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FFXIV, FFXI, and Dragon Quest 10 subscribers total(ed) 'nearly' 1M
Square-Enix has released its summary of 2014's finances with the start of the new year, and the good news is that it looks pretty rosy. According to the summary of the financial year that ended in March of 2014, the company's fortunes had improved immensely. Of more specific interest to the MMO market, of course, is the fact that the report gives some idea of the subscribers for Final Fantasy XIV, Final Fantasy XI, and the currently Japan-only title Dragon Quest X. According to the report, all three titles together boasted "nearly" one million subscribers, with the lion's share likely belonging to Final Fantasy XIV. Specifics are not discussed, nor does the report clarify whether these subscriber numbers are from the end of the financial year in March or the end of the calendar year in December (we assume the former). The most recent official word from Square-Enix was 2.5 million registered accounts for FFXIV in December 2014.
Dragon Quest X coming to 3DS, streams game onto system
Square Enix announced it's winging Dragon Quest X to the 3DS in Japan, with the MMORPG due for landing on September 4. As Siliconera reports, the port streams the game from a server onto the 3DS rather than running it natively, similar to services like PlayStation Now and OnLive, and in the same vein of the mobile versions released last year. While the streaming tech means the handheld's 3D capabilities aren't usable, the game should look comparably strong on 3DS, similar to Remote Play on Vita. That all depends on the tech working as planned, but Square Enix does have the iOS and Android ports to draw experience from. Meanwhile, a prototype screenshot shows Wii U controls tied to the 3DS touchscreen, including the ZL and ZR buttons, the right analog stick and keyboard inputs.
Dragon Quest X 'under consideration' for overseas markets
Square Enix is mulling over bringing Dragon Quest X overseas, although it's unclear if that includes markets in the West. In today's financial results briefing, the company discussed the Wii, Wii U and PC MMO in a section titled "Expansion of Overseas Businesses, primarily in Asia." However, no regions were specified for Dragon Quest X's possible exportation, and Square Enix has brought recent games in the RPG series to North America and Europe. Despite noting favorable retail performances for a number of recent games, including Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster and Thief, Square Enix didn't note any specific sales numbers in today's briefing. Looking ahead, the company noted plans to start launching "large-scale online titles developed by Western studios" in this fiscal year. Square Enix didn't specify particular games, although browser-based shooter/strategy hybrid Heroes and Generals is currently in open beta. Also, the company reiterated Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn is due to launch in China this summer. As per recent revisions, Square Enix posted an annual net profit of just under 6.6 billion yen ($64.8 million); compare that to the previous year when the company posted more than double that figure, but as a loss. Despite exceeding expectations across the year ending March 31, 2014, Square Enix is forecasting sales and profit performances similar to what it projected last year. For the year ending March 31, 2015, the company expects net sales of around 140 billion to 150 billion yen ($1.37 billion to $1.47 billion), and net profit between 3.5 billion and 6.5 billion yen ($34.3 million and $58.8 million). Square Enix may have turned loss into a profit this fiscal year, but the Japanese publisher continues to push the reforms it outlined in 2013. In today's statement, the company noted console game markets in the West are dominated by a small number of big-selling games, while smartphone and tablet gaming is "spreading rapidly." This speaks to the changes Square Enix spoke about this time last year, and its response to what it called "weak sales" of AAA console titles in the West. As part of those reforms, Square Enix wants to create a portfolio of games tailored to specific regions, and increase focus on tablets and mobile. [Image: Square Enix]
Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii confirms development of next entry
It's less "shocking revelation" and more "no-brainer inevitability," yet word of a new roleplaying game in the beloved Dragon Quest franchise still comes as big news simply by virtue of the series' hallowed pedigree. According to a Gematsu translation of a Game Jouhou report, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii delivered the news at the recent Nico Nico Super Conference 3. Horii offered no solid information on the game, simply describing it as the "next" Dragon Quest, before moving on to other topics. Before fans of classic, turn-based, Japanese roleplaying games get too excited, keep in mind that we have no word on when this new game might appear, nor if it will be available outside of Japan. Dragon Quest X, the most recent entry in the franchise, offers Japanese fans a massively multiplayer online world, but has yet to see release outside of its native land. Dragon Quest publisher Square Enix refused to comment on Horii's statement. [Image: Square Enix]
Dragon Quest X expansion set for TGS 2013 reveal
Square Enix has announced plans to reveal a brand-new Dragon Quest X expansion at Tokyo Game Show 2013. Titled The Ghost That Never Sleeps, the content addition will expand upon the main Dragon Quest X story and add new maps, systems, jobs, and crafts. This announcement follows news that a PC version of Dragon Quest X would be seeing release on September 26th and comments from Square Enix indicating that the game is edging closer to an overseas launch. Tokyo Game Show begins September 19th. Check out the trailer for the PC launch after the break.
