Square Enix Has No Vision For The Future, Claims Former President

Former Square President Hisashi Suzuki takes to social media to weigh in on the financial headaches that burden the firm he once spearheaded.

[Trunkz]

Why did the pick up Heroes and Generals then XD

[dedicatedtogamers]

A lot of Japanese companies have no vision for the future. CAPCOM seems to be playing the "DLC cashgrab" as much as they can. Sqeeunix is...well, no explanation needed. Konami is going okay, but they're dwindling in terms of their influence (remember the days of DDR?). Nintendo can't seem to make up their minds as to the direction of the WiiU or the 3DS. The same goes with Sony for the Vita.

I think it's an attitude thing. Japanese companies have been spending way too much time "reimagining" franchises (DMC, Dragon Quest, Metroid, Resident Evil, Final Fantasy, etc) instead of trying to deliver on what the fans have already said they want.

[BenRage3]

I agree with everything you said with the exception being Nintendo. Nintendo always has a vision for the future. They are not perfect, but they are sitting on 14 billion in unencumbered cash due to their recent success. This is no accident or fluke. Who knows what the future holds, but with the exception of the recent losses, they've just had the most successful run the company has ever had. Not fair to clump them in with other Japanese developers, Nintendo is the exception to the rule in this case.

[Eyeco]

exactly , Japanese dev houses seem to be going through an identity crisis, there just trying to conform to western styles

[jadenkorri]

yeah i just wish they go back to turn based for final fantasy, stop conforming to western games, its not working. I loved the new xcom that came out. We really need a new final fantasy tactics style game.

[princejb134]

lol they haven't even had a good vision for the present

[gman_moose]

"Suzuki-san tweeted that Square’s 2003 merger with Enix has failed"

About time someone admitted it.

[oricon]

Like ive been saying all this time the current gen game development costs are ruining game developers because of this you see alot of developers rush games or cut content and sell as dlc.

[ritsuka666]

Square’s 2003 merger with Enix has failed and that the company has no vision for the future."

All fans already know this a long time ago..

[RivetCityGhoul]

its sad too because the Square and Enix merger was supposed to be amazing. Dragon Quest & Final Fantasy under one roof was like a JRPG fans wet dream. now they're just shit.

[Temporary]

Ive known this all too well...

Spirits Within is the cause of it all. They put all their eggs in that basket and nearly went bankrupt. The merger of 2 GREAT companies created 1 MEDIOCRE company. Sad time for all RPG lovers.

[USEYOURFIST]

the spirits within disaster was after merger talks had begun...enix actually wanted to back out after spirits! but yea the merger killed both companies along with attempting to be western to try and match cods profits

[TheLyonKing]

The second they merged the competition between ff and DQ died and therefore didn't need to better each other

[miyamoto]

and after that merger they sold their souls.....

[chadboban]

I have a vision for the future, how about you actually release Kingdom Hearts 3 and Final Fantasy Versus XIII. Also localize Bravely Default: Flying Fairy dammit!

[Niyari2]

Why are these companies so damn ignorant? Do they EVER do research on the games we actually want?! It's seriously pissing me off!!!!!

[kesvalk]

well, if you take into account the majority, what "we" really want is more FPSes...

sad but true.

[Jinkies]

Funny how its mostly Japanese companies are like that, the japanese are proud people, not like they would admit defeat or want help.

[-Gespenst-]

@chadboban: Also localize Final Fantasy Type-0 since it's supposed to unbelievable.

If they do all the things you mention plus the above, they'll be back on top again.

[Myst]

No vision of the future and not even taking into account their customers. Well surely this will lead to a lack of said future because they won't have a consumer base.

[Pintheshadows]

I agree with your sentiment entirely.

However, SE has been crafty. Whilst the development house have have been ignorant to the wishes of fans (to the point of bloody mindedness) the company are publishing games with big names and followings like Hitman, Tomb Raider and Deus Ex. Basically that means a consumer base will always be there. It might not be the traditional one, buts it's a consumer base none the less.

[Wolfbiker]

Don't forget the Batman Arkham games!

[Myst]

Ah you are correct though I wonder just how long those titles will continue to keep a following. With new games "original" games coming out and fresh ideas coming out just how much weight will it hold? Jabber brings up a pretty good point if they do such things as making games as great as Batman Arkham (Asylum/City) then more than likely they will have that future; although if they let it slip by the wayside especially in a JRPG department it kind of makes me wonder.

[mamotte]

It's like SE loves to troll.

Fans want a real sequel for Kingdom Hearts? Make another Spin-Off

Fans want FF Vs. XIII? Make another sequel for FF XIII

Fans want a sequel for TWEWY? Make a version for IOS and tease fans for seven days.

Sorry, but, they deserve it.

