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Square-Enix having rough financial year: time to pull out the FFVII remake?

12:44 PM on 05.26.2008, Colette Bennett 61 comments

Square-Enix having rough financial year: time to pull out the FFVII remake? photo
     Squenix

Any Square fan (and some people who aren't fans) have had plenty to say lately about their new strategy of flooding the market with spinoffs and new concepts alike, feeling as if the company is taking a dramatically different turn from the calm focus they seemed to possess before merging with Enix.

Sqaure president Yoichi Wada commented to Reuters recently that the company needed "to go beyond traditional Square-Enix", and recent numbers have shed some light on the reason why. Per Gamespot:

Sales dropped 9.8 percent on the year to ¥147.5 billion ($1.4 billion)--a sharp contrast to last year's 31.3 percent gains, which grew revenue to ¥163.4 billion ($1.6 billion). While the publisher was able to curtail a precipitous slump in net income from a year ago, Square Enix still posted net income down 20.9 percent to ¥9.2 billion ($89 million).

The hardest hit was in overseas markets which, ironically, completely opposes Wada's comments about wanting to make 80 percent of the company sales about their overseas presence. What's the strategy then, with goals fallen so far by the wayside?  Square says they will focus strongly on research and development, with a special eye on "advanced information technologies". Hmm .. more cell phone games? Let's hope not.

Personally, this is no big shock to me -- the beloved Squaresoft of my youth is not the same company today. Change is fine, but I've felt uneasy about the dissolution of focus the company has seemed to suffer in the past few years. It makes me wonder if they might pull out that Final Fantasy VII remake just to compensate, which in my opinion would be the worst timing possible. Let's hope the waves caused by these losses force the RPG kings to consider some new approaches.


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michiyoyoshiku's Avatar
michiyoyoshiku at 05/26/2008 12:47
Only if they make it for every system ever!
Phoenix Gamma's Avatar
Phoenix Gamma at 05/26/2008 12:47
They need less stuff with FF tacked onto it. I mean, did My Life as a King really need to be an FF title?

The World Ends With You was a strong step in the right direction since it was so experimental in terms of both gameplay and presentation. I hope they start experimenting more.
Qraze's Avatar
Qraze at 05/26/2008 12:47
i would love a true xenogears sequel. or maybe a tactics on a current gen home console.
Spitfire's Avatar
Spitfire at 05/26/2008 12:48
gosh if any FF was going to be remade in glorious HD I would hope for FF3, or 6 whatever. Whens 13 supposed to be released?

Maybe they should focus on a new IP? there has got to be something in their pipeline.
Cheeburga's Avatar
Cheeburga at 05/26/2008 12:48
Chrono Trigger.
VWGTI's Avatar
VWGTI at 05/26/2008 12:50
Need more Chrono Trigger sequels.
Tdiddy9182's Avatar
Tdiddy9182 at 05/26/2008 12:52
Maybe part of their problem is that the gaming public is getting a little tired of the constant whoring out of the Final Fantasy franchise. If they toss out a FF7 remake in the coming months, wouldn't that steal some of the thunder from FF13, which if i remember correctly comes out mid-late next year. Maybe just releasing the game on PSN would be a good idea for them, my copy got scratched by my bastard of a friend and I would love to DL it.

By the way, Colette, I saw you on Hard News and Meow!
flamesofchaos's Avatar
flamesofchaos at 05/26/2008 12:55
Heres a plan that can help them on the DS front in america: Stop releasing DS games at $39.99.
solidunit's Avatar
solidunit at 05/26/2008 12:56
They really need to focus on new IP's. The good FF name has been beyond diluted with all these lame spin-offs and rehashes. They should at least revisit some franchises that arent so sequel happy, like Chrono Trigger and maybe Parasite Eve (a personal favorite).

Maybe they should just say "fuck it" and buy Atlus and Level 5. They're doing more interesting work in the RPG space anyways.
Aritas's Avatar
Aritas at 05/26/2008 12:58
It is time.
solidunit's Avatar
solidunit at 05/26/2008 12:58
By the way, I hope they DO NOT make an FF7 remake. That game is done. Do something new already. Please.
B5512's Avatar
B5512 at 05/26/2008 12:59
I'm moderately concerned that hints of the new approach everyone is clamoring for are falling on deaf ears. The World Ends with You was new and original in both theme and gameplay, but, unless someone has sales figures to argue otherwise, seemed like barely a blip on the industry's radar.

