Square-Enix's New Business Strategy

[Pike]

Square-Enix has a new business strategy going as can be seen in this PDF (http://www.hd.square-enix.com/eng/news/pdf/20130527_01en.pdf).

In this document they detail three new "initiatives", which are summarized as:


Increased engagement and interaction with gamers during the design process, as well as a quicker production rate
Getting serious about putting high-quality games onto smartphones and tablets
Coming up with a new definition of "blockbuster" games, especially in respects to how different areas of the world view and purchase video games

Thoughts?

[NeoCracker]

Point one could backfire. Just how much should gamers be allowed in on the process? I mean we need to be listened to, sure, but we don't always know whats best for us. :p

The second points sounds like they will be devoting more time and resources, which frightens me.

I have no thoughts on point three.

[Pike]

Looking at the PDF it looks to me like they are mostly interested in keeping their audience informed on how far along they are in the production process. Although they also mentioned Kickstarter and Steam Greenlight which I found interesting.

[Skyblade]

Point Two.


WHYYYYYY?!


Is it really too much to ask that they put games on a system which have a decent control setup?

[Aulayna]

It's good news in general. They also mentioned they're going to shift their focus away from doing social games too so hopefully we should see less shit like All the Bravest and their various cash grab facebook games.

[Del Murder]

Increased engagement and interaction with gamers during the design process, as well as a quicker production rate
Sounds good to me, but this could be all talk and no walk very easily.

Getting serious about putting high-quality games onto smartphones and tablets
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Coming up with a new definition of "blockbuster" games, especially in respects to how different areas of the world view and purchase video games
What the smurf does that mean? Sounds like meaningless corporatespeak to me, and trust me I know all about that.

I'll have to read the actual PDF before I respond fully, but those are my initial reactions.

[Depression Moon]

Point Two.


WHYYYYYY?!


Is it really too much to ask that they put games on a system which have a decent control setup?


My thoughts too. I can give a smurf about some smartphone and tablet games. We were missing plenty of home console games from them this gen and I can't say this for sure right now as I'm not sure how the next gen systems will turn out, but if they turn out straight focus on making quality games for those within reasonable time. If next gen becomes bad, then I don't know... I have no idea what I'm going to do game-wise now since none of these new systems will have backwards compatibility. I might end up as one of those PC gamers.

[Wolf Kanno]

Point 1: Sounds like a really good idea and to be fair, SE was already starting to do this with some of the Eidos titles, XIII-2, and FFXIV:ARR so its not surprising that those models have been working out for them and it would be nice if SE could be a little more open about Versus XIII and Type-0.

Point 2: Its to be expected, I know us "hardcore console/PC gamers" think that smartphone /tablet gaming is just some fad but that's also what toy makers said about Atari in the late 70s. I think these type of games are here to stay and they are really popular in some parts of the world. Japan itself is said to have a very strong mobile gaming market, so I don't necessarily see why a company should not devote their funds to every market they can get. Its just good business.

Point 3: This one concerns me quite a bit, because it just sounds to me like SE will start catering more towards regional interest and soon some of the companies titles will not get worldwide release because it's "too Japanese" or "too Western". I'm not sure I really want to see SE suddenly drop some games from coming out here because they feels its too quirky for us non-Japanese. It would be a shame to see a possible sequel to The World Ends With You or TheaterRhythm 2 get left on Japanese shores because SE doesn't feel it fits the gritty/bloody/open world quota we Westerners enjoy so much.

[Freya]

I just have to say, while I hate the whole tablet mobile blah :shifty: I love :shifty: Final Fantasy: Airborne Brigade

It's addictive. Time consuming. And cute.

So a focus on that stuff isn't so bad the more I think about it. As long as it isn't a cash grab like all the bravest.

[Rostum]

Point Two.


WHYYYYYY?!


Is it really too much to ask that they put games on a system which have a decent control setup?

Because they're obviously still seeing a great market for them to tap into, given their high profile name. They couldn't give a shit what the controls are like, it's all about the potential in increasing shareholders wealth.

[Raistlin]

Point 1: This sounds potentially promising, but I'll have to see it to believe it first, especially when it comes to quicker production rate. SE has been infamously bad about slow production periods and then not telling us anything for massive stretches of time.

Point 2: Yuck. It could be good if they just focused their mobile resources into fewer, but higher quality, games (instead of the cheap, borderline offensive cash-grabs they've become well known for). But it sounds like they're pushing even more of their resources towards mobile games, which means less for major console games.

Point 3: I have no idea wtf this means or how they plan to implement it. The full PDF doesn't really give any insight as to this point either.

[Goldenboko]

Point Two.


WHYYYYYY?!


Is it really too much to ask that they put games on a system which have a decent control setup?

Because they are admitting that FF: ATB was a shit money grabbing attempt and they shouldn't pull that again :monster:

[Skyblade]

Point Two.


WHYYYYYY?!


Is it really too much to ask that they put games on a system which have a decent control setup?

Because they are admitting that FF: ATB was a trout money grabbing attempt and they shouldn't pull that again :monster:

Erm, I'm not so sure. They're next big iOS release is Final Fantasy Tactics S, and it looks like more of the same. I can't wait to see how many of the 300 advertised jobs are going to be micro-transaction only.

[Flaming Ice]

Point Two.


WHYYYYYY?!


Is it really too much to ask that they put games on a system which have a decent control setup?


Yeah, we need a tactics 3ds........




Because they are admitting that FF: ATB was a trout money grabbing attempt and they shouldn't pull that again :monster:




They "pulled" FF13 again 2 times after fans complained ;)

[Skyblade]

Point Two.


