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Square Enix expects to ship 5 million copies of Dragon Quest IX
Last week, Square Enix president Yoichi Wada gave a statement to Japanese press that helps illustrate the company's (justifiable) sales expectation for Dragon Quest IX. "We're looking at reaching over 5 million copies of Dragon Quest IX shipped," he said, as translated by Kotaku. With three million shipped in the game's first week, 2.3 million of which sold right away, five million seems conservative, and we can only assume Wada is referring only to shipments in Japan. Somewhat less conservative is the forecast Wada made last year, of ten million units. While we have absolutely no doubt DQIX will break a record or two in Japan with the combination of Dragon Quest-level initial sales and DS-style longterm sales, that still seems optimistic.
Yoichi Wada suggests The Last Remnant may never make it to PS3
We hope you're not holding your breath for a PS3 release of The Last Remnant, Square Enix's uneven attempt at creating a game using Unreal Engine 3. The company's CEO, Yoichi Wada, made some choice comments during a recent shareholder meeting which lead us to believe it may never make it out on Sony's system. AndriaSang.com has summarized his comments, in which he states that "it's tough on the development side of things to say that you'll release a game on multiple platforms but end up not doing so, Square Enix has to think about profitability.""If there's a gap in the release of multiple versions of a game, and if the first version didn't necessarily see such great success, they have to think that there won't be a change in performance on a new platform." No games in particular were mentioned, but only one really fits the bill. The Last Remnant was announced as a multiplatform title, saw low sales on the Xbox 360 in November 2008, and there's been no sign of a PS3 release since then. In the interest of "profitability" this game may simply be put to pasture, instead.
Yoichi Wada declares industry ready for the next stage
Great minds across the industry all seem to agree: Video games are heading into a new era. President of Square Enix, Yoichi Wada (pictured, right), has proven he too belongs to this school of thought, sharing his musings on the coming of a "second stage of growth" for the industry. Wada says it's a combination of the platform having stabilized as a mainstream form of entertainment and the leveling off of demand (as it's reached its limit), that will load gaming into the next level."From now on, it will grow further as an established mainstream entertainment, and there will be further convergence of media and entertainment," said Wada. With that in mind, we'd like to point out that proof of accelerated convergence is already happening in the industry. It looks like the gears are all set; all that's left is to turn them. [Via Edge-Online]
Square Enix considering further acquisitions
Square Enix has one goal: Be a more global company. After recently acquiring Eidos (and leaving its identity intact), Square Enix has exhibited an appetite that's larger than we could have imagined. President Yoichi Wada told the Financial Times that the Eidos purchase really gave Square Enix "a good platform from which to expand," possibly opening the way to another acquisition.Wada explained the necessity for more global expansion as one dictated by the Japanese market. He described Japan as a "closed environment," and with no fresh blood or ideas coming in, Square Enix is forced to look outward. And then there's the US market weighing in, which Wada said has seen strong growth over the years and become the biggest market for games, despite being behind Japan for many years. [Via Edge]
Square Enix admits to slow production pace
Eidos won't be releasing games before they're finished just to hit deadlines, according to Square Enix president Yoichi Wada. Wada told GamesIndustry.biz that alleviating worries like that was "what I hope to achieve for the entire group." However, he noted that Eidos's new parent company must also address a scheduling issue. "But we at Square Enix also have a problem - it takes too long for us to produce a game..."Final Fantasy XIII, which just saw the release of its first demo, was announced at E3 2006. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers was announced at E3 2005, with details only now starting to be released.Square Enix's problem seems to be based on conflicts between management and developers. "I personally believe that having a good cost performance and having a good quality game can co-exist - I think that this relationship is actually a positive one," Wada said. "But when you look to the creators they tend to think that if they're asked to pursue a better cost performance, they have to sacrifice quality."
Square Enix pres Yoichi Wada preaches platform neutrality
Really, anyone old enough to remember Square's 1997 PlayStation debut with Final Fantasy VII – a franchise that had only existed on Nintendo platforms – shouldn't have been that shocked to see Square president Yoichi Wada sneak back onto the stage during Microsoft's E3 press conference to announce "one more thing": Final Fantasy XIII would be multi-platform.Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz, Wada said, "We always consider the territory and hardware for titles, and I just want to make sure that we're neutral about dealing with companies." Though he conceded that "in Japan ... the Xbox 360 isn't really that strong yet" he acknowledged that in "North America Microsoft is doing very well with its hardware." Sounds about right to us.Throw in escalating development costs, and you've got a no-brainer. Wada sums it up: "We're now in the age of the multi-platform ... in order to offer our product to the vast majority of gamers we need to deal with multiple companies and platforms." Multiplatform third-party games are increasingly the norm; however, with certain "now-gen" Square Enix titles remaining selectively exclusive (think Infinite Undiscovery), we're not quite ready to call it for Final Fantasy Versus XIII.