[cleft5]

The World Ends With You was great, unfortunately I didn't finish it.

[lasersquash]

Most kingdom hearts sequels are actually important to the story, two of them offer and expand the series as much as the first three games did.And the series is held back because of versus, which is really their own fault.

Then TWEWY... I dont know if i still want a sequel to that game considering it was great as a standalone game with no real reason to go forward as the town wasn't destroyed in SMT fashion or was there anything left to answer, besides the higher planes.

[Capt-FuzzyPants]

Good luck knowing anything if you don't play those KH "spin-offs." They are really important to the series. Just because it's on a handheld doesn't mean it's a side game. I think Coded was probably the only spin off.

[mamotte]

The keyword there were "fans want", you know.

[cleft5]

Fact is that they have an amazing stable of games, yet the merger barely reflects this reality. This merger should have herald a new age for jrpgs. But all it did was join two companies together in name and debt only. There has been more of a collaboration between Disney and Square than there ever was between Square and Enix. Just a wasted opportunity.

[kesvalk]

square is just a shell of it's former self.

i hope they get smaller, and stay only on handhelds, this way they can manage to grow again and maybe tackle the gigantic projects they did years ago.

[Godmars290]

They bought Edos. They aren't getting smaller.

[Kte]

YOU HAVE NO FUTURE SQUARE ENIX

[NYC_Gamer]

SE is shifting more into the publisher role

[DarkZane]

Versus XIII keep getting delayed because it's the last good game they will ever gonna make. They know that once they release it, they're finished, so they keep delaying it to release more garbage before it's over for them.

[Godmars290]

Sad that people still think that Versus has any kind of chance at being good.

[Kte]

sad you don't think Versus could have topped both 13-1 and 2 instantly like the rest of us. Q_Q all over the place

[Godmars290]

Didn't say that. If it comes out it'll likely outsell all three of the regular FF13 titles combined - IF ITS GOOD.

If it its not, if there's the usual confusion surrounding fan reaction and reviews as the last ones, its going to sell less than one of them. And after all this time, when there are only current Square titles to go by, its too much to expect that they'll suddenly do better.

[josephayal]

Square Enix has officially killed Final Fantasy, Developers need to bring back the Turn Based Battle system

[DEATHxTHExKIDx]

Nah they have a vision ppl act like FF is dead its not just lost its touch. This generation not gonna lie isnt there best they just need to get it together next gen.

VersusXIII
KHIII
Ill w8 forever for both.

[Nodoze]

Bring in a new CEO. FIRE WADA! He is an ass hat!

[SirBradders]

Sack the prick I'm not happy it's been a long time since 12 and haven't had my ff fix.

[Crazay]

I think that became apparent with Final Fantasy XI

[tommygunzII]

FFXI was the best MMORPG I ever played, nice try though.

[Crazay]

They've done nothing even remotely good with the FF franchise. XI was horrendous and and the series continued a downward trend since. So much so I doubt I'll be buying another until they can prove that they can make FF relevant again.

[Omnislash]

Wada sold out. All he cares about is money which is what is bringing down SE....

[J86blum]

This isnt NEW news..least for us the consumers. Wada im not one to go to name calling but you're and ass-hat sir. Just give us the VII Remake and Verus XIII already. How do they not see they will make BANK. Seriously, im honestly confused by this fans for close to a decade have said REMAKE VII. Instead we get the lighting trilogy. I feel sadder then Cloud in Advant Children. (what a whiny guy they turned him into..guess that cross dressing mini-game in VII had a deeper impact then anyone thought .

[Elda]

Whomever is the leader of S-E is basically leading in the wrong direction,a direction to failure,S-E were the kings of JRPG's & this generation with S-E has sucked.I did enjoy FF-XIII but that's about it,they have screwed PS3 out of games that were suppose to be on it's system & they don't listen to their fan base at all,S-E could be making money if they were on par by releasing & developing games that the fans want.There bread & butter is FF & KH but we have yet to see anything about those games.(KH3 & FFVsXIII)They better wake up!!

[mobijoker]

Square Enix got two simple options.....
Either go with new IPs or remake(NOT remaster/retexture) massive SNES/Genesis era games like Final Fantasy 6.......

RPGs are growing leaps and bounds.....Skyrim, Dark Souls and Witcher are going beyond boundaries while Square Enix is selling Interactive Cinemas as RPGs......

[tommygunzII]

Final Fantasy XII was a brilliant game. This wasnt realized by the masses until 5 years later, since everyone threw a fit that it wasnt FFX.
The problem with SE and many other developers is that they tried to listen to the fans. Just look at this post, these are the last people you want to listen to. Hopefully SE and other developers start creating from the heart and stop listening to people that can barely dress themselves.