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More detail from Square president, no more non-mainstream games allowed photo

So you enjoyed The World Ends With You? Too bad. You won't be seeing anything remotely like it from Square-Enix anytime soon, according to company president Yoichi Wada, who recently issued an ultimatum to his staff: if any games are made that don't fit into the mainstream's circle of interest, job cuts will follow. So long, unique concepts that break the mold!

This was supposedly part of a heated business meeting in which Square discussed the results of their 2007 fiscal year, which were none too sunny, showing general profits down 20 percent and taking the worst of it in overseas sales.

Business is business, but I have to say my heart sank when I read those words. If Square was doing anything I was excited to see, it was things outside the Final Fantasy spectrum, but financial troubles like this certainly excise any hope of experimental titles in the future (at least until the numbers improve). I'm glad to see the giant falter a bit, if only in hopes that the results will push them towards a more focused future.

[Via Develop Mag - Thanks, Justin]


Continue: More Square Enix stories





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96 comments | showing # 1 to 50

Phoenix Gamma's Avatar
Phoenix Gamma at 05/27/2008 11:00
That's okay. I can think of other developers that want my money way more.
tazarthayoot's Avatar
tazarthayoot at 05/27/2008 11:01
Well, on the bright side, this means more remakes of every Final Fantasy game that's been remade on every system ever made over the last 5 years. YAY!

/sarcasm
Niero's Avatar
Niero at 05/27/2008 11:02
How about they stop working on their own game engines and license something that already works instead of limiting what their teams can produce creatively? Ridiculous
Tuxy's Avatar
Tuxy at 05/27/2008 11:06
How about going multiplat. with their titles to hit wider audience.
Animated Trigger's Avatar
Animated Trigger at 05/27/2008 11:07
Dammit, and here I was thinking/hoping that The World Ends With You was the first sign of a beautiful new direction that Squeenix was taking...
Mr Bas's Avatar
Mr Bas at 05/27/2008 11:07
I don't get them. They could slap Final Fantasy on every game they make (like Nintendo does with Mario) and it would sell gazillions!
Faceless's Avatar
Faceless at 05/27/2008 11:10
This really bothers me, as I'm a huge fan of The World End With You and was hoping for much more like it. I don't know, we'll see what they produce in the next few years. My RPG attention has been shifting to companies like Atlus more and more these years.
Jim Sterling's Avatar
Jim Sterling at 05/27/2008 11:11
Not entirely Squeenix's fault. More creative games would be made if more creative games were bought. As it is, people snap up their FF remakes, so that's what we can expect to see.
Darkjad's Avatar
Darkjad at 05/27/2008 11:12
Seriously?

As me and my friends say . . . net profit loss. Clamping down on game designer creativity will only cause them to want to leave. I'm tired of FF and Dragon Quest remakes; The World Ends With You was an awesome, awesome release. Looks like FFV is next . . .
Kia's Avatar
Kia at 05/27/2008 11:16
This is the worst news I've seen today...(granted it's still early, but still).

Just the other day I was in a discussion about how Last Remnant, TWEWY, and Sigma Harmonics were all signs of Square finally being a bit more unique.

Freaking Square...I've always been their bitch, but it's going to be damn hard after this. >_>'
TrailerParkJesus's Avatar
TrailerParkJesus at 05/27/2008 11:16
That's kinda funny and kinda sad. Hopefully this is only temporary.
Blake's Avatar
Blake at 05/27/2008 11:19
Oh screw you Square-Enix. We want more TWEWY-like original things, not more FF7 expansion junk. Idiots.
flamesofchaos's Avatar
flamesofchaos at 05/27/2008 11:20
@Tuxy Technically Square-Enix is now multiplatform since they support all consoles now.
king3vbo's Avatar
king3vbo at 05/27/2008 11:22
Creativity is BAD
Remo's Avatar
Remo at 05/27/2008 11:26
The funny thing is I haven't bought a Brand new final fantasy game for years but I bought the world ends with you on day one.
RoboSheep's Avatar
RoboSheep at 05/27/2008 11:28
In unrelated news thousands of spiky haired youths wearing at least six belts seen knocking at the door to Atlus asking if they are hiring for any positions in an RPG that isn't rehashed garbage.
Pedro Blandino's Avatar
Pedro Blandino at 05/27/2008 11:31
why sink Colette? it means more final fantasy remakes and chocobo tales. and if anyone is fired from sqaure. im sure they would move on to mistwalker <_<
ParaParaKing's Avatar
ParaParaKing at 05/27/2008 11:32
So only games with FinalFantasy, DragonQuest and KingdomHearts in the title?
This is stupid.
anoon's Avatar
anoon at 05/27/2008 11:33
You can try to defend it by chalking it up to some sort of cultural aesthetic or preference, but the fact is that on the whole, Japanese developers have not kept up with the latest graphics technologies and it has hurt them. Regardless of what the fanboys say, the numbers do not lie: the vast majority of consumers that buy the 360 and PS3 like normal mapping, even if they do not know what it is or how it works.
Tuxy's Avatar
Tuxy at 05/27/2008 11:33
@flamesofchaos

I know, I was thinking along the lines of exclusives like FF13.
disposabledweeb's Avatar
disposabledweeb at 05/27/2008 11:38
at least Kojima Productions will continue to push out quality material. Thats all im worried about.
Teta's Avatar
Teta at 05/27/2008 11:40
Plz tell me Kingdom Hearts is considered inside the "Specturum" aviable for develpment.
byrc's Avatar
byrc at 05/27/2008 11:51
@Colette

Um I believe you misinterpreted this.

