How Square enix can be more successful

[Razberry Knight]

Square enix has dropped the ball a few times recently (try and deny it).


When this game company is in dire need of money. They rely on desperate actions and then question there methods. This is where the more radical ideas come in.


I know without a shadow of a doubt if Square Enix made better decisions, final fantasy VII would for the most part be at least multi-disc, not a series.

So here are some things Square enix can look into that they should've looked into a long time ago.

RELEASE GAMES WE NEVER GOT IN THE WEST
When a game never released outside of Japan, Westerners want it even more. Romancing Saga trilogy, Final Fantasy Legends/Dimensions, and Bahamut Lagoon are the ones that people think about. But just announcing any game Square Enix that never made it to the US or Europe still brings a bit of buzz because it will feel like a new game. Even if it was originally on a ROM because they would enhance them and release it.

So if they announce games like Romancing Saga trilogy, or Bahamut Lagoon or Treasures of Ruhdra. They can still gain significant profit. Especially with a 25th anniversary. Which felt like they are doing absolutely nothing on it.

WHEN YOU ANNOUNCE A GAME MAKE SURE ITS IN FULL PRODUCTION

This one pisses me off not just for FFXV but also FF type-0. ff type-0 was over hyped people didnt see ot for what it was. And the title was ambitous to being its own universe but FNC held it back. The whole idea of announcing a sub series based on a mythos was stupid. The one time they were ambitious and they jump the gun. Its a Meta series within a Meta series.

Fabula Nova Crystallis was a failure. And Square enix apparently learned from it, or have they? Ff type-0 was designed to have sequels and they still want to make FF Type-0 online after the failure of FF Agito. FF15 doesn't want to be a sequel anymore and because of that the plot has been compromised. That doesn't mean they won't.

And now ff7 which is going to be a series. Which has a whole new spectrum of possible issues that are very Very real.


STOP MAKING GIMMICKY GAMES AND START MAKING AMBITIOUS GAMES.
Remember the days when FF would make their own style of gaming? Now we have social games. But social games aren't bad. I've played many of them. Ff needs an original social game. A game where it contains it's own universe and doesn't bank on nostalgia. Which reminds me:

Whats the difference between Dissidia from Theatrhythm/Record Keeper/Explorers and World of FF?

Dissidia was ambitious. It was a game that wanted to try something new but workable and also adding their own original story. Seeing ff characters from other games interacting was one of the any benefits.

But what about these other games? FF explorers, world of FF are running on nostalgia but have no ambition to bring something new. The y even make it look like chibi characters. Even REcord Keeper falls in the pits of unoriginality, Which once the game is finally finished, people will look back as a gimmicky game.

I will admit record keeper is gaining more success (than it should) but FF explorers and World of FF, even Theatrhythm make fun of the deep universe that is FF. It makes FF look that much of a comedy.


With games costing more money to gain profit. They shouldn't be playing it safe with gimmicky titles. Thats all short term thinking. FfF dissidia was ambitious and because of that gained sequels. Ff tactics gained spiritual sequels but sequels nonetheless . Crystal chronicles was a mix of experimental Nintendo branding and ambition. But it gained an audience. I admit it wasn't perfect.

I honestly can't imagine demand for FF explorers 2, World of FF 2 or even another The at rhythm game. These games have their own quirks but too into the casual game play. Long term thinking is about making games that make you want to demand more. So that productivity and sales increase. I honestly thought we we're going to get more Dissidia games even after Dissidia.

FINAL FANTASY IS A CONSOLE SELLER
With Wii U being in the all time low, FF has plenty of room to bring it back. Even if its just in the e-shop. And no they shouldn't have done the gimmicky Cloud in Super Smash. They could make more games for Wii U.

The reasons why DS expanded so much was because of FF 3 AND 4 3D remakes. I know PSP also became memorable due to Ff and KH games on the PSP. But connected with my previous point: don't make gimmicky games.

 

[Noblesse Oblige]

Okay, to sum up because I don't have the time or the patience to make a rant about it.

Personally, ambitious games is something that's been lacking in the video game business in general. Those very ambitious games tend to be very few and far between by many of the big name companies, and while it is far more seen in small name developers, it's still not seen that much in recent years, because people are so addicted to the gimmicky games more.