If I understand you right, Collette, the new approach seems to be tossing out tons of quickies (be they remakes or original, though modestly funded/marketed, games). This does not seem to be panning out financially, but it seems to promote more diversity and maybe even evolution than the monolithic releases they were once known for--is that what you would prefer to see return?
David Quinn Carder's Avatar
David Quinn Carder at 05/26/2008 12:59
Less games, more quality. I don't mind if it's mostly Final Fantasy, even, but pushing so much shit out the door seems a waste of resources. They could lay off a bunch of workers and focus on just the main FF line plus one or two side projects at most.
eternalplayer2345's Avatar
eternalplayer2345 at 05/26/2008 13:01
*looks at world ends with you case* Well, I tried.
Cowboy TTop's Avatar
Cowboy TTop at 05/26/2008 13:01
Square Enix, I'm glad to see you guys n' gals at last moving in a more positive direction, beyond just rpgs. The last time Square diversified their product was during the PS1 days.

While the likes of Driving Emotion Type S (an attempt at a GT style driving game) bombed, others games were a bit more successful. Perhaps Square were hurt by such experiments, as that was quite early in their PS1s lifespan. Correct if wrong.

Since then its been an rpg rollercoaster. However, I for one am glad to see it slowing down and changing for the better. I've been getting quite ill on so much FF, that I feel dizzy and look above my head to see status numbers, all the time.

PSP Dissidia is a good start, though still rpg laced. I'd love to see them outsource Front Mission for a decent action game (after Dirge, Square really need help, in this area).
Faceless's Avatar
Faceless at 05/26/2008 13:03
I think Phoenix Gamma is on the right track. I've been getting into The World Ends With You more then any other handheld game in recent memory. I like remakes as much as the next rpg fan, but we should get one every once in a while, with new IP's coming out more often. Oh, and less FFVII and more Chrono Trigger.
Novakaine's Avatar
Novakaine at 05/26/2008 13:09
Some thoughts on Squeenix....

A.) FF VII's story would have to be seriously reworked it's intended to not be a clusterfuck and/or not be as eye-rolling-inducing as the PS1 game. "Aerith's dead... HAY LETS GO SNOWBOARDING!1" Cross-dressing Cloud wouldn't make it, either.

B.) Repent for the whoring by re-releasing Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, and give FF VI the 3D treatment either on DS or a console (seriously, the game was so operatic it screamed for FMVs).

C.) STOP. MAKING. GODDAMNED. CELL PHONE GAMES.
sexycommando's Avatar
sexycommando at 05/26/2008 13:16
Not surprised. Square Enix sucks, it's been a while since they did anything to catch my interest.
Bengoshia's Avatar
Bengoshia at 05/26/2008 13:17
They're getting what they deserve, with Final Fantasy 7, instead of just REMAKING IT, they come out with all these spin-offs to tease the giant weeaboo fanbase. That and they can't stop making shit/mediocre games.
brainderailment's Avatar
brainderailment at 05/26/2008 13:20
I haven't bought a new Squeenix game since FFX.
Colette Bennett's Avatar
Colette Bennett at 05/26/2008 13:22
@B5512 - I like the idea that they are trying new things, but I remember (especially during the PS1 era) thinking that Square's products had the distinct feel that they were given a great deal of focus and effort. While the final products now are still well polished, I feel something is often missing -- some quality that I remember from their past efforts. I think they are distracted by the sheer amount of ground they are trying to cover. Put simply...I think they are spreading themselves too thin.
Professor Pew's Avatar
Professor Pew at 05/26/2008 13:25
Cross platform White Engine you say? FF13 on the Wii with balance board summons?
Alpha 87655320875's Avatar
Alpha 87655320875 at 05/26/2008 13:34
I hope the "waves caused by these losses" force TURN BASED BATTLES!!!!!!!!!
Video Cognito's Avatar
Video Cognito at 05/26/2008 13:44
I sure as hell wouldn't mind an FFVII remake OR a new Chrono game. Or both! At the same time! PS3! PSP! INTERNETS!
Cube's Avatar
Cube at 05/26/2008 13:50
I can see why.

