Square Enix Reveals Plans to 'Aggressively Pursue a Multiplatform Strategy'

Square Enix intends to revise its business strategy in order to prioritize multi-platform publishing. The move potentially threatens its strong partnership with Sony, which saw Square Enix release a variety of timed PlayStation console exclusives in recent times.

The Final Fantasy maker has been facing a troubling business landscape in the post-pandemic era. This trend is most clearly reflected in Square Enix's declining sales, which the company has been reporting on a regular basis since early 2023. Its plummeting revenue continues to take a toll on the group's bottom line, which has been $96.2 million in the green for the fiscal year that ended on March 31, 2024, marking a 70% drop in profits compared to the previous 12-month period.

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By  Rory Young

Square Enix Announces Multi-Platform Pivot Amid Final Fantasy Series' Decline

Reflecting on this state of affairs in its latest financial report, Square Enix said it will "aggressively pursue a multiplatform strategy" moving forward in a bid to reinvigorate the declining sales of its HD titles. While the specifics of its strategic pivot remain to be announced, the company confirmed it intends to support all major gaming platforms moving forward, including PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo systems, as well as PCs. This multi-platform publishing push will also affect the conglomerate's smaller-scale projects, with the group saying it plans to develop a new strategy for its SD titles that encompasses both PC and mobile devices.

Top 10 Best-Selling Final Fantasy Games of All Time

Square Enix's decision to rethink its platform strategy underlines the company's continued struggles to maintain the legacy of its flagship offerings, most notably the critically acclaimed Final Fantasy series. Of the top ten best-selling entries in the franchise, only one has been released in the last five years, and only two have hit the market in the past decade. These achievements, or lack thereof, are even more troubling in light of the fact that the number of both PC and console gamers has been on a steady rise throughout the 21st century, indicating that Square Enix has gradually gotten worse at capturing audiences, percentage-wise.

Square Enix's PlayStation Exclusives May Be Coming to an End

The latest entry in the group's flagship franchise has reportedly continued that trend, with some industry watchers estimating that Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth sales have been underperforming since its late February debut. Square Enix's latest financial report offered no insights into the game's commercial performance. But its commitment to platform-inclusive publishing does suggest its long-time Sony partnership may be nearing its end. The third entry in the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy may hence be the company's final timed PlayStation exclusive in the foreseeable future, as Sony has already secured it as such.

Simultaneously with this multi-platform publishing push, Square Enix is also looking to overhaul its development practices. That's according to its February 2024 quarterly report, which saw the company commit to reducing outsourcing and cutting down on its overall number of projects in order to focus on quality over quantity.

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Square Enix

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Date Founded

April 1, 2003

Headquarters

Shinjuku City, Tokyo, Japan

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Parent Company

Square Enix

Subsidiaries

Eidos Interactive, Crystal Dynamics, Luminous Productions

Known For

Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Kingdom Hearts, Tomb Raider

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