Square Enix has reportedly confirmed it’s ‘looking to sell stakes’ in its studios

From VGC: "Square Enix wants to sell stakes in some of its development studios to “improve capital efficiency”, it’s reported.

The publisher held a conference call on Friday to discuss its most recent financial results, and following the call Japan-based analyst David Gibson took to Twitter to summarise its plans.

According to Gibson, the sale of Crystal Dynamics and Eidos to Embracer Group was phase 1 of Square Enix’s plans, and phase 2 will be “diversification of studio capital structure”."

[shinoff2183]

Come on sony before something stupid happens.

[SPEAKxTHExTRUTH]

Something stupid like what?

[TeamIcoFan]

Microsoft buying them up and making them do nothing but gamepass filler maybe?

[HardKnockKid24]

@TeamIcoFan, which games are game pass filler so far?

[awiseman]

@TeamIcoFan Sony has its own Gamepads now.

[Godmars290]

@awiseman:

Not FF14 by all counts. That's the money maker.

Or looser, if made to give up its own sub, be made exclusive with a showdown or loss of content updates to boot.

[brewin]

@TeamIco

Cut that BS Gamepass filler crap out! Such a false narrative, just stop. Forza and Halo blow Sony's FPS and Racing games out of the water and those are on GP. Theres a ton of both AAA and indie in there. Enough with the trolling. Gamepass so good that Sony had to copy it. I knew the trolls wouldn't stop even after that 🤦🤮

[HardKnockKid24]

@Activision, you are trolling right?

[Lionsguard]

Aside from Microsoft, the last thing I want to see is Google, Tencent or Apple snatch them whole hog.

[SimpleSlave]

Like making Final Fantasy 8 and 9 remakes 10 part each, mayhaps?

[Profchaos]

@brewin as someone who has gamepass and ps plus there's a ton of filler on both services.

Yea there's big games but I'd say its only forza and gear pushing quality releases onto gamepass lately

halo infinite was fairly underwhelming a statement echod by its own community and looking at recent statements from internal devs it seems that many within 343 echo that they just did not get afforded enough time and had to cut the scope short.

infinite was meant to be way bigger and have more environmental differences across the map also many areas of the map were meant to have more content and random encounters like you.would see in something like rdr 2 but shipping the game on 4 console skus and pc I assume made life difficult and next gen hardware the team were not familiar with meant the game.suffered in the end. But hopefully they will drop a decent expansion that meets these original goals since we apparently are not going to see a sequel for 10 years all future halo will build on top of infinite.

For me personally I thought it was a good game but I didn't like the open world all the interior stuff was perfect but after 2 hours of exploring the open world it became a thing to bypass on my way to blow up gate x or find interior y

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

I don't think Microsoft can buy them because of the way the Japanese are with company take overs (they like to keep it within the country).

[Stanjara]

Like Crash and Spyro gone to Activision, now in Microsoft and dead in future development.

[shinoff2183]

Ms buying them is what i meant by something stupid. Ms has bought enough stuff

[Name Last Name]

Seems like they’re not selling everything. Maybe Nomura’s studio but not Creative Business Unit III since it’s a cash cow with FF14 (and 16 soon).

[TeamIcoFan]

Yeah, there's no way in hell they're selling the studio in charge of FF14.
Thing's a money printing machine at this point.

[darthv72]

I feel it will be Tencent that will buy up the shares.

[DogJosha]

What shares? Did you bother reading what was happening? Part 1 was studio sales, and that is already decided, not something they are looking into. Part 2 is capital management, aka doing stuff like having other companies help fund their non-central studios, aka western studios. That means having them do stuff like joint ventures. Other companies might get some new IP's out of this, but not shares.

[F0XHOUND]

Stupid? I don't care who buy them tbh. Be it sony, Microsoft or f$cking Pornhub.... If it means we get solid investment and allow the devs to work on titles like final fantasy (and many others) until they feel its fit for release and not rush them to a deadline (how ea work with bioware) then its gg as far as I'm concerned :) The only slight downside to Microsoft is maybe they don't do too much and just throw titles on to gamepass day 1 for the hype and day/week 1 appeal.

