Square Enix Working on New IP; Aims to Reboot Existing Ones & Develop in Collaboration with Partners

Today Square Enix released the transcript of its financial results briefing outlining the plan for Fiscal Year 2016, and CEO Yosuke Matsuda explained the company’s IP policies going forward.

[-Foxtrot]

By rebooting them into things which are good games in general but don't actually feel like they are the same franchise. Something which could be a new IP in general.

That was Tomb Raiders problem with me. Great game but didn't feel like a Tomb Raider game. Should of just stuck with the original Lara Croft origin story...Himalayas are a big place who knows what she could of ran into as she tries to survive

[EvilWay]

the places they could go are limitless

[Army_of_Darkness]

The tomb raider reboot was probably the only thing SE did right cause I love that game! Made me like Lara even more:-) Which is why I'm a little jealous that xbone users will get to play the sequel first... Oh well.

The collaboration with partners sounds like SE needs some financial assistance. So I'm gonna expect some type of exclusive deal at E3

[ABizzel1]

Honestly Sqaure probably has some of the best IP's out of any 3rd party deve now.

Final Fantasy and all it's spin offs
Kingdom Hearts
Dragon Quest
Tomb Raider
Deus Ex
Just Cause
Hitman
Star Ocean
Legacy of Kain
and a pretty solid selection of B games under their belt.

Buying Eidos has turned out to be a huge win for them, and now their JP devs seem to be getting their act together. This gen could be huge for Square.

[lvl_headed_gmr]

Final Fantasy 7 reboot exclusive to Xbox One.

That's right, you heard it here first. E3 will be the announcement.

Happy Gaming.

[forgetmenot]

You gots to be trolling

[Army_of_Darkness]

@lvl headed

Alan wake reboot exclusive for the ps4 at E3! You heard it here first ;-)
See, I can make crazy assumptions too.

[mydyingparadiselost]

Don't pay attention to the hate, that's hilarious.
Funny bubbles

[on_line_forever]

i just want :

1. Parasite Eve ( especially something like second one )

2. vagrant story .

if they announcement these two games i will be so happy

[DarkZane]

The thing is, Sony published it in every regions on PS1. Back in PS1 and PS2 days, publishing meant you own the game. This isn't a port like Mass Effect where they just used a new publisher, this is a remake and everyone involved in the original needs to be in. Which means the game would be Sony exclusive.

This is the reason why FFX/X-2 is PS exclusive and KH1.5 and 2.5 are also PS exclusive.

Anything involving FF7-FF10 and KH1-2,BBS will be exclusive to Sony if it happens.

[Duoma]

@genius if they announce either of those i will slap my own grandma out of happy delirium

[Perjoss]

Smart people know that a FF7 reboot is a terrible idea, no matter what platform its released on. Guess what, FF7 still runs fine on pretty much any platform it was released on, I'm guessing the people screaming for a reboot have not even bothered to play it for years, probably even since it first came out. Rose tinted glasses are a powerful thing apparently.

[lvl_headed_gmr]

@DarkZane

Sony sold all their shares associated with Final Fantasy 7 last year. Square Soft own the rights completely to FF7. Square Soft can do what they like with FF7 now...which means have a new publisher for the reboot.

[DOMination-]

SE can do what they want anyway. The IP isn't FF7. The IP is Final Fantasy which Square has always wholly owned.

[rainslacker]

Sony owns console publishing rights to FF7. So won't happen.

Sony sold it's shares in SE, but not it's rights to FF7 publishing on console. Unless you have some other link I think you are mistaken lvl_headed_gmr.

I don't know if they have rights to publish FF7 spin offs like Crisis core or what-not, but it wouldn't surprise me if they did.

[DOMination-]

Rainslacker, you are absolutely wrong. As I said above, there are "no rights" to FF7. Yes, Sony published it but nearly 20 years ago and only because without them, Square couldn't afford to translate it themselves.

FF7 is NOT an intellectual property on it's own. It's part of the Final Fantasy IP which Square-Enix wholly own and can do whatever they want with. 7-10 inclusive are however synonymous with Playstation and the latest remasters of FFX (not published by Sony) show that SE are willing to keep these games exclusive. An FF7 remake could well end up being exclusive - in fact, I'd expect it to - but lawfully, it's perfectly possible that it could be multiplatform.

[rainslacker]

Sony has exclusive console publishing rights to FFVII. That was their original deal with Square at the time of it's publication. Unless that contract was timed, or SE brought the console publishing rights back, Sony still retains those rights.

It's the same with all 3rd party exclusive titles. Those rights can be timed or perpetual and Sony likely has the option to sell those rights to another company, but these things usually require the original creator first rights to repurchase.

Can you provide a link that states that Sony lost the exclusive console publishing rights to the game, or are you just assuming that because FFVII is part of a series that that deal no longer exists? These publishing rights aren't even limited to FFVII, but all the FF games up to FFXII if I recall correctly.

