand...
That's just a semantic distinction though. Versus could have just as easily been called XV.

In terms of the flagship, significant FFs, NES had 1,2,3, SNES had 4,5,6, PS1 had 7,8,9, PS2 had 10,10-2,12, and PS3 will have 13,13-2, and Versus, and quite possibly 13-3.

What they choose to call them is kind of irrelevant in terms of the production work. Versus is probably the most expensive Final Fantasy ever at this point.
 
It has been a long generation. Why I hope the next MS/Sony consoles deliver the graphical leap I'm hoping for, for having to wait so long for 'em. If all games looked as great as the Luminous tech demo, I'd buy the games just to stare.
 
Dear Square enix why don't you release a certain PS3 exclusive FF game first before talking

Comparing to previous gen it's looks like Square Enix probably have some problem with PS home console/PS3 (be it tech, or maybe business wise)

- X360,Wii, have some Square Enix japan (developed or published) exclusive console title released on it already, but so far nothing on PS3. it only have 3 multiplat (nier & FFXIII-I &-2) and one late port (SO4Int)
- Last remnatnt are probably already canceled for PS3
- FFXIII going multiplat
- FFXIII versus no one know when it will be released
- FFXIV are next year
 
Funny. They haven't released Versus (announced 2006), they haven't released Kingdom Hearts III (expected since 2005), they haven't released Dragon Quest X (announced 2008). So in this generation that has been going on for too long they haven't released any of these flagship titles.
 
NES = 1,2,3
SNES = 4,5,6
PS1 = 7,8,9
PS2 = 10, 10-2, 11, 12
PS3 = 13, 13-2, 14 (it is still coming out for the PS3, right)

I say they are doing fine. Actually, I find it pretty amazing that they got three games out on the PS1 in 4 years.
 
spwolf said:
well i think a game will sell a lot better to 130 million userbase than on brand new console, right? New console has a limited userbase meaning limited sales.

So I dont quite understand whats the problem here, especially with SE and their low output as it is.

I think they would like someone else fixing their problems.
Click to expand...
He's a tech guy, so it's not surprising that he wants to see new consoles. Besides, his reasoning is pretty good.

I think the big publishers like EA, Activision and Take-Two would want this gen to continue on forever because they have IPs that sell a lot, but there are also plenty of smaller studios that aren't established and the current HD install base is pretty much useless to them considering there's no guarantee that heavy investment would get them proper returns. If they fail, it's over.
 
CarbonatedFalcon said:
Funny for them to be talking about a generation taking too long when they haven't been able to deliver that much.
Click to expand...

Does that make his statements any less true? No, it doesn't. He raised valid concerns about where the industry has been heading and the pitfalls of insanely long development cycles and how it can potentially hurt developers who lack the finances to donate more time on a platform just to make it "par" on other platforms that have less time invested. It hurts everyone down to the gamers.

Personally, I'd love nothing more than 5 year cycles for console hardware - brought to market at a favorable price point. It is plenty time to establish coding practices without stagnating a generation's environment. This console generation has been showing signs of this already, IMO. I love my PS3 and 360 but they feel "old" to me. Just my thought.
 
it's obvious that one of the reasons that platforms like steam are getting bigger is because people feel the old platforms are getting stale/ are behind tech wise/ are not up to a standart service wise (online gaming and distribution is still horribly archaic on consoles).

devs that couldn't break through at the start of the generation a way more likely to take a risk on PC or iOS than doing a new ip on consoles and going bust if it fails. The only guys that benefit right now are the activisions and EA's because they have the established franchises AND they can outspend anyone easily
 
"This generation has been way too long, "
Pretty much the only thing I agree on.

2011 was the perfect year for the big 3 to release new consoles in. Instead, now they're milking the current gen like no tomorrow.
 
Meisadragon said:
He's a tech guy, so it's not surprising that he wants to see new consoles. Besides, his reasoning is pretty good.

