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"Failed to meet expectations." - The new SquareEnix slogan. Time to admit they're in trouble? But is acquisition the answer?
- Thread starter FF:Enhanced_Reality
- Start date
wvnative
Member
Meh I think most people are like us, the i hate everything crowd is just super loud. I'm with you, square enix over the course of this pandemic has brought me an incredible amount of joy and escape in my darkest times, FF14 brought me out of a very dark place. FF7R literally looks and plays exactly how i always dreamed it would which was just unbelievable to me.KH3 after the 1.07 patch gave me the most exhilarating gaming experience ever.
Square Enix kicks ass in an otherwise corporate hellscape of an industry.
Kumomeme
Member
stuff about Sleeping Dogs feels like they missing a really big opportunity. the sequel of the game might end up sell very well considering positive reception of the first game. even the live action starting Donny Yen is coming right now. the game could be their own 'GTA'.
the problem is they probably has too high expectation toward each of title which is understandable considering the cost. but leaning toward live service game or NfT is not the solution.
the problem is they probably has too high expectation toward each of title which is understandable considering the cost. but leaning toward live service game or NfT is not the solution.
Kumomeme
Member
Kumomeme
Member
from different perspective, i applaud him to take a plunge, do what probably other Square Enix developers probably wont do that time. he take the step to look at other game, and even take it further. rather than just being stubborn to risk insist to innovate or create things by themself while believing they still be the one stand on top that time as the one that creating the trend despite thats not case anymore. sure, FF14 might not innovate any new stuff but but it is a prove that the company and franchise would gain lot of things if they look around and learn from other competitors in industry.
he did mention this in interview.
for years we can see Square Enix is somehow like still searching for right 'formula' to drive the franchise infuture despite there is lot of other example from other successfull game or developers they can take note from. Zelda BOTW is a good example. it didnt create new or innovate things much but it is very well done. it is how Nintendo learn and take inspiration from various game or developers out there and right now, other developers is the one started take turn to draw inspiration from them back. Hironobu Sakaguchi also the same when he create The Last Story. even veteran legendary developers like him also end up sit back and rethink whole things while take note of how other developers did with their games. i remember few years ago there is a thread(forgot where) that fans suggesting final fantasy to follow Xenoblade Chronicles linear in big open area structure. imagine the possiblities if the company didnt restricted themself in searching for piece of right solution.
even FF16 we probably can see lot of inspiration from GoW and other various well known, successfull game out there. if the solution is out there then it is a waste if they didnt grab it.
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hyperbertha
Member
Square>any sony cinematic simulator.
hyperbertha
Member
Capcom has heavily westernised their games.
hyperbertha
Member
Exchange square's management with EA's. Enjoy lootboxes in final fantasy. Meet sales expectations.
Kamina
Golden Boy
EA shouldn’t be allowed to do any
acquisitions.
Go_Ly_Dow
Member
Doom-mongering.
S-E have plenty of hands to play. They also have plenty of cash, revenue streams and successful projects like FFXIV to prop up the failures of their b-tier ventures last year.
On top of that, they only just about to get started this generation with some pretty huge AAA releases from now til the end of the PS5s lifecycle, such as:
-FFXIV ongoing
-FFXIV Expansion + next phase
-FFXVI
-FFVIIR-2
-Dragon Quest 12
-KH4
-FFVIIR-3
-NieR Sequel at some point this gen will certainly come given Automata sold 6mil and counting
Other likely profitable ventures they have cooking: FFIX Remake, FFX-3 or maybe a Remake, FF Tactics Remaster.
Probably some more surprises that will go down well.
It's a good thing that they have realised their b-tier projects and Luminous weren't up to scratch early on in this generation and before their big projects arrive. Now they can streamline the business as clearly their output was too high and focus on bumping up the quality of their core franchises and other successful games.
I'd say the likes of Ubisoft are in far bigger trouble. If S-E gets to their level (which seems doubtful given the release pipeline) then we can talk about the company being on life support. If they get to that stage, then Sony will snap them up I'm sure on the cheap.
S-E have plenty of hands to play. They also have plenty of cash, revenue streams and successful projects like FFXIV to prop up the failures of their b-tier ventures last year.
On top of that, they only just about to get started this generation with some pretty huge AAA releases from now til the end of the PS5s lifecycle, such as:
-FFXIV ongoing
-FFXIV Expansion + next phase
-FFXVI
-FFVIIR-2
-Dragon Quest 12
-KH4
-FFVIIR-3
-NieR Sequel at some point this gen will certainly come given Automata sold 6mil and counting
Other likely profitable ventures they have cooking: FFIX Remake, FFX-3 or maybe a Remake, FF Tactics Remaster.
