Ben-DutkaSquare-Enix's New Year's resolution is simple: take things up a notch, maybe diversify the company products, and above all else, "establish a strong foothold" in the industry."
Yeah, they're just words but this is how many Japanese companies usher in a fresh year, by outlining their goals – often lofty – for the upcoming four quarters and delivering a "statement" or two designed to make the stockholders a bit happier about the current situation. As reported by Kotaku , Square-Enix boss Yoichi Wada issued his statement and it acknowledges the ever-changing tides of the industry. Said Wada:
"In the near future, the rate of convergence between video games and other digital entertainment content will only continue to accelerate. It is for that reason we will make 2010 a year of taking root, in which we use this environment of change as an opportunity for establishing a strong foothold with which to lead the global entertainment industry."
Video games and movies have been butting heads for quite some time now and despite Hollywood execs continually blaming games for stealing away theater-goers, the two industries appear to be playing nice on the surface. Just about every last action and/or kids movie in existence becomes a video game, and several future blockbuster films are based on video games. But let's not forget that "other digital entertainment" goes well beyond movies, so Square-Enix could be looking to get their hands into all sorts of stuff. That's fine and dandy, S-E, but…just gimme FFXIII and I will forgive you for past transgressions.
wada needs to step down, that man had made some of the most ridiculous decisions since this generation, o0o wada!!
I'm just one guy here,…. but I'm thinking maybe SE should have made their first #1 priority resolution….
Getting their projects out a little quicker for all their RPG fans?????
I think Square is out of MP
And Wada is its poison
So sad, oh well there's always ATLUS, SCEJ, Level 5, etc.
Their priority is make more money!!!
That's the mindset of all business so there's no surprise there.
I wouldn't mind more CG movies from SE. Personally I enjoyed both Advent Children and Spirits Within.
That said, I still want my FF games with their engaging stories and their unrivaled cut-scenes.
FFXIII still remains in third on the list of upcoming FF games I want to play. I can't wait to find out more about FFVersus and FFXIV. Don't worry, Ben, even when addicted to MMO games I do not ignore other new or old titles.
Last edited by Nynja on 1/4/2010 11:47:00 AM
"a strong foothold with which to lead the global entertainment industry" ???
Is he joking? With what Wada, with what? Are they planning on releasing another ten games that no one knows about?
Guy's talking out his ass like Cameron did.
He's talking about the long waited FFVII remake.
say "with what wada" fast 3 times,lol.Seems like its taking forever to release FF XIII.
wada you are fire. Nomura need to run SE instead of wada, Nomura is SE last hope they lost ff creater and the only one that can save them is Nomura I looking forward to ffvsxiii
Nomura starting to suck I hate his latest character designs.
Last edited by Oxvial on 1/4/2010 12:29:39 PM
How did Cameron talk out his ass?
Again how did Cammy poo talk out of his ass?
@ Nynja – I really hope so.
Was it the translation or did that quote make no sense at all?
Their resolution should be to work with the PS3 exclusively and make its original fanbase happy. All else "iz teh failz"
@WorldEndsWithMe I agree with u. SE forgot the real fan base is on the playstation brand no offence to Nintendo I love Nintendo. Playstation is the future for rpgs. Playb3yond.
Definitely. Then they could utilize the power of the PS3 and really start focusing on the fans who made them who they are!
To be fair DQ9 sold an ass load on Japan on a Nintendo system.
Japanese citizens spend a LOT of time traveling on mass transit systems. Thus, handhelds are popular. Their homes, however, tend to be very tiny. Deep, HD console gaming just will never generate the same numbers in Japan as the shallow, cheap handheld games will.
If they put DQIX on the PSP, it would have sold just as well… and been a better game to boot.
-Arvis
Good point Arvis, although the user base for the DS is far greater than the PSP in the Asian market. It did let me down, I really enjoyed DQ8 and was hoping to get DQ9 for the PS3.
I wonder whether they are referring to two things, subscription games like FF XIV and games for hand held devices like the PSp and iPhone…
Would be interesting if you think about it.
I just think SE has stretched themselves a little thin these days. Alien is right, they just put out 10 games on 10 platforms and then say that they are all part of the same story arc….and I'm not going to play any of them. I'm a console guy – I just want FF XIII.
They neeed to reclaim the foothold they once had….but that doesn't mean by expanding into more pointless avenues.
But it's so true…you have to release games to have a foothold.
IMO SE needs to keep doing what they do best. That's continuing to develop within the brands they've already established for decades.
Yes sir, outside key brands, I haven't liked anything squares put out.
Squeenix gimme more please.
cant way for this company to go belyup, only game that mayb good is versus,i jst hate how we are paying whit money, but also we have to beg too, is like we support all the malice that come our way
I don't want them to fold by any means. They are the reason that my brother and I got a PS1 back in the day. And they still produce some of the greatest games…
It just takes 3 years in between titles now. I'd like to see that gap decrease a little bit.
Oh, and stop making crappy mobile phone games.
Yoichi's Bow!
C'mon guys, you feelin' me? 😉
This guy is lineage to one of 12 Legendary Weapons.
*LAUGHS*
Never made that connection… 😀
-Arvis
Maybe SE will abandon FF games, and just make movies like Pixar. Cut scenes is what they do best after all. The archaic menu-based and unrealistic turn-based game play is getting long in the tooth.
I'm sure they would love to concentrate on subscription-based MP only games, like FF XIV will be.
Oh, the horrors!
They learned their lesson with The Spirits Within (I actually loved it and saw it multiple times in theaters). SE won't be abandoning games for movies any time soon.
I like turn based. Because of Ben's repeated glowing comments about Lost Odyssey I just yesterday fired it up. It pwns the living daylights out of Mass Effect. You play that game and you'll see just how fantastic turn-based battles can be.
@ Alienange — I have LO too. I've yet to play it. I'll give it a try soon.
Last edited by Hezzron on 1/4/2010 4:34:54 PM
will say it again: fire the top heads of SE, hire back the legendary Sakaguchi. the first to go is Wada, i hate the guy to the guts.
Last edited by BigBoss4ever on 1/4/2010 8:06:13 PM
I reeeealy miss squaresoft
Just put in those 80s/90s games and remember the good ole times.
cant no trophies ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (trophy ho)
maybe release games worldwide instead of giving your western fans the finger?
yea, that sounds like a pretty good new years resolution to me.
besides giving the fans what theve been demanding for years, the return of Donald duck!
o, and Micky, how could i forget the worlds favorite mouse!
I hate Squeenix…really though, I don't want Square TV or movies published by Square-Enix Movies Inc. just stick to making your games…I went on and on about Square-Enix in my latest forum post about digital distribution (which has gotten no replies, thank you, thank you =D) but I digress, I hate Square-Enix as a company more than I hate Microsoft's Windows.