Square Enix, a major game developer and publisher, announced plans for a significant overhaul of its game development system. Apparently, the company is facing declining sales, quality issues, and development costs. Their idea may change what we know about Square Enix as a whole.
According to Bloomberg, President Takashi Kiryu revealed the company’s intention to improve game quality and address stakeholder concerns during a recent financial results briefing. Key changes include a shift towards in-house development for large-scale projects, implementation of a new quality control process at an earlier stage, and a complete review of the organizational structure.
This decision follows a period of flat sales despite the release of major titles like Final Fantasy 16. While Final Fantasy 16 achieved strong launch week sales, its long-term performance has been debated. Square Enix also faced criticism regarding declining profits and the quality of specific games.
To be honest, it’s hard to imagine that Square Enix is doing well outside of the Final Fantasy VII remake. The company is big and needs multiple games to do well for a successful year. Some other games in their library, like Dragon Quest, may be popular in their niche categories but are not big enough to sustain the company.
Specific details regarding the new development system remain undisclosed but are expected to be announced by Spring 2024 and implemented in April. Bloomberg says analysts anticipate the establishment of a new early-stage quality assessment mechanism alongside a comprehensive restructuring of the development teams.
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