WHYYYYYY?!


Is it really too much to ask that they put games on a system which have a decent control setup?


Yeah, we need a tactics 3ds........

Don't watch the Final Fantasy Tactics S trailer. Just don't do it. It'll crush you to see what Square thinks a TRPG is these days.

So many good systems which have proven to be able to handle JRPGs and TRPGs (and which have done well financially), and yet Square is not taking advantage of them at all.

[Flaming Ice]

Don't watch the Final Fantasy Tactics S trailer. Just don't do it. It'll crush you to see what Square thinks a TRPG is these days.

So many good systems which have proven to be able to handle JRPGs and TRPGs (and which have done well financially), and yet Square is not taking advantage of them at all.

lol..too late.


Yeah, I think ios games are supposed to be cheaper to make so it'll run them up a bit of $$$ (get some more profit to make our games!)


But we still need good console games:cry:

[Del Murder]

Ok, I've read this. Here's some thoughts. I'll only focus on the HD segment (the games we care about) because that's what matters to most of us. Overall, this presentation was interesting but very concerning to me regarding the future of great SE RPGs being released for English-speaking regions. Here's their new strategic initiatives for the HD segment:

-Overhaul the large-scale long-term development
This one actually sounds great because it will result in a shorter development cycle, which most other big-name companies are already using. SE really needs to catch up in this regard. It also means more fan outreach during the development process, which is also good.

They mention a model where developing a game for many years with no revenue only to release it for a potential all-at-once revenue stream is outdated, and I agree. However I am concerned with what their idea is to realize 'gains' during the development process. Paid demo versions of games? Releasing incomplete versions of games only to add-on more later for a price? (oh gods no) Some kind of Kicksterter-type pre-funding? Or does this just mean they'll make some smaller titles that use the same engine while they build the 'main' epic-scale game to work out the kinks along the way (like they used to do with the FF games)? I like that last option.

-Target smart devices as a game platform
This one is concerning because I don't really like phones and tablets as a gaming device, but there is promise here. They did mention making more of the traditional console games, only making them for smart devices. So less ATB and more FF Dimensions. One extreme would be if these games for smart devices actually replace SE's handheld and console market (and this is a possibility). Hopefully they find a way to make use of the growing smart device market and continue to satisfy their die-hard console and handheld fans with games of this type.

It also mentions different revenue options, which means more pay-to-play type stuff, which is not my thing. I like buying the whole game with one purchase and this is definitely not the direction they appear to be going.

-Construct a product portfolio tailored to consumer tastes in respective served regions
This one is the biggest concern, because it possibly means the end of JRPGs released in English regions, save the main FF series or KH. JRPG is a niche market in the US these days and may not be suited to our 'tastes'. It might mean the end of Type-0, Versus, DQX, or other RPG IPs (TWEWY, FF Tactics series, 4Heroes) in the US or European markets. Instead we'll get more action titles like Sleeping Dogs and Tomb Raider, which I'm sure plenty of people like, but not as a replacement for the games that made us follow this company. Not a lot of detail was here, but it did mention 'various projects cancelled in March 2013' which is not a good sign.

[Freya]

Skyblade, FF Tactics S can't be a cash grab WHEN IT'S FREE.

[Skyblade]

Skyblade, FF Tactics S can't be a cash grab WHEN IT'S FREE.

League of Legends is free too, yet there are people who have spent thousands of dollars on it.

[Roogle]

Getting serious about putting high-quality games onto smartphones and tablets


This could be good news if the games that they decide to release are along the same lines of Final Fantasy Dimensions. I heard that game was pretty good.

Smaller games that are set to be released on high-end smartphones and tablets can be similar to the older games. This would be decent as it would allow them to continuously borrow from the past and create iterations of games that originally gave them so much popularity in the first place. The only thing that they would need is the proper creative resources. Imagine a game that played similarly to, say, Chrono Trigger without being Chrono Trigger itself.

[YaakaKhiladi]

Not a big deal it was......!
Just go out there and read the facts carefully....!
It is quite easy to find such an easy ways If we are really interested to have some good results.....

[Mirage]

Point Two.


WHYYYYYY?!


Is it really too much to ask that they put games on a system which have a decent control setup?


Yeah, we need a tactics 3ds........




Because they are admitting that FF: ATB was a trout money grabbing attempt and they shouldn't pull that again :monster:




They "pulled" FF13 again 2 times after fans complained ;)

What did they pull? FF13-2 was pretty fun.

[Quindiana Jones]

I'm definitely gonna eat more healthily and do more exercise this year.

[Spooniest]

Sounds like a lot of high talk to me.

At a music performance in a listening room, when they're playing to an audience that knows their songs, the performer will simply say "What do you guys want to hear?"

I feel they are too high-minded and out of touch with us. They refuse to simply talk to us in plain English. I know they all know plain English, because Japanese schools teach it as early as 8th grade, if not earlier.

I respect their work, but this is the wrong way to talk to your fans.

[black orb]

-- Increased engagement and interaction with gamers during the design process, as well as a quicker production rate

>>> Good idea but this may backfire.
quicker production rate? so they admit they have been lazy all this time? lol..:luca:

-- Getting serious about putting high-quality games onto smartphones and tablets

>>> Well played SE, that market is on fire. Tablets will end smurfing everything, laptops, handhelds consoles, etc..

-- Coming up with a new definition of "blockbuster" games, especially in respects to how different areas of the world view and purchase video games

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