I am done with squares final fantasyathon have been since 20001 when they started going into the double digits,

then started throwing out horrible secret of mana rip offs like dawn of mana that had nothing to do, with there old games and was not even worthy to have the word mana in it..

Oh and there there was the lame ass chrono trigger redo secound game Chrono cross that only good factor that was even close to the Old cchrono trigger was the music done by the same guy. the art sucked the chracters sucked I did not care about any of the pokemon collectathon gotta catch em all characters.



Now all they throw out is remakes of final fantasy and spin of of wait... can you guess? what it's more final fantasy!

over and over again! it's no wonder i have not bought a sqaure game since kingdom heats 2 and that was what 3 years ago? at least those game are so insane idea that it's interesting again.

sqaure doing disney games wow just lilke capcom did awsome duck tales and rescue ranger games on the NES. cant pass that up.

Not going to get anything good for sqaure that often anymore. I'm not buying any of there remakes final fantasy 7 sucked balls i'mnot getting any of there final fantasy 7 wannabe spin off either.

1 sqaure game every 5 years is about my limit now If i buy anymore I will throw up much like getting bad beer and drinking to much of it and it's all in the exact type of bottle.
Tdiddy9182's Avatar
Tdiddy9182 at 05/26/2008 14:14
Is there even going to be a Kingdom Hearts 3? I figured that would be announced by now, since the games sold pretty well and were a lot of fun to play. I like getting to go through all the worlds from disney movies i watched as a kid, with a story connecting all of them. They did a really good job w that series, wheres the love?
Misanthrope's Avatar
Misanthrope at 05/26/2008 14:18
You wanna do better? Here are 2 simple steps square:

1) Get out of exclusivity deals: Seriously I bet any amount to anybody this generation will be a virtual 3 way tie. Put ALL your franchises on ALL system ok? None of this "360 undiscovery, PS3 the FF series and Nintendo gets the chronicles and other new franchises". Final Fantasy III should be on all systems that can handle it, Chronicles on all systems, you get the idea.

Its no wonder Squeenix has had a slow start in this generation, they putted all their money on the slowest moving console. And while we are on the subject commit to a timeframe for XIII already, delay those stupid knock off if you most ( or cancel them altogether, knock off only work on proven games not unreleased games that might not do well enough to sustain em ).

2) LOCALIZE: And by localize I mean everything...EVERYTHING. Stop whining about the high costs of localizing, stop patronizing gamers, your main market its geeks and otakus they would actually prefer only subtitles instead of dubbing and other things you use as excuse not to localize on a timely fashion if at all.
Vorin's Avatar
Vorin at 05/26/2008 14:51
1. No more exclusives
2. Stop making so many unnecessary FF games.
3. Make a remake of FF 7, FF 7 = money and more people buying a PS3.
4. Make KH3.
5. Create more varied games instead of the constant stream of Cell Phone games and begin making more better quality JRPGS.
6. Start new franchises on Xbox 360.
7. Is their anime department really that important? If it is then start making stuff for America instead of Japan only.
8. Look into more Chrono Trigger.
9. Finish development on FF 13 and vs 13.
10. Breathe more life into the PSP.
11. Also make more games for the DS.
king3vbo's Avatar
king3vbo at 05/26/2008 14:59
FF7 remakes are kiling them.

New Chrono Trigger = INSTANT CASH
Boggs's Avatar
Boggs at 05/26/2008 15:03
You can trace Square's decline back to the awful FF: Spirits Within. It was after blowing most of their cash reserves on that disaster they somehow called a movie, that they were forced merge with Enix to offset the losses and started pumping out quickies... which sadly they seem to have taken a linking to.

Square, pull your head out of your arse and realize that it's the abysmal quality of your titles that's losing you sales. People still love a good RPG with solid play/battle mechanics, an engaging story and characters you care about.