I think the big publishers like EA, Activision and Take-Two would want this gen to continue on forever because they have IPs that sell a lot, but there are also plenty of smaller studios that aren't established and the current HD install base is pretty much useless to them considering there's no guarantee that heavy investment would get them proper returns. If they fail, it's over.
Click to expand...

I don't think the point is that it was over for the small devs. Just that they move on to "greener" pastures and don't return to the consoles.
 
I disagree with the sentiment that this GEN was to long.
I can understand from a console selling standpoint, why a long gen is bad.
Since you need to start offering newer thnigs as the years go on to push new sales.

But from a DEV standpoint, I'd say that a longer console gen would be good.
Since you're more familiar with the framework, and i'd assume it makes it easier to develop then.
 
I agree with him. If the consoles were $250 at launch six years ago, we would already have new consoles now. Shorter console cycle at a more reasonable price is preferable.
 
It long for a reason. High development costs. Do you think your fellow Japanese developers will enjoy developing a new engine that will cost them thousands of dollars? Hell no. Calm down mister money bags, not everyone like you can blow their budgets on fancy graphics.

Aurizen said:
All I want is my FFX HD that will hold me for a while till verses :(
Click to expand...

That is the saddest thing I have ever read.
 
I agree that the cycle is too long. 5 or 6 years max. We're at a point now where everything's slowed down, publishers are terrified of new IP's, and the tech is boring. Xbox 360 is 7 years old. That's nuts. And people only last year were still talking about "But it feels like the generation just started hew hew hew"......................No, it doesn't. Get these old and dusted consoles out of my house already.
 
StuBurns said:
That's just a semantic distinction though. Versus could have just as easily been called XV.

In terms of the flagship, significant FFs, NES had 1,2,3, SNES had 4,5,6, PS1 had 7,8,9, PS2 had 10,10-2,12, and PS3 will have 13,13-2, and Versus, and quite possibly 13-3.

What they choose to call them is kind of irrelevant in terms of the production work. Versus is probably the most expensive Final Fantasy ever at this point.
Click to expand...

If we're talking flagship significance, I really wouldn't put 13-2 up there. The budget was a fraction of 13's as was the impact.

Versus I'll give you though.
 
cosmicblizzard said:
If we're talking flagship significance, I really wouldn't put 13-2 up there. The budget was a fraction of 13's as was the impact.

Versus I'll give you though.
Click to expand...
I guess that's true. If we're talking purely production cost, X-2 didn't count either, but there's XI/XIV too, so money wise, we're still talking three a generation.

Personally, XIII-2 did feel very cheap to me. I have some issues with the game design of a few Final Fantasies, but none of them ever felt cheap, before XIII-2.
 
I wouldn't be surprised at all if there were new games coming out for PS360 and Wii U even in 2015, and I'm not talking about just marginal games.
 
S-E said:
This generation has been way too long, and I say this because you have a lot of developers that work on a new platform, and perhaps will not succeed, so they will wait for the next generation, and will jump on that platform.
Click to expand...

Methinks they're talking about themselves, here. This has been a brutal generation for S-E (on the Japanese side at least) and they could use a blank slate that a new generation can give.
 
Meisadragon said:
He's a tech guy, so it's not surprising that he wants to see new consoles. Besides, his reasoning is pretty good.

I think the big publishers like EA, Activision and Take-Two would want this gen to continue on forever because they have IPs that sell a lot, but there are also plenty of smaller studios that aren't established and the current HD install base is pretty much useless to them considering there's no guarantee that heavy investment would get them proper returns. If they fail, it's over.
Click to expand...

hows new console with better graphics going to help smaller studios? It seems to me it will do exact opposite and with smaller userbase it will be harder for them to make any money. And games will be even more expensive to develop.

only positive i can see for SE would be that it will be easier to work on, and easier to make a good looking game, plus not everyone will even be able to create games for next gen as budgets will be even higher.
 
timetokill said:
Methinks they're talking about themselves, here. This has been a brutal generation for S-E (on the Japanese side at least) and they could use a blank slate that a new generation can give.
Click to expand...