Probably some more surprises that will go down well.
It's a good thing that they have realised their b-tier projects and Luminous weren't up to scratch early on in this generation and before their big projects arrive. Now they can streamline the business as clearly their output was too high and focus on bumping up the quality of their core franchises and other successful games.
I'd say the likes of Ubisoft are in far bigger trouble. If S-E gets to their level (which seems doubtful given the release pipeline) then we can talk about the company being on life support. If they get to that stage, then Sony will snap them up I'm sure on the cheap.
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Ar¢tos
Member
No thanks. They would just ruin their best FF game, post SNES, with Bayonetta style combat and linear gameplay like they are doing with FF16.
elbourreau
Member
Blame Eidos and Crystal Dynamics for that.
Ho wait.
Ho wait.
Go_Ly_Dow
Member
Find it quite funny that people claim Sony's first party games are the greatest the industry has ever seen, yet there's basically no nostalgia or discussion about the stories/worlds/lore we got in Uncharted, God of War Reboot, Returnal, Horizon etc... post release. Soon as they release, people get their fill of the pretty graphics and complete it and move on. Noticed how many on this board, as well as my friends have nothing to say or discuss about these games once they complete them, or desire to play them again.
The Last of Us is the one that cut through and remains topical, seemingly because it ramped up the nihilism and destruction porn to 500 which a lot of gamers love for some reason.
pleaseinsertdisctwo
Member
Calling the combat in VIIR “cookie cutter run of the mill action” is hilarious and shows that you have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.
pleaseinsertdisctwo
Member
Which is exactly why I’m not excited for XVI because Yoshi-P is blatant about it being heavily influenced by God of War and Horizon.
Edit: y’all know he actually said this… right?
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lh032
I cry about Xbox and hate PlayStation.
Then its not for you, just move on.Find it quite funny that people claim Sony's first party games are the greatest the industry has ever seen, yet there's basically no nostalgia or discussion about the stories/worlds/lore we got in Uncharted, God of War Reboot, Returnal, Horizon etc... post release. Soon as they release, people get their fill of the pretty graphics and complete it and move on. Noticed how many on this board, as well as my friends have nothing to say or discuss about these games once they complete them, or desire to play them again.
The Last of Us is the one that cut through and remains topical, seemingly because it ramped up the nihilism and destruction porn to 500 which a lot of gamers love for some reason.
Not sure what you mean by no nostalgia or discussion post release, the fuck?
DenchDeckard
Moderated wildly
I think they need to either sack off their entire current business plan, becuase it clearly hadn't been working for them.
Or, get purchased by a company that will support them in getting to as many platforms as possible while also launching games on switch, ps5, PC and xbox.
They probs need to massively cut back on budgets and kind of start from scratch.
Have they had a massive success outside of ffxiv with any of their recent AAA games.
Or, get purchased by a company that will support them in getting to as many platforms as possible while also launching games on switch, ps5, PC and xbox.
They probs need to massively cut back on budgets and kind of start from scratch.
Have they had a massive success outside of ffxiv with any of their recent AAA games.
skit_data
Member
They must have problems on many levels to always consider their game sales too low. It’s been going on for a long time as well, so it’s strange that they haven’t managed to sort it out. It’s also very wierd that they sold their western developers for such a low sum. Nothing that concerns the economics in SquareEnix makes any sense tbh.
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fatmarco
Member
Considering that, I'd argue, almost every single one of their Eidos aquisition/ Western era games were "Good" to "Great" (Thief and Avengers being the only real flops), they only have themselves to blame.
Just Cause 2 Great, Kane and Lynch 2 good (I'll die on that hill), Human Revolution Great, Sleeping Dogs Great, Hitman Absolution good, Tomb Raider 2013 Great, Life is Strange good, Rise of the Tomb Raider great, Just Cause 3 good, Hitman 1 Great, Mankind Divided good, The Turing Test good, Shadow of the Tomb Raider great, Just Cause 4 good(ish), Outriders good, Guardians of the Galaxy great etc.
That list right there is a murderers row of good games over a decade for a subsidiary, some of which I'd argue are some of the best examples of their respective genres.
That Square Enix fucked up the marketing and release of almost every single one of these games is entirely on them. They blew millions of sales through their own incompetence, not the quality of the games.