I'd imagine that other companies can do the publishing, as is the case with X|X-2, but I doubt Sony is going to allow the games to release on other consoles as it weakens their brand. As far as I know, this deal was only applicable to the North American market, and possibly the EU, but I'd have to verify the latter.

And yes, FFVII is it's own IP. That IP exists in tangent with another IP, but it is indeed it's own thing. what you're saying is like saying that Titanfall 2 is not part of the TitanFall IP, just because they tack a number onto the end of it. That doesn't negate that TF1 will probably never release on another console unless MS gives up their console publishing rights to it.

This concept is not new in console gaming, it's been going on since the NES days.

[3-4-5]

So they are letting other dev's help make some of their games ? I'm cool with it, as long as we get FFTA3, DQ7, DQ8, & DQ11 in the U.S.

[Magicite]

Tomb Raider 2013 was the only TR game that I actually liked, old ones had too much platforming and were meh to me.

[-Foxtrot]

Then you obviously didn't like what the original Tomb Raider games were

What you like now isn't Tomb Raider, it's a new IP trying to be similar to Uncharted with Tomb Raider slapped on the box.

[Str8Chaos74]

Would love to see a new Legacy of Kain game.

[Kingscorpion71]

The Tomb raider reboot actually copied Uncharted in so many ways but a lot of people can't see that.

[-Foxtrot]

Exactly. It became an Uncharted clone with Hubs replacing chapters instead of an actual Tomb Raider game.

I don't see how her actions in the reboot made her "Lara Croft" and wanted to make her raid Tombs as Tombs were hardly even in the game.

There are so many QTE or life threatening moments where Lara gets hurt then there is in Uncharted entire trilogy.

[Mankey]

True, but this is better than the IPS simply sitting in the garage collecting dust.

[KingKelloggTheWH]

How about focusing on new things? More games like tactics with big budgets would be great!

[_-EDMIX-_]

"working on new ips"

I mean...I would assume that means "new" things ie "ips" lol.

A big budget wouldn't equal a better game, I mean...that huge budget didn't some how just make RE6 GOTY.

Mega Man 9 and 10 were made on very small budgets from a very small team. Yet are amazing games. I'm not too sure what you mean by "big budgets" as I'm not sure how that has anything to do with overall great gameplay (you might mean presentation I guess).

I think the FF Tactics series could be getting rebooted, Parasite Eve (even with the whole IP thing), Square and Eidos have many old IP's that can return.

[arkard]

I'd love for a Parasite Eve reboot.

[Godmars290]

"that huge budget didn't some how just make RE6 GOTY."

The money spent on FF13 - nor the sequels - didn't help it any either. Just like what was spent on two game engines or the revamp of FF14 after the initial investment of the first version was wasted. Yet Square did such, and as consequence are pretty much pricing themselves out game production: because for some reason they have to go bigger.

What they, and we, need are smaller "big" games. Big games made with reasonable if not tight budgets by - relatively - small teams who know their tools inside and out, and can push out content in - again - a relatively short period of time.

No more Agni's Philosophy or FF7 PS3 tech demos. Cause those are only empty promises and burnt heaps of cash.

[_-EDMIX-_]

@Godmars- I think your a bit misunderstood on those tech demos. Those from the start were stated to not be real games, they stated very, very clearly that the FFVII tech demo was just that...

Your asking for a big budget....

I'm saying a big budget doesn't some who mean a better game. To say Square did it last gen, to get it was bad, yet to ask for it again doesn't really make sense as I'm trying to understand what is it you want from them.

as you stated. "with big budgets" then state after I point it out it wasn't going to help much "The money spent on FF13 - nor the sequels - didn't help it any either"....I mean...so we know thats a bad idea or...? lol

"a relatively short period of time"

I would also say no to this, in a "realistic" time period I can agree on. FFXV was legit in development for almost 10 years, changed the name, engine, console etc. If anything, what needs to be changed is the management. Someone clearly needed to be in charge of that process as I don't really think there is an excuse for a decade development of a game that actually only has 2 years of development on the system it will actually even be released on (if that currently).

I don't think tech demo's are an issue with them as they must market themselves, they've never promised any of those as being real games and I feel the FF14 revamp was worth it.

They don't need bigger budgets, they merely need realistic expectations and real deadlines, better management etc.

I'm in real estate and I often work with people that think they can put money in an area that doesn't justify the price based on the market.

I see the same thing with many developers. Some IP's, genres etc won't sell a certain number regardless of what you pump into it based on the market just isn't that big for certain genres. Consider they can spend 30 million more on a game, who the hell knows this other then them?

Do gamers just buy games based on budget? Would the extra money in marketing, presentation etc translate into MORE sales? I mean...if that was true wouldn't Capcom, Square and many other publishers actually be doing better right now?

Like I said, I feel Square needs to know how the market responds to certain IPs and genres and budget accordingly. Things like Bravely Default (great JRPG btw, I would consider it the best RPG I've played in almost 10 years...well new anyway) can't just be ONLY on 3DS...if they want EA money....they need to be more like EA in terms of making games on many systems. They can't fear risk, yet not take chances on realistic returns. I'm sure BD would have done fine across PSN, XBL, Steam etc. I feel Square is selling themselves short and have made some big mistakes last gen. They could have really banked if they just invested in bring titles to many places, properly managed some projects and budgeted accordingly.

[Godmars290]

Realistic in terms of production in that FF15 when it was first announced, it was called FF13 Versus. Though it has a demo out still has no set release date.

Realistic in terms of budget in as much Tomb Raider was a sales disappointment for them at 4 million sales, as again the white elephants that where FF14 and FF14 a Realm Reborn.

Square as it is now has no understanding of reasonable or realistic expectations in regards to production. That they showed the FF7 PS3 tech demo only to backtrack that such would have been a multi-generational *developer* project or that they still talk up Agni's Philosophy as if it could be a game screams as much.

[Roccetarius]

Rebooting existing games..hmm. That doesn't sound like a good thing at all, based on their decisions lately.

[pompombrum]

Soul Reaver reboot please!

[Entonations]

Hope they don't forget about pc support! they've been pretty good about that recently.

[oSHINSAo]

That means Super Mario RPG for the Wii U ??? i was kidding, wet dreams :')

[OC_MurphysLaw]

Developing in collaboration with partners helps square minimize their costs and liability if it fails...and this likely explains why they did the deal with MS For TR. If it only sells 2 to 4 million it is likely a success for them based on their reduced costs to create.

[nigelp520]

-Fear Effect 3
-Dissidia Final Fantasy for PS4
-Bushido Blade 2
-Final Fantasy MMO set in FF8 World
-Valkyrie Profile 3
-Ehrgiez 2
-Gex???

[averagejoe26]

None of this will ever happen but I like it

Especially the MMO set in FF8

Holy crap I would enjoy the sh*t out of that game

The music, the setting, working your up the seed rankings...

I often wish I had bill gates' money...I would pay developers to make games (and anything really) for billions of dollars, more than their entire company is worth...to have them make my dream game (or movie, TV show, etc)

[WitWolfy]

I'm up for Fear Effect... Lets just hope they dump the tank controls this time around.

[rainslacker]

You forgot Einhander

[AsunaYuukiTheFlash]

Next Gen FF Tactics please :)

[averagejoe26]

I would cry giant man tears if this ever came true.

FFT is one of the very best video games ever made. It's a beautiful piece of modern art.

[scark92]

Yes Please!

[killacal13]

Awesome idea, I have been hoping that it would eventually come.

[onyzero]

Did anyone see the "leaked" Shenmue 3 image from a couple of weeks back? That had a Square-Enix logo...and today they announce they are developing IP with partners...hummmm...

[bangoskank]

If they are partnering with Sega that would be huge! We could possibly get a Skies of Arcadia, Shining Force, or even Panzer Dragoon Saga reboot! I hope this comes to fruition.

[bangoskank]

Also, didn't Tri-Ace develop Phantasy Star Nova? They also developed the FFXIII sequels. It may not be completely out of the realm of possibility tpo predict that Square could publish a Phantasy Star game. If Square published theirs and Sega old RPG's for current gen consoles this could bring them back to their former glory. One could only hope.

[blackblades]

Wish every company would do something like that. Like why have the rights to games where you just to let it collect dust.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Just sell off Crystal Dynamics...the IPs they have don't really fit with a predominantly Japanese developer.

Other I need more FF TACTICS. And not that sack DS title.

[PiNkFaIrYbOi]

Hopefully some good games come out of this.

[Kalebninja]

The bouncer reboot? You heard it hear first guys. Hell it would be a blast if they rebooted chocobo racing.

[Setzer007]

Bring back Secret of Mana

[nitus10]

While I do have fond memories of play Secret of Mana I somehow don't think SoM2 would work since the original did have a proper ending. Of course they could have different characters and maybe call it Tales of Xillia or something like that :-)

[MrCrimson]

bring back front mission, but not the one that was a bad armored core rip off.

[ThichQuangDuck]

FF and no not Final Fantasy,but Freedom Fighters 2. Since Eidos owned it and they own Eidos

[FantasticBoss]

Weren't they taking ideas for a new Anachronox game a few months back? I believe that was an old Eidos property, so SE would own that.

I know little about the game beyond that it was well liked by those who actually played it.

[no_more_heroes]

I get the feeling that this is gonna be a HUGE gen for SE.