Square Enix considering stakes in competing developers
Speaking at the Reuters Global Technology, Media and Telecoms Summit in Tokyo, Square Enix president Yoichi Wada has said that his company may decide to get cozy with rival developers. "Economies of scale and breadth of scope are getting important," he said. "It may be a business alliance or it may be us taking a stake in others, but we need to go beyond traditional Square Enix." In moving "beyond" the company's traditional situation, Wada also hopes to move farther beyond the borders of Japan and boost international games sales. Out of total software revenue, overseas sales currently comprise 50 percent -- and he'd rather have them at 80 percent.By forming alliances with other companies and better heeding the desires of the international market (MOAR GUNZ PLZ), Square Enix would be better equipped to deal with steep competition, "not only from Japanese videogame companies but from game companies worldwide." Square Enix's The Last Remnant, which is planned for simultaneous release in the East and West, may be the first step towards that goal.
Square Enix aiming for simultaneous game releases
One thing that we constantly gripe about is localization. There are many games that we'll never see translated, and the ones that do make it over often take (what seems like) forever. Our mothers always told us that patience is a virtue, but as far as we're concerned, patience can take a hike. Maybe we're natural born whiners, or maybe companies like Square Enix just like to torture us by releasing games in Japan so much earlier than they do in rest of the world. Take, for example, Final Fantasy IV and Dragon Quest IV, which have been out in Japan for months and not even announced for localization. We also have The World Ends With You, which is coming to America and Europe in April, although it was released in Japan last July. It's understandable because most Squeenix games are text-heavy RPGs, but it's still not fun to wait, nonetheless.The company is trying to cut down on its localization times, however, and Square Enix's president Yoichi Wada is aiming for simultaneous worldwide releases. In fact, he said that the company would be "making simultaneous releases the norm." While it's hard for us not to laugh out loud and praise Wada for making such a funny joke, we think he's actually serious.Does that mean it will happen? Probably not. But we appreciate any effort by the company to shorten the waiting time for those of us who don't live in Japan.[Via NeoGAF]
Square Enix commits to simultaneous worldwide releases
If you listen closely to the lifestream you can hear Square Enix's legions of fans singing in unison as company president Yoichi Wada recently confirmed an aim to make simultaneous worldwide game releases "the norm." The timing of the comment, made to Japan's Nihon Keizan Shimbun daily, is particularly interesting following reaffirmation of the company's plans for Western expansion. However, it remains unclear when the RPG powerhouse plans to put Wada's plan into effect, or if his ambition even includes the company's two most hotly anticipated releases in Final Fantasy XIII and Dragon Quest IX. Still, assuming that he'll be able to make good on his claim, role-playing enthusiasts will have to find something else to complain about other than Japan getting to play everything first.
Yoichi Wada on PS3: "My phone is more expensive"
Yoichi Wada is the main man behind operations at Square Enix. In official terms, he's the president. So what's he think about the current state of consoles? Specifically, what's his thought on the PS3? Our subject line gives you a hint but we'll talk a bit more about it. Wada feels that Sony isn't expressing the use of the PS3 appropriately; Sony isn't explaining what kind of games they have for what kind of consumer. We know, we know ... it's hard to really dissect all the things the PS3 can do and target certain markets for each feature.Wada feels the PS3's price cuts will bring an improvement in sales, but he thinks the console is too cheap for what you get. He claims his phone is more expensive than the PS3, but nobody complains about that. He goes on again to tell Sony to better position their console -- get the right message out instead of focusing on the price. Or something. There's a lot more information in the interview regarding the state of video gaming as well as what Wada and Square Enix think about where the future may take us. It's worth reading, but we'll stop here as the PS3 info has dried up.
New Square MMOs plunking around internally?
There are times, with all the talk about new MMOs from marquee companies better known for traditional RPG fare (think: Bioware and Bethesda), that we forget that among the first big RPG makers to make the massive jump was Square (now Square Enix) with Final Fantasy XI. While FFXI is still going strong, it's far from being the industry heavyweight that it was, and by most accounts has faded into relative obscurity. It's interesting to note then, when gamesindustry.biz sat down for an interview with Yoichi Wada, MMOs were really an afterthought in the conversation.What intrigued us though within Wada's brief mention of MMOs was his comment, "Following that, we have already prepared a few MMORPGs that have been experimentally played internally." Now, we understand that the semantics of this statement have to be taken with a grain of salt, as it's never made clear if Wada is speaking through an interpreter, but that statement would seem to indicate that they've got a number of projects in a playable state, at the very least, given that they used prepared in the past tense. As an avid console gamer myself, I'm dying to see what Square Enix could do if they took another swing at a game that encompasses not only the PC, but also the Xbox 360 and PS3 as well. Hopefully this is something we hear more about as the year progresses.