So yeah, the gimmicky games vs. ambitious games is an issue not with Square but with the video game industry in general, but that besides...

I do agree with the make sure its in full production from the get go bit, and that is something Squeenix has been very guilty of for much of the late 2000's and in this decade as well. FF Versus XIII did not need to be FFXV. I know they're a big name company, but at the same when you been in development hell for so long, it does not turn out to end well in the long run, and I'm already making my prediction that FFXV will be the worst game of the year the year it comes out. Because it did not need to take this long and so much that probably would have been good form the get go would be gone now. To make it a point, if you're going to do that, you may as well just cancel the project altogether and call it a day. But I digress.

All in all, Square has been doing a shoddy job lately, but hey, it could be worse, they could pull the stunts Konami have been pulling this year, and making people wish for Konami to go out like Atari.

 

[Shaissa]

Overall minus the confusion that was the FFXIII franchise, that includes what would become XV and Phase-O, I actually think Square is ok in most fields. Overall any major problems with Square is overall a problem with the industry.
The "gimmicky games" overall that you mentioned have sold moderately well.
I think being too ambitious can be too dangerous in an industry that is costing a lot of money when you talk AAA games. I am not saying don't try new things or get ambitious, cause those games can turn out to be great, but to constantly try new things can get too dangerous when you talk about a franchise, I think fans like a bit of consistency, which Final Fantasy hasn't had since probably IX.

As far as Final Fantasy selling consoles, although it does help a console I don't think people would buy a Wii-U or a Vita just because of a Final Fantasy. I mean even though people liked the games on PSP, it didn't really sell the console as much as they hoped. I think maybe they can put FFXV on the future NX if Nintendo doesn't make it "gimmicky" like the Wii's were.

Overall minus the FF series, I think Square has done alright.

 

[AuronX]

At this point Square Enix is still in recovery mode from poor management that guided (or misguided, perhaps) them through the PS3/360 generation. Nearly every first-party project they have in the oven right now has ties to something left half-baked from several years ago. Because they've already poured so much into development of these titles, from a business perspective they aren't left with much choice but to try and salvage what they can and at least break even. In some cases this has worked out really well--Final Fantasy XIV, for example. It remains to be seen whether XV will be worth the wait, but at least they tried to break it off from Fabula Nova Crystallis and make it stand on its own. And now they're even capitalizing on classic franchises again like Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy VII to sort of rediscover their roots. Even the Dissidia arcade game is an attempt to hark back to Square Enix's brighter moments of the past.

In other words: give them time. Let this current phase pass and they will be more free to invest in major properties that are truly original. As it stands they just need to finish cleaning the slate. Mobile titles and portables like World of Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy Explorers just exist to keep the ship afloat in the meantime. Those types of games are instant cash in Japan and that's all they're intended to be, but the reason isn't entirely sinister. Those are the games funding the titles we really want.

 

[Linnaete]

I know without a shadow of a doubt if Square Enix made better decisions, final fantasy VII would for the most part be at least multi-disc, not a series.

I've already discussed elsewhere why this makes business sense and I don't wish to repeat it.

How are we defining "success" here? Monetary success in terms of return on investment? Or are we defining it by subjective conceptions of the strength of the Final Fantasy brand and how fans online are reacting? The latter can't actually be accurately assessed and won't be of much help if the company is in the red, so the only metric of success that matters is the former. And that's all I will say on this.

RELEASE GAMES WE NEVER GOT IN THE WEST
When a game never released outside of Japan, Westerners want it even more. Romancing Saga trilogy, Final Fantasy Legends/Dimensions, and Bahamut Lagoon are the ones that people think about.

I dunno. They're a niche. It's not exactly Halo: Master Chief Collection level of potential "significant profit". They'll make a small ripple and that will be it. Heck, last I heard, Type-0 HD hasn't been much of a success for Square Enix, despite all the fervent clamouring from fans online for its English release. It's also why you see it overstocked and at low prices.

Also, I have never seen anyone talk about those franchises. Heck, I scarcely even know what Bahamut Lagoon and Romancing Saga are.

WHEN YOU ANNOUNCE A GAME MAKE SURE ITS IN FULL PRODUCTION

This. Screw what they have been doing last generation. FFXIII, Versus XIII, Agito XIII, Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers. What did they all have in common? Oh yes, none of them were anything more than pre-production concepts when they were announced.