Just Cause 2 Great, Kane and Lynch 2 good (I'll die on that hill), Human Revolution Great, Sleeping Dogs Great, Hitman Absolution good, Tomb Raider 2013 Great, Life is Strange good, Rise of the Tomb Raider great, Just Cause 3 good, Hitman 1 Great, Mankind Divided good, The Turing Test good, Shadow of the Tomb Raider great, Just Cause 4 good(ish), Outriders good, Guardians of the Galaxy great etc.
That list right there is a murderers row of good games over a decade for a subsidiary, some of which I'd argue are some of the best examples of their respective genres.
That Square Enix fucked up the marketing and release of almost every single one of these games is entirely on them. They blew millions of sales through their own incompetence, not the quality of the games.
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Skelterz
Member
I’ve played it through twice and have the platinum the combat is boring and the game is average if you think that’s it’s somehow seeping with strategy and it’s really challenging then you don’t know what your talking about it’s hardly sekiro is it
.
Skelterz
Member
Sony 1st party games are shit he has a point.
Mibu no ookami
Demoted Member® Pro™
Breath of Fire was capcom... and you left out Seiken Densetsu 3 and Bahamut Lagoon.
Mibu no ookami
Demoted Member® Pro™
Find it quite funny that people claim Sony's first party games are the greatest the industry has ever seen, yet there's basically no nostalgia or discussion about the stories/worlds/lore we got in Uncharted, God of War Reboot, Returnal, Horizon etc... post release. Soon as they release, people get their fill of the pretty graphics and complete it and move on. Noticed how many on this board, as well as my friends have nothing to say or discuss about these games once they complete them, or desire to play them again.
The Last of Us is the one that cut through and remains topical, seemingly because it ramped up the nihilism and destruction porn to 500 which a lot of gamers love for some reason.
I don't think you're entirely wrong, but I think you miss the factors involved in that being the case.
The older you get, the less nostalgic you are about new experiences in general. To make matters worse, I think the 360/PS3 generation had a lot of of pitfalls as the first HD generation. I'd hazard to suggest that given the time period since the PS3 is so short AND games were struggling to jump to HD that this is why this generation isn't nostalgic, and most games from that generation won't be regardless of the publisher, that doesn't mean they aren't memorable though.
I find Uncharted 2 especially memorable though. And I think God of War reboot is also quite memorable. I also like how you left off Spider-Man, which is also quite memorable as is Ghost of Tsushima...
Breath of Fire is a common mistake because Square handled the English version most people are familiar with. It actually says "squaresoft" on the box.
No, they are not in trouble, at all.
The opposite, they are better than ever:
Looking at their mobile gaming profit, now I understand their NFT plans.
I just hope that despite the skew in profit in favor of mobile gaming, Square Enix will not abandon us console gamers.
Skelterz
Member
Ginger girl simulator.
lh032
I cry about Xbox and hate PlayStation.
ok next, what else, list it alll down here.
MagiusNecros
Gilgamesh Fan Annoyance
He turned around XIV turning it into Baby Mode FFXI WoW wannabe where most content is a Dance Dance Revolution Simon Says Time Attack sparring match and the only thing that makes it relevant is it's story driven content which IMO flatlined with Endwalker so since there is no engaging narrative the game is stagnating pretty fast further cemented by PvP cheaters, Cheating Streamers, Housing lottery, POOR GEARING SYSTEM, Streamlined battle system(all classes pretty much play the same) that makes FFXI look like 4D Chess, and a tossup up of a community between having good ingame community but an overly positive Yoshi P Cult in vocal minority groups. Pretty awful.
Out of the two FFXI is still the better FF MMO that stands on it's own merits.
Not to mention a good sum of earnings from XIV was used to fund FFXVI as well as splitting XIV staff to work on FFXVI as well.
At it's core XIV is mostly just success coasting on past FF's since that's where most of their content and boss fights comes from.
FFXVI looks like a great movie for me to watch on release but from what I've seen I don't see FFXVI getting much replayability. Looks like a one and done kind of game.
Squaresoft era was their peak in the Playstation days. The only Square games I get excited for is Dragon Quest.
Seeing a new Parasite Eve is a lost cause at this point but one I still cling to in the back of my head.
Punished Miku
Human Rights Subscription Service
I love reading all this Yoshi P hate. I thought I was the only one.
- Their platform policies are horrible, they alienated the PC and Xbox fanbase, FF VIIR on Steam peaked worse than Persona 4 Golden, it comes to a moment where you are making yourself such a bad image that players are willing to not support it.
- Too much focus on whatever trend they think it will work being extremely late to the party and doing it half assed (Avengers, Babylon's Fall, FF7 The Last Soldier and NFT)
- Unreal expectations on sales and poor management.