Just remember they started the PS2 generation with the Bouncer. What they need to do is actually release Versus because its feeling like Vaporware at this point.
 
Gone on too long, but they still haven't released Versus. You have to wonder if these companies are even are aware of the irony they're spewing.
 
apana said:
I wouldn't be surprised at all if there were new games coming out for PS360 and Wii U even in 2015, and I'm not talking about just marginal games.
Click to expand...
I don't think anyone here believes MS and Sony will stop selling x360 and PS3 when new consoles launch. That is very different to the PS2 era. There will be 3 consoles, + tablets, that devs will be able to create content for. The market will be split like never before :-/
 
Billiechu said:
I'm just hoping it's not terrible.

I BOUGHT A PS3 FOR VERSUS XIII AND THE LAST GUARDIAN

WHY GOD WHY
Click to expand...

could be worse, coulda bought it for them and MGS4....
its always the stuff im not expecting that makes it worth it though

Because of the differences, they get a wide variety of experiences. I think it has probably never been as great as today to be a video game player and Nintendo is helping to bring this variety. We saw on the Wii that they helped broaden the market and it benefits everyone. iOS is helping to broaden that market as well. Maybe in five or six years these players will be hardcore players. I would say that all the work Apple and Nintendo are doing today to broaden the market will be one day beneficial to Sony and Microsoft.
Click to expand...

this is...more foresight than i usually gather from square. i feel it's got some basis too, given the wii to kinect/360 migration we've somewhat seen.
 
Yeah, uh...

I think Square Enix is the last company that should want a push for more powerful technology. They couldn't even figure out fucking HD towns, can barely get games out the door in like six years, and their answer is "we need another generation of hardware?"

It's highly debatable whether Square Enix has figured out THIS generation, why are you rushing for another one?

That company is fucked.

EDIT: Also, you're here like three weeks and you think it's a good idea to tl;dr a mod? Really?
 
Htown said:
Yeah, uh...

I think Square Enix is the last company that should want a push for more powerful technology. They couldn't even figure out fucking HD towns, can barely get games out the door in like six years, and their answer is "we need another generation of hardware?"

It's highly debatable whether Square Enix has figured out THIS generation, why are you rushing for another one?

That company is fucked.
Click to expand...

Well at least the anachronox rights will be in rightful hands again!
 
JordanN said:
2011 was the perfect year for the big 3 to release new consoles in. Instead, now they're milking the current gen like no tomorrow.
Click to expand...
ViewMedia
 
Htown said:
Yeah, uh...

I think Square Enix is the last company that should want a push for more powerful technology. They couldn't even figure out fucking HD towns, can barely get games out the door in like six years, and their answer is "we need another generation of hardware?"

It's highly debatable whether Square Enix has figured out THIS generation, why are you rushing for another one?

That company is fucked.

EDIT: Also, you're here like three weeks and you think it's a good idea to tl;dr a mod? Really?
Click to expand...
This.

Sort your shit out before calling for a move in technology.
 
Square should just switch over to purely doing graphics for others, seems to be all they care about. I no longer have any confidence that they have the creative talent to make a game with a solid story, characters and gameplay any more. :/
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Square Enix, Layoffs, AI, and Metcalfs Law - Jacob Navok
26
546
Loomy replied
Has Sony lost its technical edge this generation?
5 6 7 8 9
415
2K
SlimySnake replied
Square Enix announces TGS 2025 lineup, schedule (Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, and more)
13
898
Hudo replied
Capcom and Square Enix Comment on Switch 2's Keycards - Cite Performance and Sales Reasons for Usage (FF: Intergrade and Requiem)
2 3
137
731
Heimdall_Xtreme replied
[USA] - "PS5 has been ahead of PS4 on a time aligned basis for a very long time" Now by 4.5%
Hardware  2
67
229
EverydayBeast replied
Top Bottom