Square Enix: Remakes and Social Games Saved High End Titles and New IPs; Eidos Acquisition Explained

Former Square Enix president and current Chairman of the Board Yoichi Wada attended a round table of the “Kurokawa School: Thinking the Future of Entertainment” and gave a few glimpses on the reasons behind the sudden influx of remakes, sequels and social games that affected the company in the past few years. He also mentioned the reasons why Eidos was pinpointed as the best purchase option to expand in the western market.

[-Foxtrot]

"In addition to that a lot of director level developers were required to participate to the remake of Final Fantasy XIV, making it inevitable to close some of the new IP projects and difficult to create a big hitting new IP."

So hang on a minute, because they redid FF14 it meant new IPs were cancelled.

What the hell I'd rather of seen something fresh from them then redoing FF14, they messed up the first time they should of just left it and fix the wrongs in the next online game they do in the future.

I want to know some of these "high end titles" social games apparently saved. They better not bloody say FF13-2 or Lightning Returns because I would of rather seen that money go to something else.

Seriously all I see here is Square spewing out a load of bullcrap on why they are delcined over the years.

[Abriael]

"What the hell I'd rather of seen something fresh from them then redoing FF14"

Considering that Final Fantasy XIV is one of the best, if not the best MMORPGs on the market I fully disagree.

If those new IP were really that good, they'd have pushed them through. Normally the ones that are closed are those that are already walking on shaky legs.

[-Foxtrot]

The best MMORPG, I highly doubt that. FF11 was better then FF14. Least with FF11 they got it right the first time without wasting resources, time and money correcting their stupid mistakes where new IPs suffered from.

They've never had big AAA IPs for years and when they did they threw it away for FF14. Those games shouldn't of had to suffer because of Squares mistake of it's terrible launch

[Abriael]

You "highly doubting that" is a tad inconsequential mate as quite obviously you never played it. Getting it right the first time has absolutely no bearing on the actual quality of a game. I play games, I don't play the past.

The current FFXIV blows FFXI out of the water on a number of levels, not even counting graphics.

And I loved FFXI, but XIV: A realm reborn is simply way better.

Also, it was the whole situation that caused the closure of new IPs, not just the development of XIV.

Games aren't people. They don't "suffer." Weak projects get canceled all the time, by every company.

Remaking Final Fantasy XIV is one of the best things Square Enix ever did. They gave a fantastic game to customers that already paid for it. And it's really rare to see corporations actually hauling ass to make it up to their customers.

Criticizing a company that gives its customers what their paid for because "games had to suffer" (lol) is ridiculous.

That's way better than other companies that never deliver: They just chalk a failed project as a failure, fire everyone, and if you already paid for it, well thanks for all the fish. Too bad.

Yeah. I'll keep my remade game that is giving me all the fun I paid for the first time, instead of the vapid promise of new IPs that probably weren't even good, and that's why they've been axed.

[-Foxtrot]

@Abriael

You know I was about to argue to you, I actually wrote a paragraph or so before I remembered that you defend the s*** out of Square Enix and Final Fantasy regardless so I'd be wasting my time. So heres a the shorter version

"You "highly doubting that" is a tad inconsequential mate as quite obviously you never played it."

" I don't play the past. "

Oh really so if a company, any company, f**** you over as a consumer it dosen't matter because it's in the past. That's the silliest thing I've heard.

Well done generalizing despite the fact you don't know me...

"Also, it was the whole situation that caused the closure of new IPs, not just the development of XIV."

Still wasted resources and money on it though, they could of gotten the best one of the bunch to go into production

"Games aren't people. They don't "suffer." Weak projects get canceled all the time, by every company"

lol I didn't say they were people, I just said they shouldn't have to pay the price because of a failed game. Some of us like new IPs that aren't IOS games. Why try and twist my comment to make it look like I said something stupid, thats kind of low.

"Criticizing a company that gives its customers what their paid for because"

Yes because Square Enix are sooooo reliable, they are the saints of this industry /s

"Yeah. I'll keep my remade game that is giving me all the fun I paid for the first time, instead of the vapid promise of new IPs that probably weren't even good, and that's why they've been axed."

How the hell do you know they've been axed because they weren't good, it's pretty much stated in the article that they got cancelled because of what happened and they needed to cut loses. Instead of investing in a new IP they couldn't be bothered and were too worried about sales, these are the same guys who called Tomb Raider a failure in terms of sales.

[Abriael]

@-Foxtrot:

"Oh really so if a company, any company, f**** you over as a consumer it dosen't matter because it's in the past. That's the silliest thing I've heard."

if that company then comes around and gives me my money's worth, and more, Yes. The past doesn't matter, and I sure don't judge a game over another past game. Doing so is ridiculous.

