Square Enix's Emphasis on Dialogue with Customers and Response to Online Games

Square Enix's Honcho Yosuke Matsuda interviewed by Nikkei Trendy about a wide variety of topics.

[DVAcme]

If Squeenix really had "dialog with customers", they wouldn't be mishandling Eidos so terribly. Its their most talented division, constantly making critically acclaimed AAA games(Just Cause, Tomb Raider, Deus Ex) and they're constantly holding funding on them and doing layoffs while trying to make ANOTHER Final Fantasy game happen. Oh, and don't get me started on the Enix side of things, what have THEY done in the last five years that is anything memorable? I remember when Enix released awesome franchises like Star Ocean, classic Dragon Quest and Valkyrie Profile. Oh, and remember Radiata Stories? What an underrated gem that game was.

[DragonKnight]

If SE had a discourse with any consumers OUTSIDE of Japan, then things would be different. If they had any discourse with consumers at all, FFXIII would have been the first and last game of that name and world. They clearly don't have any kind of dialogue with consumers at all.

Also, where the f*** is the next Grandia game? SE published the last one, they should send Game Arts some money for a new one.

[DVAcme]

Holy crap, Grandia! That's a name I haven't heard in years! I loved that series! 3 was kinda meh, but 1 and 2 are two of the greatest RPGs ever.

[snarls200]

japan loved xiii and that is what matters to se

[DragonKnight]

Japan didn't love XIII, don't know where you're getting that from. At the most, they "loved" Lightning, but if you know anything about Japan, then you'd know that they "love" whatever is new. If you'd ask them today who is the best FF female, they'd probably say Yuna given the FFX HD remaster is out, especially for Vita and we all know how nuts for handheld FF games Japan is.

[Rachel_Alucard]

The reason SE released 3 games in the XIII is because they lost a boatload of money from vanilla 14. So rather then invest in a whole new game, the best way to get back their profits the best course was to reuse 13's assets over 2 more games.

[DragonKnight]

@YTPHaruko: XIII-2 was released because Japanese fans didn't feel like they received enough closure from XIII. No one asked for XIII-3 but they put it out anyway.

The fact that the sales of XIII-2 was significantly lower (less than half) than the sales of XIII and that XIII-3's sales aren't looking any better shows that releasing those games didn't help their bottom line. FFXIV is helping to pay for FFXIV, many think it's a great game.

SE could have made a buttload of money with any number of other properties that wouldn't require the milking of such a terrible game trilogy.

Hell, they could have brought back a cel-shaded Dragon Quest game which would probably cost way less than using the assets of FFXIII again, AND made a new game that people would probably love in the process.

[TricksterArrow]

I'm a consumer, so hear me: Parasite Eve, please.

[rextraordinaire]

If that means more Star Ocean, Valkyrie Profile, and a real, true to form new Mana game, then yes please, you go one, Square-Enix.