At this point FFXIV must be eclipsing their yearly output.
- Too much focus on whatever trend they think it will work being extremely late to the party and doing it half assed (Avengers, Babylon's Fall, FF7 The Last Soldier and NFT)
- Unreal expectations on sales and poor management.
At this point FFXIV must be eclipsing their yearly output.
StereoVsn
Member
They will be fine. SE does have an issue on going off on tangents and having exceedingly high expectations of certainty titles when they should know better. Like Forespoken.
They also have a penchant for doing some exclusive deals that are long term detrimental, like that RotTR on Xbox or bunch of games on Epic.
At same time their Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts fare does well and they do a ton of not expensive mid-tier game which must bring some profit.
I hope they stay independent because if say Sony buys them (very small chance Japanese gov will approve takeover from outside the country) they are going all in on Cinematic. And we have enough consolidation in the industry already (hell, in every industry).
They also have a penchant for doing some exclusive deals that are long term detrimental, like that RotTR on Xbox or bunch of games on Epic.
At same time their Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts fare does well and they do a ton of not expensive mid-tier game which must bring some profit.
I hope they stay independent because if say Sony buys them (very small chance Japanese gov will approve takeover from outside the country) they are going all in on Cinematic. And we have enough consolidation in the industry already (hell, in every industry).
diffusionx
Gold Member
It's disappointing because I think there is reason to think all these games would be successful. I could easily imagine a game like Forspoken being a hit, they just made major mistakes with the character and writing and emphasized all the worst parts in the marketing. They pushed out so many games in the last half of 2022 and there was no way someone who is a fan of Square games could play them all, or even most of them. I don't get why they did that, but I think it doomed most of them to failure.
Tell’em Keb
Member
I’ve really enjoyed most things they release, however as with many AA releases today, they are overpriced. There have been several releases over the past year that I passed on because I didn’t want to pay 50 or more for them. Now that they’ve begun to go on sale, I’ve been grabbing them, and liking what they’re making. Strangers of Paradise has been pretty awesome.
KrazyKrelian
Banned
I hope Square Enix learns the proper formula for success so we can keep getting gems like Tactics Ogre Reborn. I put a ton of hours in that game. Next I am looking forward to Octopath Traveller 2 and hopefully Final Fantasy Tactics Reborn soon after that. It would be sad if games like these stop being made.
pleaseinsertdisctwo
Member
Did I say it’s “seeping with strategy and it’s really challenging”? No. At least on Normal difficulty it isn’t. My issue was that you said it’s a run-of-the-mill action game, which is a full of shit thing to say. And yes, I’ve played almost every Miyazaki-directed game including Sekiro, I’ve played numerous Team Ninja games, etc. It’s not run-of-the-mill. Get realI’ve played it through twice and have the platinum the combat is boring and the game is average if you think that’s it’s somehow seeping with strategy and it’s really challenging then you don’t know what your talking about it’s hardly sekiro is it
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Ar¢tos
Member
Careful, I've had posts deleted for saying similar things...
KingT731
Member
Their problem is their release schedule. They bunched like 10-12 releases into 3-4 months and wondered why people didn't buy all of them...add in the fact that they don't advertise/market the console games at all but advertised the fuck out of their mobile games in the west. The stuff that did best for them wasn't marketed by them see: Triangle Strategy.
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Fuz
Banned
Right, he should have called it "steaming turd floating in a river of vomit".
Morrie’s wig shop
Member
Yeah, this has been their slogan for at least 15 years now.
pleaseinsertdisctwo
Member
Y’know, I’ve tried getting into XIV like 5 times, but I can barely get myself to push through. ARR is seriously one of the most painfully dull experiences I’ve ever had.
People say it’s worth it for the story, but the presentation is important to me too, and it’s way below the usual FF standards in this department. Even in the latest expansion, cutscenes consist of standing around and talking with some canned animations.
And outside of that, the other thing that bothers me is: the soundtrack seems varied, sure, but I don’t like a good deal of what I’ve heard (such as the vocal boss themes), and the fact that almost all of the soundtrack seems to be using low quality synthesizer rather than any live instruments.
Lastly: yeah. It does seem to coast heavily on past FF material. I already get my fill of that with FF spin-offs/re-releases/etc.
Sorry this is more like a diary entry since I’m pretty comfortable voicing my thoughts on this site lol
pleaseinsertdisctwo
Member
all in good fun)
64bitmodels
Reverse groomer.
everything there besides chrono trigger is not nearly as good as fromsofts output from 2011 to 2022