[Sephiroushin]

Deadline huh, well MS likes deadline you know, they hate when dev has to delay games and they would just cancel them if a game is on development hell, even if it would be for couple of months, reason why some dev dont deal with them, specially japanese ones like Level 5

[Antnee534]

Pornhub should buy a studio maybe Sega and put out normal Games and maybe even adult if they want to dabble into it. But I would lose my shit to see on store shelf super monkey ball made by Sega published by p-hub xD

[Profchaos]

Tencent turning then into mobile game

[gamer7804]

Lens flares and censorship no thanks. I’d rather them stay independent

[MadLad]

Stakes.
Not the company.

I don't know why so many are held up on Sony acquiring them.
If Sony wanted them, they would have when the western studios were still there. That has been the focus for Sony for a good long while now.
I think Sony is happy just paying to keep FF off of Xbox. It has worked for them so far.

[Name Last Name]

Depends on how many shares are up for sale. Even if Sony didn’t want them, they want MS (or others) acquiring a big stake in SE even less. At the very least it would mean the end of those exclusivity partnerships.

[Vengeance1138]

It was specifically said that Sony had no interest in the western studios. SE got rid of them to please Sony.

[Pocahontas]

Source?

[kindi_boy]

That's why Sony dissolved Japan Studio you think?

[-Foxtrot]

I’ve thought the same

Getting Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy would have been great for them since people used to associate those franchises to the PS1 where they become even more popular (Tomb Raider I - III & FFVII)

[Shane Kim]

Don't think Sony cares much for tomb raider. It's not the name it used to be and Uncharted is the new king of treasure hunting games since the past 10 years.

[-Foxtrot]

For you guys mentioning Tomb Raider

Why is it they can't have both Tomb Raider and Uncharted?

Seriously, one is more about shooting / gun fights and the other is more about puzzles or navigating dangerous levels

Sony could have both and cycle the releases so we are not over saturated with just one franchise.

@Sensorchip

" The comments in here are totally off the mark "

He says. acting like he's the only one who REALLY knows what's going on 100%

[TheTony316]

It's specifically said that Sony wasn't interested in their western studios and only wants the japanese side.

[kindi_boy]

People downvotes the only person who actually reads lol, sorry MadLad it's the blind fanboisim.

[gold_drake]

would make alot fo sense for Sony to get stakes, as Final fantasy fans and Nier fans are mainly on playstation consoles.

[Exvalos]

Took the words right out of my mouth

[jznrpg]

They already own shares of Square but investing more would make sense for sure .

[lelo2play]

Everybody knows by now that Sony are going to acquire Square sooner or later.
Square are just selling out studios and IP's that Sony aren't interested in, before the acquisition.

[porkChop]

Sony isn't going to buy them. Square Enix isn't selling their studios and IP, they're only selling stakes or percentages in them. If an acquisition was coming this would never happen. Sony wouldn't buy SE just to share the profits with a bunch of other companies.

[anast]

They will produce some of the best gacha games we've ever seen.

[MWH]

Some people here talk like these corporates owe them.

[pietro1212]

Sony or MS buying Square would be all bad for Square

[brewin]

If Sony does decide to buy SE it wont be until after the dust settles on the MS/Actiblizz acquisition. As big of a stink as they're making regarding MS owning CoD it would not be a good look to then go and buy the CoD of RPG games.

It would look even worse considering the flagship mainline Final Fantasy games are Sony console exclusives, whereas CoD is not Xbox exclusive at all. They're not stupid enough to throw themselves under the bus like that! At least I dont think but ya never know.

[Tedakin]

Since this doesn't include Tomb Raider and they don't put FF on Xbox anyway, go ahead and buy them Sony. Makes no difference.

[mastershredder]

With everything they have sold off/ cut off, they are basically left with nothing but FF to remake (or games pretty damn similar). Really don’t care about their anime infused offerings anymore (Nier etc.). That horse has been beat to death and a half.

If they don’t change things up, A dedicated fanbase that is willing to spend thousands on “collectable” figurines is the only that is going to save them at this point.

[pietro1212]

You always have the worst takes.

[SurgicalMenace]

Sony will acquire SE as the writing has already been on the wall.

[Auron]

I cant believe some of you want sony to purchase square... this isnt 1995.. sony isnt the cool kids anymore. They are only here to alter, censor and bs agendas.. their latest victim now is rightstuf. Smh at you guys man...

[SurgicalMenace]

What difference does it make? Sony is not limited to doing anything based on whether we approve of it or not, they do what's best for their business model. As they should. When your phone doesn't ring asking for your input on their business dealings that should be all the evidence needed to know your position on the matter. If you don't agree you have every liberty not to support them.🤷🏾‍♂️