Square Enix admits it might be cannibalizing its own games as multiple RPGs, including Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, get hit with its classic ‘below expectations’ line
“We did not manage our title portfolio across the company as well as we could have”
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
Square Enixhas admitted it could have done a better job at managing its games to make sure they weren’t cannibalizing each other and sneaking money out of their corporate sibling’s pockets.
Square Enix president Takashi Kiryu said as much in the company’sfinancial results briefingin May, which was just recently released to the public. The briefing delves into the company’s failed “medium-term business plan” that covered 2022 to its most recent fiscal year ending this March 31 and made the publisher around 150 billion yen less than it was expecting.
“We recognize that issues remain in the Digital Entertainment segment,” Kiryu explained in the briefing. “The HD Games sub-segment failed to better its profitability, posting operating losses in every year of our previous medium-term plan.”
Square’s president says the missed goals were partly down to how it “did not manage our title portfolio across the company as well as we could have, which I believe resulted in opportunity losses due to cannibalization between our own titles.” Kiryu doesn’t point to any specific examples, but the publisher is somewhat notorious for releasing niche, sometimes great games haphazardly. In September 2022, for example, it pushed out Yoko Taro’s deckbuilding RPG, turn-based RPG Various Daylife, strategy RPG The Diofield Chronicle, and action RPG Valkyrie Elysium without much space to breathe or promotion - talk about self-sabotage.
Elsewhere, the company pulled its most recognizable catchphrase out of the locker to proclaim that some of its games - multiplayer shooter Foamstars, Final Fantasy 16, and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth to shame and name a few - came in under “expectations.” But, again, Square Enix has been banging that drum at least since itcomplained of Tomb Raider 2013’s missed sales expectations- and that reboot kickstarted a trilogy that went on to sell over 38 copies in the long run.
Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts' Tetsuya Nomura says he started making “hot” characters after a friend said he didn’t want to be ugly in games, and then he just never stopped.
Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter
Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more
Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that’s vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he’ll soon forget.
Final Fantasy 14 devs confirm patch 7.1 release date, and everyone’s favorite lizard heartthrob is part of the MMO’s FF11 raid collab
Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi reportedly reuniting once more with JRPG legend Nobuo Uematsu on a new unnamed game 38 years after their first collaboration
Millions of Fortnite players watch Snoop Dogg and Ice Spice livestream a concert as part of a rap-themed Chapter 2 Remix that includes Eminem and a tribute to Juice WRLD
