The Self Destruction of Square Enix

To say that Square Enix has been making questionable business decisions of late would be an understatement. Following the withdrawal of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided’s controversial pre-order scheme, Square Enix announced that its long desired remake of Final Fantasy VII would be split into three episodes; a strange decision when the original came was created as a complete package. If this weren’t enough, they also announced even more recently that the latest entry in the Hitman series, due to release in March, would also be broken into episodes, with the first entry containing the prologue and a previously revealed Paris mission. Naturally, these decisions have caused a great deal of consternation amongst longtime fans, unsurprisingly perplexed by such strange business decisions.

Square Enix’ actions ultimately speak to a larger sentiment held by the industry as a whole, and much of it can be attributed to the change in console generations. Prior to the launch of the 8th generation of flagship consoles (those being the PS4 and Xbox One), much of the industry was in turmoil. Analysts had read dwindling sales figures not as a sign of generational fatigue but instead heralding the end of consoles, pointing to a future dominated by PC and mobile platforms. Naturally, this forced many publishers, Square Enix included, to alter their primary business model to that of easily digestible, episodic games for mobile, inter-spliced with large scale, online only titles for PC. But in defiance of all expectations, the current console generation proved a staggering success, with Sony and Microsoft’s offerings selling a combined total of 45 million units in just over three years, with the PS4 alone responsible for nearly 35 million of those units. To put this into perspective the PS2, the best-selling console of all time with just over 155 million units sold, only sold 25 million within the same timeframe. Whilst it’s unlikely the PS4 will necessarily outsell the PS2, it’s indicative of an industry that is both alive and growing; a direct contradiction to previous thought.

the current console generation proved a staggering success, with Sony and Microsoft’s offerings selling a combined total of 45 million units in just over three years, with the PS4 alone responsible for nearly 35 million of those units. To put this into perspective the PS2, the best-selling console of all time with just over 155 million units sold, only sold 25 million within the same timeframe

However, for developers like Square Enix, the damage has already been done. Decisions made based purely on speculation have come to define the company’s IP for the last few years. Take Just Cause 3; the open world title released with a story that appeared shoehorned into a world that felt conspicuously empty. If rumour is to be believed, then in actuality JC3 was originally envisioned as an online only, multilayer title, with the shift towards a single-player focus forced on the development team at the last moment. Frankly, it’s a miracle the title turned out half decent having been subjected to such radical development shifts. Yet JC3 is not alone in this; the aforementioned

Hitman is also believed to have been created as an online only title before likewise reverting to a more disconnected focus, and Mankind Divided has supposedly been cut down in its run time in order to expand it into a Mass Effect-esque trilogy. All of these decisions are indicative of a panicked publisher, desperately scrambling to find a formula that works.

Hitman is also believed to have been created as an online only title before likewise reverting to a more disconnected focus, and Mankind Divided has supposedly been cut down in its run time in order to expand it into a Mass Effect-esque trilogy

Yet, despite this discord, things will eventually settle down. Square Enix, and other publishers like them, will eventually grasp the current trends within the industry and produce content accordingly. The problem comes from the state of flux we currently exist within. Valuable IP like Hitman, Deus Ex and Final Fantasy are being used as cannon fodder by a company desperately trying to hit a nebulous target. It’s these IP that will suffer if these titles fail; Square Enix will see poor sales figures not as an indication of poor business decisions, but of a lack of interest in the IP, subsequently relegating them to obscurity. Sadly, gamers are being punished of being passionate about games, and as such are forced into an unfavorable predicament; purchase bastardised versions of their favorite IP in order to sustain publisher interest in the titles, or reject such notions at the risk they may never see another entry again.

It seems almost ludicrous that an industry so consumer focused should force gamers into such a conflict, and yet more and more we see it; publishers making ill-informed and questionable decisions focused on monetary gain rather than customer appeal. It is somewhat ironic therefore that the publishers that have chosen to double down on a consumer focused should force gamers into such a conflict, and yet more and more we see it; publishers making ill-informed and questionable decisions focused on monetary gain rather than customer appeal. It is somewhat ironic therefore that the publishers that have chosen to double down on a consumer focus; companies ranging from Rockstar to Atlus, have benefited from increased sales and customer engagement. Therefore we see an even greater reason to push back against the likes of Square Enix as much as possible, or we risk losing the very games we love. focus; companies ranging from Rockstar to Atlus, have benefited from increased sales and customer engagement. Therefore we see an even greater reason to push back against the likes of Square Enix as much as possible, or we risk losing the very games we love.

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