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Square Enix braces investors for 'extraordinary losses' in last fiscal year
On the eve of its quarterly presentation to investors and analysts, Square Enix today sent out a "revised" (uh-oh) forecast for the financial results of the last fiscal year, which ended March 31, 2011. Stakeholders should bring their ponchos -- they're in for stormy weather. In February, with nine months in the books, the publisher was confident it could hold onto its threadbare profits, forecasting a meager ¥1 billion ($12 million and change) in net income at the close of the fiscal year. While the unforeseen and devastating Great East Japan Earthquake in March knocked out more than half of that forecast income -- costing Square Enix roughly ¥0.6 billion in amusement facility closures and repairs -- other factors contributed more significantly to the company's now bleak outlook. So how bad is it? Square Enix currently anticipates a ¥12 billion (nearly $150 million) net loss for the 12-month period, a negative 226 percent change from the previous fiscal year (which brought in ¥9.509 billion in income). Further, accounting for additional subtractions from the balance sheet, the company is bracing investors for "total extraordinary losses of approximately ¥16.0 billion during the fiscal year." If there's a silver lining, it's in the publisher "introducing a tightened selection standard regarding title lineup" -- which cost Square Enix about ¥4.5 billion in the short term due to project cancellations, including a Highlander game and Gun Loco. But, ideally, this quality control will "strengthen" the company's critical video game segment in the long run, and perhaps restore Square Enix to its former glory.
Giant, game-cancelling boulder catches up to Gun Loco
We started to get suspicious after it missed its first listed release date, and now our fears have been confirmed: Square Enix's third-person arcade shooter, Gun Loco, has been canceled. The news came via the game's official site, though no more details were provided. We're sorry for rubbing salt in the wound, but here's what Gun Loco would have been: "Gun Loco is set on a prison planet (which, for some reason, has Earth-like ruins throughout) where the universe's worst criminals are left unsupervised. The prisoners have created different factions, and are locked in constant warfare." Frankly, video games, if you can't make that premise work, it might be time to take a long look in that deep, dark and truthful mirror and wonder if you wouldn't be happier making add-ons for Quicken.
Gun Loco trailer introduces the unsurprisingly crass Nuts
We haven't seen enough of the characters who will appear in Square Enix's over-the-top action title, Gun Loco, to decide whom among them will be our favorite. However, based on the video below, we feel absolutely certain that it will not be the Bobcat Goldthwait-sounding gentleman known as "Nuts."
Gun Loco preview: Run and gun
In Gun Loco, you can kick a man so hard that his torso flies off. Don't worry, everyone's seemingly made of manga meat -- and they're no-good criminals to boot, marooned on a decrepit prison planet once intended for "the baddest of the bad." The bizarre ruffians, who started life as toys created by artist Kenny Wong, seem almost disposable as they charge into shootouts with nary a concern for safety. A cover system? What's that? %Gallery-99540%
Your voice could be in Gun Loco's music
If the "characters made from action figures" thing didn't sufficiently convince you of Gun Loco's locosity, Square Enix is soliciting vocal tracks for the music from ... you. The publisher has posted MP3 music and a lyric sheet for the game's title track, inviting fans to submit their own vocal interpretations. To download the track, you need to be registered for the Square Enix Members site, but why wouldn't you want to do that anyway? After downloading the file, just record your version as an MP3, AVI or MOV and send it in. The winner will be sent to LA to record their vocals in a studio session and will also receive an Xbox 360, a copy of the game and other prizes. You get 50 Square Enix Members points and special Avatar stuff just for entering, so there's really no downside, except that you have to say "I am not a lame katana aficionado" out loud.
Square Enix has Gun Loco for Xbox 360
Square Enix has officially revealed what its "Gun Loco" trademark is about. Stay with us, here: it's an Xbox 360 game, due next year, about a planet full of brutally insane (or "loco," if you will) criminals, okay? And they have firearms. Gun Loco is set on a prison planet (which, for some reason, has Earth-like ruins throughout) where the universe's worst criminals are left unsupervised. The prisoners have created different factions, and are locked in constant warfare. In game terms, this setup translates to a shooter for up to 12 players, set in seven different climate zones and several different maps. Artist and toy designer Kenny Wong is behind the look of the game, with characters literally based on action figures. Each character was created by hand as a toy, then digitally imported into the game. That's game design loco.%Gallery-99540%
Square Enix registers European trademark for 'Gun Loco'
If we were to place a single bet on what we thought Square Enix's recently filed European trademark for "Gun Loco" would end up being, we'd almost certainly be proven wrong within a few months. Instead, we've got three hypotheses, which we've ranked below in order of likelihood. Now all our bases should totally be covered. Gun Loco: A stylish, fast-paced shooting game. Features over-the-top gunplay and comedically bad voice acting. Gun Loco: A psychological thriller about an evil scientist who invents a laser capable of driving ordinary people into irreversible fits of insanity. Gun Loco: An FPS in which the hero locates a gun capable of shooting entire freight trains at enemies. (Please, please, Square Enix -- let it be this one.)