What is really meant that they need to stop making games that only the developers want to make. Those games being old PSX and SNES games: remakes off FF series, Front mission, star ocean, and DQ.

Remember this is from a Japanese perspective, The world Ends with You, is exactly what Wada wants.

Right now in Japan Square is only doing cheaply done remakes and mainstream casual games, like DS Wine and Cookbooks and other slew of casual non-games that have come out on the DS.

So I'm sorry Colette, this is actually good news for us folks who are tired of Square developers wanking themselves with remakes of their favorite old games or those who love making games for their wives,and fellow house-wife friends.
byrc's Avatar
byrc at 05/27/2008 11:54
Overall this means no more Crappy Remakes and finally some new games, because the reason for the low sales have to do with the remakes which have unfortunately not sold well.
Tubatic's Avatar
Tubatic at 05/27/2008 11:58
I hope that doesn't extend to things like MLAAK. Its very different for them, but still within the FF universe. I'm hoping the market decides favorably for it.

Final Fantasy VII: MLAAK would be freaking awesome.
Rucksack's Avatar
Rucksack at 05/27/2008 12:01
@byrc

Other than the flame-bait, I think you're right on the money.
Ocified-Xboxer's Avatar
Ocified-Xboxer at 05/27/2008 12:02
I think that guy needs to be fired. What is the point of CREATING a game when if you are too creative, you will get fired. Nobody works well when they are threatened with losing their job. Just one more reason to hate Square-Enix. Maybe they can shit out some more FF remakes instead of being an actual development house.
Axion22's Avatar
Axion22 at 05/27/2008 12:09
Just call it all Final Fantasy, you will fool enough fanbois to turn a profit every time.
byrc's Avatar
byrc at 05/27/2008 12:14
What did i say was flamebait?

I'm just saying Wada is being misinterpreted by the english press.

He says the company is becoming more insular, because developers are focusing on old school remakes, which is really popular among the producers in Square-enix. Wada knows that remakes aren't going to cut it, because honestly the Japanese video game market isn't the same as it was in back in the 90s.

Again he's remarks are being extracted to fit the American conception of Square Enix, and that is incorrect. Wada makes to make new more mainstream games from the Japanese audience, which is means less Old School Remakes.
brainderailment's Avatar
brainderailment at 05/27/2008 12:15
Sucks for them, sucks for us, but hopefully it means better games for me to poop on.
MisterMingo's Avatar
MisterMingo at 05/27/2008 12:17
The funny thing is, if he gave this ultimatum in 2001, Kingdom Hearts, one of Square's biggest sellers, might not of been made. That game was a bit of a gamble, and a dream project for Nomura. They were just banking on the popularity of Disney, really.

@Teta: Are you serious!? Ever hear the term "Final Mix"? They release the same game twice with more content in Japan because they can't get enough of it over there. Kingdom Hearts isn't going anywhere. (And if that was sarcasm, which it probably was, I'll feel really stupid having written that.)

Oh well, it's not as if Square hasn't released much truly exciting in the past five years. More Final Fantasy ports, remakes, and spin-offs, HERE WE COME!!! :D
Mr Kryptonite's Avatar
Mr Kryptonite at 05/27/2008 12:18
This is some crappy shit. I wonder if this means no more Final Fantasy, since those games, I'm pretty sure, fall outside the mainstream interest. Many people complain when things like this happen, but, sometimes these people are the reasons stuff like this happens. They buy games from an established franchise, not the good games that deviate from the formula. Prime example #1: Okami. Besides that, the Viewtiful Joe games that didn't sell well etc. If gamers brought more games like this, stuff like this wouldn't happen.
shouryuuken's Avatar
shouryuuken at 05/27/2008 12:19
how about they dont charge 10 bucks more than everyone else for ds games... and did anyone ever see any advertisements for the world ends with you? i dont get how companies expect their games to reach beyond the scope of nerds like us without an ounce of press, unless theyre proven franchises. ive heard so much good about the world ends.. but im not spending 40 bucks on a ds game.
Phoenix Gamma's Avatar
Phoenix Gamma at 05/27/2008 12:19
Wanna know something funny?

I counted every SquareEnix game in America since the merger. Of those, only five of the games have not been sequels to preexisting franchises (FF, DQ, KH, Mana, Front Mission, etc.)