Coming soon to a console near you: MMOs
Remember E3 2013? That huge video games conference thing from earlier in the summer? Weeks have passed since Microsoft and Sony squared off in the Los Angeles convention center (while Nintendo posted up at Best Buy and Ouya sulked in the parking lot), but the news made there continues to reverberate through the games industry. One curious trend seems to have been missed amid the clashing of proverbial titans: There sure are a lot of MMOs and online-focused games due on consoles this generation. And since MMOs are the business of Massively, we thought it might be fun to compile a quick list of all the ones we can find that are either already available on our current consoles or set for launch on the next batch. The list, as it turns out, is pretty extensive.
Dragon Quest X working on a PC port, overseas release
Did you know that there's a Dragon Quest MMO? The popular and long-running RPG series came out with a console MMO version in Dragon Quest X, although to date it's been confined to the boundaries of Japan. This may be changing, however, as Square-Enix is eyeballing the PC and overseas market. Producer Yosuke Saito confirmed that the studio is working on a PC port of the console MMO: "The drive to release a PC version was there from the start of Dragon Quest X development. The biggest reason was that, when thinking about which platform was most likely to be connected to a network, the PC was the first that popped into our minds." The PC port of the game will be available in Japan in September. Square-Enix has been a little more secretive about an overseas release but did say that it's in the works. The studio isn't sure that it'll be rolled out in the same way that Final Fantasy XI was, as Saito thinks that Dragon Quest X will need to be released on separate servers for various countries and regions. "This is just my personal viewpoint, but different countries consume their games at different speeds and the way the communities are run also differ," he said.
Dragon Quest X headed to Japanese PCs
Dragon Quest X will come to Japanese Windows machines on September 26, Square Enix announced today during a livestream broadcast. The Toriyama-infused MMO, which originally debuted on the Wii last August, also launched on Wii U in March, though to comparatively lackluster results. The PC version will be available in two flavors: A ¥3,990 standard edition that includes 20 days of free game time, and a ¥9,800 "Special Pack" bundle, which comes with a DQX-themed controller, security authenticator, Monster Encyclopedia, microfiber world map and item code for an as-of-yet unannounced in-game goodie. Folks interested in getting in on the ongoing beta test can do so by downloading Nvidia's benchmarking tool – successfully passing will provide the opportunity to apply for beta access. Oh, and you need to speak Japanese. That's kind of an important piece to this whole "non-westernized Japan-only RPG" puzzle.
Dragon Quest X Wii U has weak launch at Japanese retail
Dragon Quest X's Wii U release sold 33,302 copies at retail in its first week in Japan. Granted, that first "week" lasted two days, as Media Create's weekly ranking period ran from March 25-31, and Dragon Quest X was released on the 30th, but that's still low for a Dragon Quest game. The Wii version of the MMO, for comparison, sold over 420,000 copies at launch, and Dragon Quest IX sold over 2 million before that.Not only is that low for a Dragon Quest game, it's not exactly the boost the Wii U hardware so desperately needed. The Wii U only sold 22,829 units last week, behind both versions of the ever-popular 3DS (Luigi's Mansion 2 was the best selling game, and Animal Crossing: New Leaf is at #3, approaching 3 million copies life-to-date), and behind even the Vita, which is experiencing something of a resurgence.The sales situation for Dragon Quest X is more complicated than it may seem. While the retail sales were disappointing, there's likely a significant number of digital sales, which wouldn't show up on Media Create's charts – and which we'll never know about unless Square Enix or Nintendo decides to tell us. Square Enix offers half-price downloads of the Wii U version to anyone who owns the Wii version, so it's safe to assume at least some of the Wii buyers took advantage of that offer.Of course, that still didn't move many Wii U systems, clearly.