I remember when I dawned on me that Square had changed, it was FFX. Really, WTF was all that about? It was the first ever FF game since the NES days that I didn't complete on one 'go'. I had to put it down for a few months. And everything that was wrong with that game has carried over to all their recent efforts: characters that not only you don't care about, but actually *hate*, story lines so convoluted and 'epic' that you lose interest, and boringly average play mechanics.

Square man, you used to be cool, what happened to you?
Novakaine's Avatar
Novakaine at 05/26/2008 15:46
Also, to those who call Square-Enix the "RPG Kings": You're living in nostalgia. They lost that crown a long time ago. Level-5 pwns Square-Enix's heart and soul now and they know it.

PS: Squeenix, make Dragon Quest X for Wii using an optimized Dragon Quest Swords graphics engine and improve on DQ VIII's gameplay engine. kthxbai
Novakaine's Avatar
Novakaine at 05/26/2008 15:47
@ Boggs: I liked FF X more than VII, VIII, and IX....
Nightrain117's Avatar
Nightrain117 at 05/26/2008 15:55
@king3vbo: Also, a new Chrono Cross would be great too.

Back on topic, SquareEnix needs to stop raping the FFVII franchise until it's dry and just make the remake game already. I'm not even that interested anymore, they're just going to make Cloud more and more girly until he grows a vagina anyway.
F Whipple's Avatar
F Whipple at 05/26/2008 16:35
I would by a new FFVII...and the system it came out on if I didn't have it
Vanilla Gorilla's Avatar
Vanilla Gorilla at 05/26/2008 16:56
Final Fantasy VII + PS3 = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

They demonstrated they knew the winning formula back when they released the tech demo for the PS3 and gamers everywhere got a collective hard on.

Why they have not enacted upon this, I do not know.
Cowboy TTop's Avatar
Cowboy TTop at 05/26/2008 17:00
I think Phoenix is on the right track too.

FFVII remake, to be honest that should be left alone as Dirge (poor) and Crisis Core (great) are already based on it, therefore leave it alone. Chrono Trigger should have hit even the GBA years ago, and even on DS still hasn't, that's just lame. I don't know why its so hard for Square to give fans certain requested games, especially those more deserving.

I agree that The World Ends With You is a great game and a good change for Square to go in, but what amazes me about that game is that Square barely did any advertising for the game, in the U.S or Europe. This I don't understand, so its no surprise that sales might be lacking. How can Square expect to succeed by only shouting loudly about FF games and little else? Even the DS FF games got tv ads, but I never saw any for TWEWY. This problem needs fixing fast.

I also agree that while not as tech based, I find myself more excited by Atlus, Nippon Ichi, Vanillaware, Sting, and Mistwalker rpgs more. Odin Sphere and Persona 3 are small funded but exciting and fun experiences. Lost Odyssey staked its own claim against the odds.

I think with the release of MGS4, we'll be seeing the end of these old licenses for a while, which I don't think are as valuable as they once were. FF series also needs a rest with them. This a lesson that Capcoom are learning well, by remixing some of their classics, while also equally creating and promoting new IP. If Square follow Capcom and Sega's idea, they'd do much better.

You know what to do, Square. Translate a game like Itadaki Street, something different and push it out. More Front Mission, Parasite Eve, Vagrant Story, and from the Enix side, more Torneko, Actraiser, Ogre Battle, Robot Alchemic Drive, and don't forget some fresh IP.
Novakaine's Avatar
Novakaine at 05/26/2008 18:14
I believe in an old interview Squeenix said if they were to make FF VII, they wouldn't use a turn-based system and make it somewhere along the lines of Crisis Core and FF XII. Also, as before mentioned (by myself and the Retronauts), the game's plot and pacing would need a huge overhaul. To many people it wouldn't be "true" FF VII... although Squeenix sheep have proven they don't care about gameplay so long as they get pretty graphics and angst.
Cletus the Fetus's Avatar
Cletus the Fetus at 05/26/2008 19:01
Sqare-enix has gone downhill since FFX. Most of their new games since then have been merely good, rather than fantastic like their older games. Except for Sword of Mana and Dragon Quest 8 and almost FFXII. Anyways, what they should do is fire Tetsuya Nomura and get a real artist instead of some asshole with a zipper fetish. That could bring in some of the people who didn't want to play games in which the main characters look complete dumbasses. They should make some new IP's and actually advertise them, maybe not RPG's, and stop doing remakes and spinoffs once dissidia comes out, unless it's a non DS remake of FF6 (on psp maybe). And get rid of Nomura. Can't stress that enough.
Kathos's Avatar
Kathos at 05/26/2008 19:18
FF is dead. XI is the last bastion.
Dexter345's Avatar
Dexter345 at 05/26/2008 19:33
Do you think they'll take this, and think, "Oh, maybe we should make new games now," or do you think they'll just keep doing what they're doing?
Kathos's Avatar
Kathos at 05/26/2008 19:35
They'll just keep what they're doing, 'cause weeabos will buy anything they put out as long as the main character and his rival are totally gay bones for each other.
naia-the-gamer's Avatar
naia-the-gamer at 05/26/2008 19:36
What Novakaine said about DQ X.