Five whole games.
byrc's Avatar
byrc at 05/27/2008 12:20
You need to understand there was no large clamoring for the Star Ocean remake or even Final Fantasy iv or DQiv remake.

These remakes were pet projects within the Square-enix company.

Wada wants to stop these pet projects.

I don't see anything wrong with what he said.

I want more new games.

Hence the reason why Infinite Undiscovery is being pushed for the end of this year.

Wada also wants to stop Mobile phone games too, hence the reason for the cancellation of a major mobile phone game release.

The English blogosphere is completely misinterpreting Wada.

Right now Square is known for cruddy remakes, mobile phone games, and casual non-games on the DS.

That's horrible and I'm happy Square profits are shrinking because of it.

Wada wants to chang this.

Please stop spreading the misinterpretation.
Blackhat's Avatar
Blackhat at 05/27/2008 12:22
This looks exactly, scarily enough, like EA.

I'm not disparaging either company necessarily, as was said, business is business. However, what this will do to Square is exactly what's happening to EA. Instead of one year of bad sales, each year sales will slip.

This is.. scary, to say the least.
Novakaine's Avatar
Novakaine at 05/27/2008 12:22
I too think byrc really understood what they meant. I think their DS cash-ins like the cooking/movie-making games are what will be cut, and that's a good thing.

I hope the remakes aren't affected, however--note I said "remakes" and not "ports." Apart from Dragon Quest VIII (which wasn't even made by Squeenix), the only reasons I even look at SE anymore is for things like DQ IV DS, FF IV DS, and that stuff. I haven't liked an "original" Squeenix game since, oh... Chrono Trigger. And I haven't liked a marquee Final Fantasy game since X.
byrc's Avatar
byrc at 05/27/2008 12:30
@novakaine

too bad, because The world Ends with You is the best game Square has made since dq8, and yes I count dq8 as square since it was published by squareenix, its very common among big developers to have a smaller developing group within the company to develop certain games, jsut like in the case of The world ends with you (which was developed by Jupiter) and we all agree The world ends with you is a Square game.
Novakaine's Avatar
Novakaine at 05/27/2008 12:34
@ byrc: I don't know if I could play TWEWY. The dual-screen combat looks like it would give me an aneurysm.
byrc's Avatar
byrc at 05/27/2008 12:38
I find it hilarious when Colette makes it seem wada doesn't want creative games, seeing that only one new creative game has been released by square over the last 2 years, which is The World Ends with You, while majority of Square Enix games for the last 2 years have been remakes, cellphone games and casual non-games (i'm talking about in Japan). I don't believe Wada blames The World Ends with You for horrible profits. The reason for low 2007 sales have to do with the lackluster sales of Star Ocean 1, DQIV, and FFIV and fucking Wine selection non-game on the Ds.
Novakaine's Avatar
Novakaine at 05/27/2008 12:41
Oh, you just brought the mobile games to mind. Maybe this'll teach the fuckers to stop wasting time and resources on making things like Parasite Eve and FF IV-2 for cell phones and put them on a real handheld....
JonDarkwood's Avatar
JonDarkwood at 05/27/2008 12:42
Nothing instills faith in a developer like them announcing the death of their own creativity.
Alpha 87655320875's Avatar
Alpha 87655320875 at 05/27/2008 12:44
Oh well, at least we still have atlus.
cleopatrudo's Avatar
cleopatrudo at 05/27/2008 12:49
well how about making your BIG tittles multiplatform....CEO'S can be such dumb asses.
ry mc's Avatar
ry mc at 05/27/2008 12:53
Bryc is spot on, listen to the man. Seriously, scroll back to his first post. You guys need to think a little harder about what you're reporting here. People on the 'net are so fast to come to conclusions and then blog them all over the place.

And yeah, still a little miffed at your 'review' of Baroque. :)
SLiFE's Avatar
SLiFE at 05/27/2008 12:59
It warms my black, black heart that most Dtoiders are distraught by this news.

Over at the Hair Palace, the comments are full of "FF7 remake plz" and fail.
welkstar's Avatar
welkstar at 05/27/2008 13:01
That's really, really sad.
Irvine_frost's Avatar
Irvine_frost at 05/27/2008 13:03
what about remebering the other part of their name. square-ENIX. and release, or remake some awesome games from enix like robotrek, or terranigma or E.v.o. even Bust a groove will be awesome...

what about somo other genres, what about something like Einhander. i bet most of the Shmups fans will pick a game like that for the Ds or PSP, i dare to say even on wiiware, Psn or XBLA.
Conan-san's Avatar
Conan-san at 05/27/2008 13:09
The World Ends With You - This decade's Earthbound?
Colette Bennett's Avatar
Colette Bennett at 05/27/2008 13:13
Unless you've had a personal conversation with Wada about the topic (and I'll wager most of haven't), what this means for Square is all a matter of opinion. My reaction is sadness when I hear creativity should be reduced in any situation. If you disagree with me, that's fine ... everyone is going to have different takes on the meaning of this.
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