[13/05] Square Enix Wants More Original IPs

[Linnaete]

Square Enix has released presentation materials from its earnings briefing today.

The slide to watch is this:

Apparently, the company is aiming to double its major IPs. Currently, it has six major IPs: Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and Kingdom Hearts from Tokyo, Tomb Raider from Crystal Dynamics, Deus Ex from Eidos Montreal and Hitman from IO Interactive. It's aiming to have five more original IPs, two from Tokyo, one from Eidos Montreal, one from IO Interactive and one from Wimbeldon.

What this means is not totally clear just looking at the slides, so we'll have to wait for possible clarification once reports come in from the company's briefing later tonight.

Square Enix's plan for the future also calls for becoming more "network centric." This involves strengthened download content for console titles, digitalizing of catalog titles, and revitalization of major MMO titles (presumably centered on Final Fantasy XIV).

Other slides of note show a huge drop in game sales for the previous year, and the expectation of continued drops to come:

For the previous term, the company unit sales dropped from the 26.66 million unit high of 2012 to 16.85 million. Japan was the biggest market with 6.49 million units, down from the 11.70 million of the year prior. Europe and North America followed, both also down significantly from the year prior.

In 2012, Square Enix expects these numbers to fall even further, totaling 14.5 million units split 5.3 million for Japan, 5.1 million for Europe and 4.1 million for North America.

Meanwhile, the company's investments in North America and Europe increased more than Japan. Going from 2010 to 2011, Japanese investment increased from 10.3 billion yen to 11.5 billion yen. North America and Europe went up from 5.7 billion yen to 8.4 billion.

Source: Andriasang

 

[Hatifnatten]

All right, two more Japanese IPs

Everything made in the west studios can burn down for all I care.

 

[King of Baron]

Make Chrono Trigger and something like Xenogears or Parasite Eve a franchise. BAM done.

 

[Linnaete]

As much as I would like to see another Chrono or the revival of an IP that hasn't seen the light of day outside of re-releases, suddenly I don't trust them enough to handle it in a fully satisfactory way. While I haven't played The 3rd Birthday I heard all about how needlessly convoluted the story is and how they've essentially butchered the once strong lead character of Aya Brea into a quiet, demure, cardboard-like shell of her who has her clothes torn off now and then and is hardly even reminiscient of the previous Aya. While this isolated incident shouldn't automatically mean SE will butcher IP revivals, I still give some pause.

I'm good with the idea of new IPs. It gives them a chance to really flex themselves and try to invent something a little more creative and different way compared to the already well-established franchises that we already have. They may end up making something that perhaps doesn't set people's world alight, but it's still more interesting to have them around than constantly focusing on the next Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts. And as for that bit of hatred towards western developers I've seen in this thread, I'm still curious. The opinion is appreciated, but I've not yet seen this claim qualified much, if at all. It just sounds too much like a tribal allegiance to Japanese-only games. Not everything has to be a JRPG particularly with a now-multinational company like Square Enix.

 

[Rey]

I would really love them to take Xenogears and make it a series. Even if Xenogears is pretty much a stand alone game with some references to Xenosaga here and there. I have mentioned Square Enix taking Xenosaga long ago and I think that would be pretty awesome.. but they only made Xenogears and not Xenosaga.. as that was created by Monolith Soft. If Xenogears would have a sequel that would be great.. because Xenogears is a fantastic game. I certainly agree that they can make it a series just like how Xenosaga was born and was supposed to be Six games but was cut down to three. I am making reference to both series because they have a little bit of similarities but not much.

 

[Zeith]

Good.They really,really need new IP.Regardless of whether or not you like their current franchises,surely we can all agree that it's just not good business sense to suck all the money you can get out of one IP before moving on to the next one.The stories might turn into convoluted messes that sacrifice everything the originals stood for all in the name of quick cash,as the same game mechanics are rehashed again and again with little difference.

This could easily revitalize them,though;and I don't want to see any revivals,either,because a company that only lives in the past will eventually lose all its momentum.

 

[Ayumi Hamasaki]

No.

Square finally make that GOD DAMN CHRONO GAME ALREADY.

I've waited 10 years now for it. They've copyrighted names and everything, but they always run out. So gimme my Chrono game, and even if it sucks I promise to buy it, because it's the best game in the world. Give me that and I'll buy whatever suckass console you decide to put it on.

And I bet you'd make A LOT of money off of it too Square.

 

[Shaissa]

I just noticed, Star Ocean Isn't on this list? so is The last hope really the final Star Ocean in the series they plan on making?

Also Wheres Front Mission? not the new crap one but the good traditional ones.

And seriously Chrono series revive please.