I still blame Sakaguchi leaving and Nomura shitting all over everything.

As much as I don't want them to remake VII for the PS3, it would make them money and it would shut a lot of people up. I really want them to give that kind of treatment only to IV and VI and give it a break for a while, but I know overall I'm in the minority.

Make a REAL Chrono Trigger game. Square has merged with Enix, they could probably get Yuji Hori and Akira Toryiama to work on it again. If they're not going to do anything with it, could they sell it to Mistwalker and let Sakaguchi work on it? Please?

Also, I thought the reason why KH3 hasn't been announced yet is because a) the team is working on FFXIII and b) those three portable KH games are coming out (one on PSP, one on DS, and one on cell phone).

Finally if they're gonna make cell phone games, port them to the DS and sell them outside the US. I want my FFIV: the After.
Kyousuke Nanbu's Avatar
Kyousuke Nanbu at 05/26/2008 19:40
Ever since the PS1 era ended Square slacked off considerably, outside of the numerous remakes and franchise whoring, the main games they made just weren't that good, FFX's story was a rip-off off the one in Breath of Fire and for all the good things FFX did, FFX-2 pretty much crapped all over them.

Even the Enix side of the company doesn't seem safe as every damn game from the Enix camp was total crap.

And if they plan to make a spin-off at least put some effort into it, revenant wings was horrid. The FF3 remake was also horrible.

It would also be nice to see some old franchises, why is FF so special? A DS remake or even straight port of Chrono Trigger would sell millions and yet all Square does is sit on the Chrono name and squashes any fan attempts to remake it.

A few years ago, a game with Square on the title was gold, now I see the name Square and avoid it.
Crunshii's Avatar
Crunshii at 05/26/2008 21:20
SE better release that secret MMO their working on to pull up those numbers back to +
RawwrBag's Avatar
RawwrBag at 05/26/2008 21:34
@The first poster: They had a pretty good start on the PS3 FFVII back in 2006 when they demoed it at E3. Since then an extended version appeared as the hidden ending for that PSP game Crisis Core...

Sadly Squeenix will continue to crap all over games I enjoyed in the past, so I'm really not expecting too much from a PS3 FFVII. But I'm still anticipating it, and I will no doubt rent/borrow a PS3 if/when this goes down!
slayoyayo's Avatar
slayoyayo at 05/26/2008 22:12
I dunno what the deal is with 'Square going down the tubes' or 'getting worse' or 'crapping all over the place'.

Square has always been mostly shit, and has been shitting all over itself since Day 1.

For every FF3 caliber game, there are a handful of FF Mystic Quests. For every Secret of Mana, a Secret of Evermore waits idly to shit on it.

This has been going on since the NES daze, I guess the only change would be the production values. Butt fuck a JRPG in 2008 anyway.
Burntgerbil's Avatar
Burntgerbil at 05/26/2008 22:57
Please, they should re-make Vagrant Story.
Noah's Avatar
Noah at 05/26/2008 23:12
I miss my ps1....I miss running my fingers over my collection of RPGs in 4 disc jewel cases....*sniff*

Made about $600 off 'em all on ebay a few years ago, though ;)
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