Dragon Quest X Wii U listing spotted on Amazon France
An Amazon France listing for Dragon Quest X on Wii U suggests the Square Enix MMORPG may be coming to the west. As spotted by NeoGAF, the listing includes official screenshots and denotes a price of €70 (around $90), but doesn't mention a release date.The Wii U game hits Japan on March 30. It gets its own Premium console bundle which includes a ¥1000 pre-paid card for the game, and five in-game orbs which double XP and gold collection for 30 minutes. Square Enix hasn't announced a release outside of Japan.When approached, a Square Enix rep said "We don't comment on rumor or speculation."This isn't the first leaky Amazon listing for a Square Enix game this week. Amazon US listed Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut as coming to the Wii U on May 7, which Square Enix also declined to comment on.
Dragon Quest X Wii U hits Japan March 30, hardware bundle unveiled
Dragon Quest X roars onto Wii U in Japan on March 30 in both retail and download versions, and the Square Enix MMORPG is getting its own hardware bundle to boot. The game itself includes 20 days of free play, while the Wii U bundle includes the console's Premium set, a Pro Controller, a ¥1000 pre-paid card for use in-game, and five in-game Super Energy orbs which double XP and gold collection for 30 minutes each.Square Enix also announced that the beta, originally targeted to release this month, will now begin on March 6. While the series has traditionally made its way westwards in recent years, there remains no word on either the Wii or Wii U version coming here.
Dragon Quest X Wii U confirmed for Spring 2013 in Japan
Dragon Quest X will be released in Japan for Wii U in Spring 2013, Square Enix announced today. Last month DQX producer Yosuke Saito told attendees at the Tokyo Game Show that next Spring was the aim, but the release window was confirmed today during a Nintendo Direct for Japan.An open beta is scheduled for February 2013. Saito also confirmed Square Enix is working on making Wii characters compatible with the Wii U version.The MMO arrived on Wii back in August, selling over 400,000 units in its first week. A Western release for either verson remains unconfirmed, so don't start pencilling away the greater part of 2013 just yet.
Square Enix's TGS lineup includes Dragon Quest X Wii U
Square Enix unveiled its Tokyo Game Show lineup this week, revealing the Wii U version of Dragon Quest X is being showcased for the first time. Square, who released the Wii version of the MMORPG last month in Japan, says fans can expect new information about the game at the exhibition. Presumably that includes what the Wii U version has that the other doesn't, and how that affects the game's cross-platform play.Other highlights from the announced lineup include Hitman Absolution, the Realm Reborn re-launch of Final Fantasy XIV, and Black Ops 2, which Square Enix is publishing in Japan. The Tokyo Game Show runs through September 20-23.
Dragon Quest X sells more than 400,000 at launch
Dragon Quest X sold 420,311 copies in its first week, according to Enterbrain data. The MMO's debut was low for a Dragon Quest game: Dragon Quest IX, as a comparison, sold 2,353,440 copies in its first week in Japan back in 2008. Of course, even if it sells fewer copies, it's an MMO and those sales will continue to pay out.For the Wii, however, it's a boon: the launch of DQX led to 41,561 hardware units sold, including a special edition with the game bundled in. That's almost four times the previous week's 10,549 systems. It turns out people like to buy video game systems when there are games to play on them.
Dragon Quest X to offer ten years of DLC
While some Wii owners have all but abandoned the platform, others (in Japan) just bought an MMO for the thing this week. Luckily for those new Dragon Quest X owners, Square Enix has pledged longterm support.Square Enix told Nikkei that it plans to release "version up" patches every ten weeks. More significantly, the developer's plan calls for additional downloadable content to be created for ten years.The game is currently only out on Wii, but a Wii U version is also planned. It supports USB keyboards, which we note only to point out the official one.