Heck, they didn't even know what sort of game they were looking to make. Crystal Bearers itself completely changed entirely in concept and genre. Utterly embarrassing.

STOP MAKING GIMMICKY GAMES AND START MAKING AMBITIOUS GAMES.

FF explorers, world of FF are running on nostalgia but have no ambition to bring something new. The y even make it look like chibi characters. Even REcord Keeper falls in the pits of unoriginality, Which once the game is finally finished, people will look back as a gimmicky game.

Why does everything need to bring something new? What's wrong with capitalising on what is currently popular now and then and injecting your own character into it like Explorers? As for World of Final Fantasy, it looks like a refreshing return to a mid-budget traditional game with an intriguing stacking mechanic that I hope won't be woefully executed in the final product. It tickles nostalgia and it also looks inviting enough for a younger audience as well. Let them have a bone.

I will admit record keeper is gaining more success (than it should) but FF explorers and World of FF, even Theatrhythm make fun of the deep universe that is FF. It makes FF look that much of a comedy.

lmao

Yeah, super serious, dramatic, albeit still recognisable anime-esque, pseudo-realistic art directions is what Final Fantasy HAS to be these days. I can see why you really hate World of Final Fantasy and Theatrhythm then, because their directors have made conscious efforts to completely deviate from things like FFXV and bring some cute, whimsical charm to a franchise that honestly hasn't been present in the modern, mainline games for a while.

To quote Galvatron in the Transformers '86 movie: "this is bad comedy". You're worried about FF looking like a comedy? I think years of mismanagement, FFXIV 1.0 and the FFXIII trilogy have already done that.

With games costing more money to gain profit. They shouldn't be playing it safe with gimmicky titles. Thats all short term thinking.

You seem a little confused here. As AuronX said, these are harmless titles that fill the gap and keep the money coming in on top of steady streams of revenue from mobiles and MMOs. It just so happens that the current ones don't seem to appeal to you. It's ultimately these supposedly unambitious games that will probably see reinvestment into the bigger titles...unless management is somehow dire and incompetent and the money comes out as CEO bonuses or something, I dunno.

Look at Bravely Default. It did well. You'd probably have slammed it for being short-term thinking and "gimmicky" somehow (what does that even mean, anyway?), despite being what many hailed to be a return to form for the charming and whimsical turn-based affair that reminds them of the 16-bit and 32-bit days. World of Final Fantasy and Project Setsuna look set to join it as callbacks to more familiar ATB-based battle systems. I can easily see them being received very well and start a new trend where Square becomes more willing to invest in RPGs of a more traditional style. Would that be sufficiently "long term" enough a way of planning for you, while they're also going all-out on expensive projects for PS4 at the same time?

 

[Razberry Knight]

I've already discussed elsewhere why this makes business sense and I don't wish to repeat it.

How are we defining "success" here? Monetary success in terms of return on investment? Or are we defining it by subjective conceptions of the strength of the Final Fantasy brand and how fans online are reacting? The latter can't actually be accurately assessed and won't be of much help if the company is in the red, so the only metric of success that matters is the former. And that's all I will say on this.

One-part business, Two-part regaining the old fans, and another two-part gaining new fans even faster.

I dunno. They're a niche. It's not exactly Halo: Master Chief Collection level of potential "significant profit". They'll make a small ripple and that will be it. Heck, last I heard, Type-0 HD hasn't been much of a success for Square Enix, despite all the fervent clamouring from fans online for its English release. It's also why you see it overstocked and at low prices.

Also, I have never seen anyone talk about those franchises. Heck, I scarcely even know what Bahamut Lagoon and Romancing Saga are.

Exactly!!! The fact that you don't know and never experienced it for yourself is a good chance for Square Enix to bank on. All you need to know is that A) it was a Japanese game that never released, B) it was made in the golden days of Square Enix. Here's another game that other

Why does everything need to bring something new? What's wrong with capitalising on what is currently popular now and then and injecting your own character into it like Explorers? As for World of Final Fantasy, it looks like a refreshing return to a mid-budget traditional game with an intriguing stacking mechanic that I hope won't be woefully executed in the final product. It tickles nostalgia and it also looks inviting enough for a younger audience as well. Let them have a bone.

