Article: Square Enix sets three new tactics for their Gaming Division

[Freya]

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Square Enix will be shifting their focus with their digital entertainment business by using three new tactics to do so. With a new president there has come new ideas springing up to move the company into another direction.

There will be more focus on online-based titles by the western studios under the Square Enix flag. Seeing as how Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn has literally transformed the company from being into the negatives of net loss by $13 million to being in the profit of $26 million, this makes sense as a business move. It makes no surprise that SE would change their price model and business model to reflect that. The next game to see this move is the Legacy of Kain based multiplayer game titled Nosgoth. A free to play multiplayer game pits humans against vampires in an action packed online game. Take a look at the announcement trailer!

The next move is to focus on the production of games for smart phones and tablets. Final Fantasy Agito, future ports of Dragon Quest games to these new gaming avenues, and new ports of original games will be the first publications with this new focus. Many have often criticized SE for the focus on mobile gaming but with this new tactic it seems they will be focusing on quality rather than money grabs.

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Lastly, they will be putting more focus into foreign lands by expanding the brand outside of Japan to primarily Asia. Now this is is a step in the right direction. They plan on licensing games to Asian developers such as Shanda for like Kaku-San-Sei Million Arthur, a card based mobile game that was ported to the vita based on the Arthurian Legends. They also plan to expanded Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn to mainland China. Which if the past serves any lessons, the Chinese love MMO's so the move may make them a surprising amount of profits.


What are your thoughts about these new strategies? Do you think they are the right moves by Square Enix? What would you like to see the developer do to change?

[Del Murder]

I think it's good that they are trying new things, though I'm not very interested in any of these games, with the possibility of Agito (but I'd need to play Type-0 first).

[Quindiana Jones]

I would like to see them make games that I have any interest in playing.

[Spuuky]

This is exactly the opposite of where I want them to go. But that's been the writing on the wall for a long time. It's the only way they can stay profitable and their size, as disappointing as it is. I have no interest in subscription fees for anything (hi MMOs) or any sort of mobile gaming, really.

[Venom65437]

Right there with you, Spuuky!

[Loony BoB]

While I like MMOs, I think they have slipped a little here - Blizzard are smart in that they (to my knowledge) only have one major MMO and they focus everything on that. By having multiple MMO's, they are competing with themselves more than anything. All the SE fans are already in FFXIV. I don't really get why they don't just focus on retaining that rather than expanding elsewhere. Also, Western studios? Does that mean Eidos and co? Because that is bollocks.

All of Square Enix should be focusing on making amazing console/PC games. Mobile gaming is alright, too, but you don't overcrowd your own MMO market. As for the Asia stuff... not something that is relevant to me but power to them, I guess!

[Shauna]

Multiplayer and mobile games, eh? Welp, it's been nice.

[Bolivar]

Well I can't say making a game in the Legacy of Kane Universe is a bad idea. It's free to play, so I'll be sure to give it a shot. Obviously the China moves don't do anything for me and I don't play games on my smartphone/tablet.

Give me PS4 and 3DS goodies we'll be straight (although they kind of already are doing that...)

[Psychotic]

I can understand they've got to make their money, but as others have said this does not particularly appeal to me in any great way.