Dragon Quest X goes online in Japan August 2
Dragon Quest X, the Wii continuation of Square Enix's real flagship series – and the one that is an MMO this time – will launch in Japan on August 2, Square Enix announced today. The base retail price for the actual disc and stuff is ¥6,980 ($86); this includes 20 days of free play. A limited edition will include a USB memory stick for an extra ¥2,000. A Wii U version is still on the way, but all details are "undecided."Of course, there are also the fees to contend with. For ¥1,000 ($12.35), you can get a 30-day voucher allowing you to play with up to three characters; 60 days runs ¥1,950 ($24), and 90 days costs ¥2,900 ($36). Wii Points can also be used to buy DQX time, in equivalent denominations.
Ask Massively: Ham edition
Readers, today is a sad day indeed. Having exhausted my longstanding well of topics that were either based in Dadaist absurdity or random personal anecdotes, I'm left to unveil my most desperate weapon -- an edition based entirely on ham. Consider the ham. Within the ham there could be the answers to all of life's questions, or perhaps there's just salty meat with a light mustard and honey glaze to create a firm yet not crispy exterior. Which is the truth? We'll never know. You will, however, know a bit more about what's going on behind the scenes of the site with this week's edition of Ask Massively. Sadly, we don't have our usual assortment of site gossip, but we do have answers about a few features and some discussion of the upcoming online-maybe Dragon Quest X. As always, you can leave questions in the comments or mail them along to ask@massively.com for a future column.
Dragon Quest 10 has been in development for over six years now
Back in April, Square Enix announced that Dragon Quest 10 was "almost done," and then last week, we finally heard about the game itself, due out next year in Japan, via a reveal announcement. But if you thought that was fast, not so -- apparently the title's been worked on for over six years already. That makes the whole venture a little more interesting. Today, console MMOs and persistent Internet connections are fairly prevalent, but six years ago, that obviously wasn't the case. And this also means that DQ10 ran alongside development of Dragon Quest 9, with Level 5 and Square Enix presumably working on the portable title and the online game at the same time. We'll have to see how the final game turns out -- fans are skeptical, to say the least, of turning the series into an MMO. But at least we know the game wasn't thrown together overnight.
Dragon Quest X has usage fees, requires Internet connection; does not require an NES
Yesterday, Square Enix provided early indication that there would be a periodic fee for online play of Dragon Quest X. A FAQ on Square Enix's website confirms it. As translated by Google, "Yes, if you connect to online play will be required to pay the additional fee." The FAQ also noted that players will be required to connect to the Internet to play after the first few hours of the game. In much less true news, parody site the Kyoko Shimbun (a site whose name literally translates to "fictitious newspaper") reports that Square Enix is also making a Famicom/NES version of Dragon Quest X, and even provided mock screenshots. This version, according to the fabricated story, is aimed at those who played Dragon Quest games on Famicom and have a nostalgic desire to experience the same thing again.
Dragon Quest X may have 'usage fees,' does have one screenshot
In case you didn't stay up for the Dragon Quest X reveal event last night, you can get your first look at the online RPG for Wii (and eventually Wii U) in the single screenshot released by Square Enix so far. It appears to be some kind of lobby, with a bunch of player characters just cold lampin'. Players will be able to create their own characters, within five races: dwarf, elf, ogre, "weddy" (blue, aquatic-looking creatures) and "pukuripo" (cute little robed creatures). Humans were also seen in the trailer, but there are no humans in this screenshot. That and the subtitle, roughly translated to "Awakening of the Five Tribes," suggest that humans won't be the focus. A small news post at the Dragon Quest site, as discovered by Andriasang, includes "usage fee: TBA" among the specifications. Square Enix may, then, be planning to charge a monthly fee for the online play. Or it could still be in the process of deciding whether it's worth it to charge for an online Wii game -- something that's already an uphill battle, even for the vaunted Dragon Quest series.
