Ben-DutkaAnd that "voice from the heavens?" It came in the form of "extraordinary losses" suffered by Square Enix.
In company documents published this week , the former president elaborated on his stepping down from the position of Square Enix president. And as it turns out, the huge losses suffered by his company were a clear sign that he needed to move on.
"I, personally, would have liked to wait and hand over the firm when it is at its best. However, the huge loss was like a voice from the heavens telling me 'It's time to move on.' After given [sic] much thought, I have judged that it would be best to support the company in other ways as I hand over my roles and responsibilities. For this reason, I have decided to step down."
Square Enix chief financial officer Yosuke Matsuda has replaced Wada, and the latter believes the new boss is the most qualified candidate to help turn the company around. But to do so will require "fundamental and drastic reforms in the organization." As for Wada, he says he will be "completely gone from Square Enix Holdings" but even so-
"…I believe it is my duty as an employee to support the firm in my own ways, including exploiting new businesses, and to yield sound results and performances," he added. "Although I will step down from management, I will continue to work hard to give back to a company that granted me so much."
Square Enix's biggest titles didn't perform well (at least, as far as company expectations were concerned) in the past six months or so, and that has led to the aforementioned losses. As for Wada, there are some Final Fantasy fans out there who are happy to see him leave.
Now you know he was out of his mind.
And so a despot and madman has been swept into the dustbin of gaming history where he belongs…
I'm wary of another chief financial officer being in charge but perhaps even he can see that profit lies with tried and true methods as opposed to focus-testing and fortune telling.
Failure is a voice from the heavens?
Dude, that so-called voice from heaven?
I think it's actually the fans.
I'm curious; did the voice sound somewhat like a thousand pissed of gamers screaming at you to go away?
More like 10 million or so
It probably sounded like the board of directors saying "GTFO".
I think it was Ben.
It surely isn't just Final Fantasy fans that are happy to see him go. Being a Front Mission fan(along with FF) I also am very happy to see him go. Wada is without a doubt the worst thing to ever happen to the company. Many hated the merger of Square and Enix I seen massive potential, however Wada quickly destroyed those dreams.
I honestly cannot believe that he had to step down. How didn't the rest of the company see this destruction from within. A ridiculous amount off fans spotted this several years ago and yet somehow the company did not.
*Holds glass up*
Cheers to the end of a very dark time in SE's history.
I wish the heavens had told Wada to leave sooner.
I'm not big on JRPGs, but I feel for those that are and have suffered under his rule.
You know what else is sad? I've completely lost interest in Kingdom Hearts. I'll always hold dear 1 and 2, but all these handheld releases? I have lost so much track of the story now that I just don't care.
So now, I've become skeptical about Front Mission, FF, Kingdom Hearts, and Dragon Quest (again… don't care for these handheld releases)
im sorry, i just cant stop rolling around in laughter after reading that headline!
thanks, now i gotta mop up all the blood, stitch back my intestines, and get a new pair of undies.
great…..
hillarious, just found a post on IGN listing the exact numbers $E expected TR, hitman, and sleeping dogs to sell.
TR expected sales 5-6M.
HA expected sales 4.5-5M.
SD expected sales 2-2.5M.
……. yea, there totally resonable predictions!
christ, are we sure 38 studios, the guys who did kindgoms of amalour were not secretly owned by $E?
no, seriously, because this is the mismanagement that would explain those results!
f*ck $E, what the hell?
2-2.5M for a new IP, a remade game from a pretty crap developer, and a game which was renamed due to a cancellation by antivision?
you f*cking MAD!!!!!!!
It was probably just Bahamut charging a mega flare.
UHm, did anyone (including Ben) actually -read- the article? Wada did -not- say a voice from heaven literally told him to step down. It states quite clearly in the quoted text that "the huge loss" was LIKE a voice from heaven telling him to step down. He was using a simile. Did you all fail English?
Hating on Wada is fine and all, but please be accurate with the reporting. Leave misleading headlines to Yahoo News articles.
Last edited by Ultima on 4/11/2013 4:18:59 PM
Wada should probably cut down in the blow.
And their expectations were ****ing ridiculous.