Summary

  • Life is Strange: Double Exposure caused "large losses" at Square Enix.
  • Financial results indicate the sequel's failure despite trying to bring back Max Caulfield.

A new report has confirmed that the release of Life is Strange: Double Exposure caused "large losses" at Square Enix. Life is Strange: Double Exposure launched in October 2024, with publisher Square Enix seemingly unable to recoup its investment in the time since.

When Life is Strange: Double Exposure first released, it faced mixed reviews from fans and critics alike. It currently holds a Top Critic Average of 71 on review score aggregator OpenCritic, with just 54% of critics recommending it. Complaints about the game came primarily from the narrative. Many fans felt it didn't respect the "bae" ending of the original game, which was surprising given how Max Caulfield's return was front and center to its marketing. Others felt that Life is Strange: Double Exposure took Marvelization too far in its approach to certain plot points. Now, it seems the game's financials have reflected this sentiment.

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As first reported by The Gamer, Japanese financial analyst Hideki Yasuda for Kabutan has confirmed that Square Enix's most recent set of financial results indicate that Life is Strange: Double Exposure caused "large losses" for the company. However, these losses were offset by the strong sales of Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, which surpassed two million sales globally. Even bringing the popular Max Caulfield back for this sequel wasn't enough to excite fans for this one.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure Flopped Despite Max Return

The news of Life is Strange: Double Exposure's financial failure doesn't come as massively shocking news. Aside from the game's mixed reception across the board, the December 2024 layoffs at Deck Nine indicated that the release hadn't exactly been a hot seller. Back in January 2025, Square Enix did follow up with a survey for fans asking for feedback about the game, indicating it was curious about what could be improved in future titles.

Given the financial failure and mixed critical reception to Life is Strange: Double Exposure, it would be surprising to see the franchise again in the near future. It's a series that still has name value among gamers, so anything is possible in the future, but it's hard to imagine that Square Enix is desperate to revisit it after its "large losses."

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Life is Strange: Double Exposure Tag Page Cover Art
5 /10

Life is Strange: Double Exposure
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Adventure
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Systems
PC-1 PlayStation-1 Xbox-1
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Top Critic Avg: 71 /100 Critics Rec: 54%
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Released
October 29, 2024
ESRB
M For Mature: Mild Blood, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs, Violence
Developer(s)
Deck Nine
Publisher(s)
Square Enix
Engine
Unreal Engine 5
Franchise
Life is Strange
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WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
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Genre(s)
Adventure