"Still wasted resources and money on it though, they could of gotten the best one of the bunch to go into production "

They created one of the best MMORPGs on the market. That's in no shape or form "vasted resources."

"lol I didn't say they were people, I just said they shouldn't have to pay the price because of a failed game. Some of us like new IPs that aren't IOS games. Why try and twist my comment to make it look like I said something stupid, thats kind of low."

I didn't need to twist your comment. You did say something stupid without any help. I find it extremely funny that you like "new IPs" generically, regardless of their quality.

"Yes because Square Enix are sooooo reliable, they are the saints of this industry /s"

With remaking FFXIV into a great game, they demonstrated to be more reliable than those that just scrap a game and if you already paid them, well too bad.

"How the hell do you know they've been axed because they weren't good"

Good projects don't get the axe. The projects that get the axe in this industry are the shaky ones. Companies don't waste invested money unless they have solid reasons to.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

As someone who personally doesn't care for MMOs, I agree with Fox. I'd take a new IP over a MMORPG any day.

[Godmars290]

The issue that keeps coming up with "former S/E fans" and FF14:ARR - is that "ARR' wasn't the first effort. The money that went into making FF:ARR was money which was taken from other projects because FF14 - just "FF14" - was a surprisingly lazy/expensive mess. If FF14 had been done right, FF14:ARR would not need to exist.

How is that not understood?

How is it not understood that this is the exact same company which released Final Fantasy All the Bravest: A game which literally used fan service as a method of raping the fandom's wallet?

[-Gespenst-]

There's always a chance that they'll take those IPs off the shelf if things start looking up financially. They were also probably concerned with restoring the reputation of the Final Fantasy series - the brand name alone which they'll probably be depending on for many years to come (and have been depending on from pretty much the beginning). We might see all that new stuff that got shelved in the future either as it was or in a new shape or form.

SE are disgustingly corporate, just like most big game corporations, but they have some pretty good artists and creators under their wing and that's why I support them. While many game corporations rely on brand names to have people flock to the same game year in year out, SquareEnix merely use it as a seal of quality to attract gamers to diverse and new experiences - each Final Fantasy game is different, whilst each CoD game or Elder Scrolls game is very similar. I still find it to be a little bit cynical and manipulative, but it's still better than the kind of shit EA or Activision pulls annually.

[DragonKnight]

@Abriael: I have FFXIV, and "the best MMORPG" it is not.

But aside from that, FFXIV is the reason that Versus XIII is now FFXV and a multiplatform title. We may never know what the real FFXV would have been had it not been for Wada insisting on FFXIV being fixed.

FFXIV diverted too many resources for a game that many won't play and many won't stick with. The FF audience, generally speaking, aren't fans of the franchise because of MMOs.

[Abriael]

@DragonKnight: "I have FFXIV, and "the best MMORPG" it is not." you're very free to have bad tastes in MMOs, and if you think what you said is true, then you do.

Also, FFXV is multiplatform simply because Square Enix knows that releasing on multiple platforms is good for sales. To think otherwise is extremely naive.

Final Fantasy XIV: A realm reborn is a monument to how a company should behave with its customers. It's a great success and it will continue to be, just like final fantasy xi was.

Haters will keep hating and FFXIV players will continue laughing at them while enjoying a great game.

[torchic]

@abriel

don't waste your time on Foxtrot, he's just Square Enix biggest hater.

[DragonKnight]

@Abriael: Wow, you jumped right into the "bad taste in games" assault eh?

Look, what you think is good or the best is not the absolute definition of good or best so get over yourself. FFXIV is nothing special. If it were, I'd be playing it passed the free month that I got and I'm not.

"Also, FFXV is multiplatform simply because Square Enix knows that releasing on multiple platforms is good for sales. To think otherwise is extremely naive."

No, FFXV is multiplat because it's a "new" game. The game that it was was supposed to be an exclusive, and you have no idea what the sales for the game are going to be like. Just because a game is multiplatform doesn't mean anything if one of the platforms traditionally doesn't buy JRPGs. The cost to return ratio applies.

"Final Fantasy XIV: A realm reborn is a monument to how a company should behave with its customers. It's a great success and it will continue to be, just like final fantasy xi was."

Oh yeah, releasing a garbage game and then diverting resources to fix your screw up, thereby cancelling or postponing (possibly indefinitely) more games that could have been great is an awesome way to treat customers. Why give them, say, 3 games when you can put all the resources that would be used to make those games into fixing and releasing one game.

"Haters will keep hating and FFXIV players will continue laughing at them while enjoying a great game."