Square Enix prez sees goals clearly, PS3 fuzzy
As Square Enix president Yoichi Wada spoke with CNET Japan, we borrowed Engadget Japan's Ittousai and listened in. While Wada defined the Square Enix vision as a 5-year plan to be a Top 3 worldwide publisher (currently ranked 11th by Game Developer), he's still having trouble seeing where Sony is going with PlayStation 3. "Is it a game console for gamers or a high-performance consumer electronics machine?" Wada wondered. "I really want [Sony] to make a clear decision."As for Square Enix's own business plan, Wada doesn't want loyalists to think the company will water down its franchises to appeal to a broader market, though recent releases would suggest otherwise. When questioned about Square Enix's reliance on Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest (including a recycling campaign and string of simplified spin-offs), Wada countered with numbers, claiming that the two franchises accounted for less than half of the company's revenues. His defense suggested that fans' demands for new installments were the reason Square Enix dedicates 60% of development resources to existing IPs. Want something new? Quit with the death threats and love notes.
Square Enix thinks Sony needs to define their console
Yoichi Wada is the CEO of Square Enix, making him a very important spokesperson for the company -- especially their well-established Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest franchises (the latter formerly under Enix's care). Wada took some time to speak with CNet Japan about the latest generation of consoles. Besides saying that the PS3 is a media hub and a gaming console, he noted that only the Xbox 360 has appropriately touted itself as a gaming machine. The Wii, he says, well, "people aren't buying the Wii as a game machine, but as a toy." His comment about the PS3 was meant to say the system hasn't clearly defined what it is and that it should, soon.He also goes on to say that Square Enix isn't just a DQ and FF company -- Wada says they make so many of those games because "... people keep asking for new installments." It's not entirely relevant to the PS3, but Square Enix is making a lot of fresh IPs in the coming year aside from the next entries in their beloved franchises. With his attitude, though, he seems hesitant to put them on the PS3. Hopefully people will understand that the PS3 is a gaming console, but has the capacity to be so much more. It's not confusing; it's just hard to believe it can do so much.[via Kotaku]
Square Enix CEO calls PS3 and Xbox 360 "over-engineered"
The CEO of Square Enix had some strong words about the state of console development recently. Speaking with the Financial Times about the company's recent decision to develop Dragon Quest IX only for Nintendo's DS system, Yoichi Wada believed certain consoles were "over-engineered for today's gaming environment," saying "there are too many specs." The CEO provided elaboration, stating "you also need a high definition TV, a broadband connection and a deep knowledge of gaming," and clarified that in "a year or two" the consoles would fare better when they are not as "mismatched."We'd have to disagree, only because we're a part of the hardcore category of gamers that are always thirsting for faster and better hardware. Broadband has been a staple of our diet for the last ten years and most of us already have an HDTV in our living rooms, if not a second one for the bedroom. But Mr. Wada's statements were made about today's global gaming consumer, and we'd have to agree that in a year or two, the PS3 will likely come down in price and become more accessible to those that (still) haven't yet adopted to HDTV or broadband technologies. Again, Mr. Wada was elaborating on recent decisions for the company to focus on handheld development due to their widespread appeal and market share (units sold). As always, we'd like to invite your thoughts and comments on Mr. Wada's recent statements as they pertain to our console of preference. Should the PS3 have been watered down, so as to cater more to a global audience immediately (aka, those without broadband or HDTV's right now)? One could assume that in doing so, the price point would be lower, making the entry a lot easier to swallow for non-hardcore types. Along that line of thought, a second and third assumption can be made in that PS3 sales might have been higher and third-party support might be increased due to the system's affordability and widespread appeal. What do you think?[Via DS Fanboy]
Square Enix loves handhelds
Yoichi Wada, head of Square Enix, believes that handhelds are the way to go, at least until the next generation settles down somewhat. Wada told the Financial Times "There is a new breed of gamers in the market – we have to make games for all kinds of people." Which means, of course, the DS. It should be no surprise that the company has a lot of faith in portable systems, since their flagship franchise has moved to the DS. Still, it is a little unusual for Wada to publicly speak against next-gen systems with so many important Square Enix games headed to the PS3. "There are too many specs – and you also need a high-definition TV, a broadband connection and a deep knowledge of gaming – these consoles are mismatched to today's environment. In a year or two years they will fare better."
Square-Enix shifts around some management arbitrarily
This is turning into some kind of Square-Enix day. However, this bit of news is a little more managerial and mundane. Still worth noting. Yoichi Wada used to be the American CEO of Squeenix, but that's changed. Now the torch has been passed on to John Yamamoto. He's also the new company president, replacing Daishiro Okada. Don't get us wrong -- Wada is still involved, he's just been moved to president and representative director for the global operation of Square-Enix. Sounds important!With all this talk about America and Square-Enix, it makes an old school RPG'er think back to the days of Squaresoft, USA. Does anyone remember those days? They're best known (in my heart/mind) for using the Secret of Mana engine and tweaking it to release an incredibly fun, but understated and overshadowed by poor localization, title known as Secret of Evermore. Loved it. People hated it because they thought it was a Mana sequel. No, fools. It wasn't. The point is -- will the American side of Square-Enix ever release anything again? Or will they continue to sit back and let Japan flex its muscles? I, for one, would like to see some stateside Squeenix action.
Square-Enix, still the loyal PlayStation enthusiasts
Yoichi Wada put on his "President of Square-Enix" hat and recently talked about the future of the PlayStation 3 and, uh, Dragon Quest. Here's what's worth gleaning:
