Square Enix: Game industry undergoing "major changes"

The game industry is currently undergoing "major changes" due to the proliferation of smart-devices and the "increasingly competitive" console market, Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy publisher Square Enix said today as part of its latest financial report.

[dedicatedtogamers]

Translation:

"Expect to see more and more of our games coming out exclusively for smartphones, because we're SquareEnix and we believe that Japan = world"

[Zhipp]

The Deus Ex iOS game looks pretty good, actually. I'll probably get it when it eventually hits Android. Though that can hardly even be considered SqEnix, to be honest, it seems like they may be able to push smartphone gaming to somewhat higher heights.

[Chrono]

It was released on Android a few weeks ago.

[zeee]

Hey sqenix, it's not. And you know why? Because of us, the gamers. Nothing has changed. If you make a good game,.people are going to support you. It's you that need to stop putting blame on everything but yourselves. Listen to your fans damn it and the same goes for Capcom. Listen to the voices of your fans!

[slayorofgods]

There is nothing I hate worse then playing a complex game like final fantasy on a tiny ass screen of a phone. Games like subway surfers are for those small screens. A tablet may ne a little better. But, those devices are more geared for little kids IMO, and the big boy devices such as consoles and pc are geared for gamers that like more complexity...

If SE, and the jrpg market in general, want to spend less money on developing games due to the fact wrpg's have taken a big chunk of the market on consoles and pc then fine. But why not go more cross platform? What's the harm in releasing games like FF3 on steam and the PS store in combination with smart phones. I can get those games on my smart phone and not enjoy them, or I can get them on a bigger screen and enjoy them a lot more.

[Godmars290]

Translation: Because the industry wants to go in one direction, namely low production costs for iOS and the additional revenue of DLC and microtransactions, while console gamers would like more involving and intricate titles, meaning higher cost to make, we will continue to push the popularity of iOS and DLC. Because we are entitled to money for half-assed service.

[DragonKnight]

*sigh* more iOS/android/mobile games inbound from Square-Enix, who no longer seem to give a f*** about making good games so long as they can phone in any effort and milk people via microtransactions and DLC.

Sakaguchi, you really shouldn't have left man. Your company has seriously gone down the toilet without you.

[memots]

problem is cost man.

Company cannot continue like the old ways to release games on console, it cost way too much versus potential returns. I hate it but a lots of game developers/publisher are under pressure to make money and this is the easy way.

[DragonKnight]

The problem is their business model. They are responsible for how high their games cost to make.

[Palitera]

Funny how everyone criticizes their decision of making crappy games that generates much more profit at much lower risks and production costs.

Do you really think 'quality' is a concern?

It is only a concern as much as it affects money making. So, if the money is on crappy games that cost close to nothing, why would they risk millions for a much lower audience (us)?

We are the tiny minority. Casual gaming has won a long time ago. Doing a good AAA game is so last gen.

[Godmars290]

New Square just hasn't seen the profitability of putting quality, rather than just fan-service, into their titles like old Square use to.

Not that the bar wasn't lower then...

[DragonKnight]

Lol, you speak with so little knowledge of the casual audience, or even the core audience.

First, the casual audience is HIGHLY fickle. What works one day has a huge chance of not working the next day. A business placing their bets on an unpredictable, unsustainable market is tantamount to business suicide. Low risk doesn't mean no risk.

Second, the core audience are the lifelong spenders. The consistent revenue stream that banks all of your future ideas and endeavors. Without the core audience, you lose that steady stream of money. The core audience rightfully expects value for their money.

A company that puts out garbage products, whether for a low risk/highly casual market, or a high budget core market, will be marked as such and completely avoided. Quality is always a must if a company wishes to acquire, or maintain, their good name.

[Irishguy95]

Evidence

Wii - Wii U

[Godmars290]

You're missing that because casuals are fickle or flighty, Square are making their games to exploit that fickleness. All The Bravest was a perfect representation of that.

As for the "core audience" we're well divided. half of us having given up while the other is too forgiving. The half who not only didn't finish FF13 but didn't bother with the sequels, and the half who bought them all if only to "support Square". Nevermind that the latter only told the company that they'd buy anything - *ANYTHING* - made by them. Especially garbage.

[Palitera]

First of all, you completely miss the point when you think that the main core audience is not the casual audience. Talk about little understanding.

But then you just ignore the difference of dozens of millions risk to a few thousand dollars risk. But, hey, that AAA game has their 'core' audience with a steady stream of money, it doesn't matter if this stream is way smaller than the cost of the product.

Come on, don't be so simple. Do you really not see the AAA games flow slower and slower every year? If you don't and reall think the reason is 'durrr
The costs are high, but it always pays in the end, because the hardcorez" you're a lost cause.

And then... "The casuals will mark the developer/publisher as bad". HAHAHAHA

Ok. It is a waste of time.

[DragonKnight]

"First of all, you completely miss the point when you think that the main core audience is not the casual audience. Talk about little understanding."

Stupidest thing ever said.

"But then you just ignore the difference of dozens of millions risk to a few thousand dollars risk. But, hey, that AAA game has their 'core' audience with a steady stream of money, it doesn't matter if this stream is way smaller than the cost of the product."

Actually I didn't, you just didn't like my answer.

"Come on, don't be so simple. Do you really not see the AAA games flow slower and slower every year? If you don't and reall think the reason is 'durrr
The costs are high, but it always pays in the end, because the hardcorez" you're a lost cause."

You're trying to outdo yourself in stupid things said aren't you? These companies are the cause of their own costs due to poor business models. You probably only pay attention to games like GTAV selling well and ignore games of less costs that are successful.

"And then... "The casuals will mark the developer/publisher as bad". HAHAHAHA"

I said a developer that puts out poor quality games will be marked bad. That means by everyone, including casuals. But hey, why actually read when you can make an a$$ of yourself right?

[SpiralTear]

This better not imply an eventual "All the Bravest 2."

[jagstar44]

please don't mess up the next deus ex

[Ocsta]

If 17 year old Ocsta heard me say this, he'd kill me... But Square Enix need to go bankrupt and their IP's need to be sold off.

[worldwidegaming]

The second they added DLC into their profit margins everything went to hell! Now everyone expects us to buy EVERYTHING! 4 and 5 copies of the same game!
"This is very Japanese as they buy 100s of CDs to vote for their favorite idol!" O_o

[Agent_hitman]

SE you have already changed the gaming industry when you fvcked up FF franchise.

[TheDivine]

SE PROBLEM

We take three times logger to develop AAA games than everyone else.

It costs us five times more money because of mismanagement.

We release games nobody asked for instead of games people beg for.

SE SOLUTION

Make cheap quick mobile games with dlc and microtrasactions to offset the black hole that is FF development. When that doesn't make enough money we will rerelease past FF games on iOS and handhelds. We will then remake past games for iOS and by remake we mean rerelease the rerelease. This way we can continue making FF spin offs instead of a new Chrono, Vagrant Story, Star Ocean, Valkyrie Profile, or new ip's. Every few years we will throw our fans a bone with a small cheap handheld game like Bravely Default. Fans will love us!

EXAMPLE OF SE LOGIC

Western games seem popular. Look at how much Halo and COD sell. People want those games. Lets make our games more western. The tens of millions of fans will stay plus we will bring in twice as many new fans!

THE REALITY

Said game turns away old fans and fails to bring in new fans because people liked the game for what it was. Not to be proven wrong they obstinately continue on said path beating a dead horse until the horse says f*** it just give me the damn game ***hole. When sales of the third sequel to the game they mistakenly changed due to misreading the market are still just as bad as the fist two they will realize they just didnt add enough zippers and market it properly. They will then proceed to aim the Titanic right at the iceberg and try to sink the iceberg.

[millerj2740]

You sir get a funny bubble for that iceberg crack. I can't thoroughly describe how hard I laughed. I agree with the other stuff too.

[kenshiro100]

At this point, I doubt they know what they're doing right now.

[epoxe]

I just don't understand how people enjoy gaming on a smartphone. I have a Samsung Note II. Its great for work and surfing the web. But games, with a 5" touch screen? NO interest.

[epoxe]

Also, I hate the PS4. I'd buy one for a FF7 remake that just has modern graphics.