No no no....don't confuse ambitious with "unique". FF Dissidia was ambitious because it wasn't just trying to be a Pseudo-Capcom game or a Super Smash. It had differnt battle modes, but it also added story elements and challenges to unlock more. plus it was still an RPG.

Games like Theatrhythm are nothing but a rhythm game. FF Explorers is nothing but a rehashing of Monster Hunter. World of FF is selling more of its cute design and less on meaningful story.

Theathrythm isn't timeless though. Dissidia is. Dissidia had the option of playing as your characters. Here's a few ways i can make Theatrhythm interesting. Add some form of puzzle mode. Give a sense of completionist. Add an optional story. Get rid of Monster Octopus crpapy designs. Add original characters that you can unlock specifically designed for Theatrythm and make them unlockable, making you want to play even more.

Yeah, super serious, dramatic, albeit still recognisable anime-esque, pseudo-realistic art directions is what Final Fantasy HAS to be these days. I can see why you really hate World of Final Fantasy and Theatrhythm then, because their directors have made conscious efforts to completely deviate from things like FFXV and bring some cute, whimsical charm to a franchise that honestly hasn't been present in the modern, mainline games for a while.

We have enugh whimsical charm. I'm not saying the games have to be overly dramatic, or super serious. But these games aren't artistic. They're banking on the typical. And i don't know if its just me, but Square enix SUCKS at making anything cute. the only time they were able to make something cute was when Akihiko Yoshida was around (FF3/FF: 4HoL/ Bravely Default). But this butt-ugly Monster Octopus or whateer his name is ugly. It fit Kingdom Hearts, but not so much FF.

To quote Galvatron in the Transformers '86 movie: "this is bad comedy". You're worried about FF looking like a comedy? I think years of mismanagement, FFXIV 1.0 and the FFXIII trilogy have already done that.

I'm not worried that FF will turn into a Comedy. FF is a sad joke. And its insult to injury to have that very Joke make joke of itself. Like a bully who bullies a kid, and that kid bullies himself as to be part of the crowd. FF13 and FF14 weren't intended to be jokes. BUt they are. and in those times, thats where SE needs to redeem itself more.

You seem a little confused here. As AuronX said, these are harmless titles that fill the gap and keep the money coming in on top of steady streams of revenue from mobiles and MMOs. It just so happens that the current ones don't seem to appeal to you. It's ultimately these supposedly unambitious games that will probably see reinvestment into the bigger titles...unless management is somehow dire and incompetent and the money comes out as CEO bonuses or something, I dunno.

Chocobo series is a time-gap filler and they are solid games. Quirky stories? but considering the design, it builds more curiosity than it does push people away. But i don't think you understand what i'm saying. If they just added 30% in adding more story, and also trying to sell a story to us (whether casual or deadly serious). That would be enough to make these time fillers more than just time fillers.

If theatrhythm had a story mode, i would've bought it. If there was distinct equipment/monsters that i would like to battle in FF explorers i would buy it. Its kind of like making a Pokemon game, and having the ugliest sprites ever. For me, thats what Square enix has been doing.

Look at Bravely Default. It did well. You'd probably have slammed it for being short-term thinking and "gimmicky" somehow (what does that even mean, anyway?), despite being what many hailed to be a return to form for the charming and whimsical turn-based affair that reminds them of the 16-bit and 32-bit days. World of Final Fantasy and Project Setsuna look set to join it as callbacks to more familiar ATB-based battle systems. I can easily see them being received very well and start a new trend where Square becomes more willing to invest in RPGs of a more traditional style. Would that be sufficiently "long term" enough a way of planning for you, while they're also going all-out on expensive projects for PS4 at the same time?

Again....same thing with Dissidia. Bravely Default was a solid RPG. I wouln't call the entirety of the game "gimmicky". World of FF isn't that much of a callback when all the characters and even monsters are so vastly morphed. World of FF actually misleads people. FF was never about cutesy designs. It was about well-made sprites. In the older days, we had to use our imagination more. Sure our player sprites were somewhat cute. But we didn't necessarily label the game as cute. And thats what World of FF is and making it a full-scale game is a waste of money. I normally don't have a problem with games like World of FF, if they were on 3DS or something. It would actually sell better there, and no one would dare question it.


But for PSvita and PS4?