And thus you'll be judged the same way as the 12 year olds that play CoD. Undeservedly arrogant in your defense of an MMO that cost the rest of the world other games and attacking anyone that doesn't agree.

With people like you around, SE will never reclaim the glory of their Past.

[hay]

"Square big on reuse."

Three final fantasy XIIIs on the same assets, bunch of low level remasters( http://i.imgur.com/vPfazQJ.... ), and with FFXIV it probably went along "we invested but has no money?" lines, "this needs to make money, patch it up, lubricate and aim!"(yes, am one of those people who more struggled with boredom than challenges in FFXIV).

If they abandoned new IPs they probably been even worse than this MMO.

Not sure if any of us would be more pissed off wasting money on FFXIV than another Corridor Corrida XIII making idiots of own fanbase. I'm not.
We already know Square wants more, more, MORE, with Hitman and Tomb Raider whinings saying they wanted more, we can easily assume that they will do a lot of low cost/passion productions from now on.

This means re-releasing(monetizing on) every asset they have. Chceck.

[Snookies12]

FF XIV Realm Reborn is a fantastic game, and was a big success in terms of both sales and reviews. They took something that they failed miserably with, and turned it into something really great. I commend them for doing that.

[-Foxtrot]

But if they just did the new IPS and do FF16 for example as an MMO in the future to correct the mistakes everyone wins.

[Abriael]

@-Foxtrot: No. People win when they get what they paid for. With FFXIV: A Realm Reborn people that paid for FFXIV got their money worth and more.

Finding something negative in that in the name of unknown, generic "new IP!" is ridiculous.

[-Foxtrot]

It was your fault for buying it straight away knowing Square Enixs track record.

Thats what happens when you buy a game at launch, especially an MMOs where a ton of stuff could happen

[Abriael]

@-Foxtrot: you mean Square Enix's track record of making awesome MMORPGs like FFXI?

You're just grasping for straws :D

[-Foxtrot]

@Abriael

FF11...really

That's when Square were still pretty decent and that was along time ago

Point still stands you knew the risks buying an MMO day one especially off a company with bad rep especially when it came out. The only person grasping for straws here is you mate

"Bu bu but...they owe us because of how bad the game was"

Well you shouldn't of bought it then, should of waited for reviews

[Abriael]

"Bu bu but...they owe us because of how bad the game was"

The point is exactly that they don't owe us. And they still did it, which is commendable.

Thanks for proving yourself wrong.

[Shinox]

@Abriael Your giving FF XIV ARR so much credits as if its the only MMO exists on the MMO market just because its a multiplatform game , Also don't judge others tastes The game is CRAP compared to other MMORPG's !

All i say is wait for these titles to come on the west before blindly giving the crown to your game:

Archeage
Blade and Soul
Black Desert
Bless Online
EIN: Epicus Incognitus
The War of Genesis 4 : Spiral Genesis

[KingKelloggTheWH]

I hate to hear that New Ip's died....: ( I miss when we got games like FF tactics or Vagrant story

[k2d]

"Remakes and Social Games _Saved High End Titles_ and New IPs"

Let that be a lesson. Dial down on the budgets:
Pay more attention to gameplay, let a younger generation unfold, and stop spending so much resources on cgi and "super realistic" graphics.

[MegaRay]

If they had to cancel some new ips for kh hds, ff x hd and ff xiv then that was the best decision they did this whole gen lol
Some might will disagree but I like this "new squareenix" :)

[Kalebninja]

so you would rather they just give some games slightly better textures instead of getting big new games?nice

[XtraTrstrL]

If Square Enix was smart, they'd bring back Secret of Mana and make the gameplay more in the vein of the original. A PS4 Secret of Mana with HD graphics similar to Bastion could be awesome! 3 or 4 player and a world a few times larger than the original, that could be a great return to the series.

[DEATHxTHExKIDx]

At least they cranked out Bravely default. I think they want that as their next big series. Classic FF style and a bit more. Anyway Im pretty much fine with how running things producing some pretty good games. Im not into their mobile plans but, if its making money for them then alright. Also whatever to keep FFXV and KH3 alive which will for sure be their big hitters when they release.

[nigelp520]

I want a follow up to Ehrgeiz

[Setzer007]

Square enix remade FFXIV because they need the money. Without this MMORPG this company would be in some trouble. If you look at how much money they made with FFXI the numbers are quite high and Square is well aware that MMORPG'S rake in a ton of cash.

So they had to do it.. not for you the fans.. but to pretty much save their company. I did enjoy the game though it was one of the best FF's I've played in a while. They did a good job fixing the issues.

[il-JumperMT]

They took a huge risk remaking FFXIV, however it turned out most profitable game this gen.