Square Enix, a well-known video game developer, has expressed its disappointment over the lackluster sales of one of its recently released games, Forspoken. The game, which is a magical realist action-RPG, was added to Square Enix’s list of underperforming games, which includes other titles like Tomb Raider, Hitman, Outriders, and Guardians of the Galaxy.
During a recent earnings call, Yosuke Matsuda, the current president of Square Enix, stated that the sales of Forspoken were not up to the company’s expectations. Despite this setback, Matsuda remains optimistic about the future of Square Enix and its upcoming NFT games.
“Its sales have been lackluster, and while the performance of new titles with February and March release dates will be the ultimate determinant, we see considerable downside risk to our FY2022/3 earnings,” he said.
Last year, Square Enix released a large number of RPGs, including Diofield Chronicle, Valkyrie Elysium, Star Ocean: The Divine Force, Harvestella, Tactics Ogre: Reborn, Dragon Quest Treasures, and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion. Although some of these games were well-received, many others failed to meet expectations due to a lack of marketing and development resources.
It seems that Square Enix is hesitant to take big risks outside of its flagship Final Fantasy series, and even when it does, it sometimes fails to create a hit blockbuster. Forspoken, while decent, was flawed and is unlikely to get a sequel. However, Square Enix remains committed to exploring new technology in the gaming industry, as evidenced by their plans to release NFT games in the near future.
Despite the controversy surrounding NFTs in the gaming industry, Square Enix is fully committed to incorporating them into their upcoming games. The company appears to be willing to take risks with this new technology, even as other game developers remain hesitant to explore its potential.
Although the disappointment of Forspoken’s sales may be discouraging for Square Enix, the company is pushing ahead with its plans for NFT games. It is unclear how successful these games will be, but it is clear that Square Enix is committed to exploring new and innovative ways to enhance the gaming experience for its users.
As for Forspoken, it is unlikely that the game will receive a sequel, as the studio behind it, Luminous Productions, is being absorbed back into the greater Square Enix company. However, the protagonist of Forspoken, Frey, may still have a future in the form of an NFT in one of Square Enix’s upcoming games.
In conclusion, Square Enix is disappointed in the sales of Forspoken, but the company is not deterred. Square Enix is fully committed to exploring new technology in the gaming industry, including NFTs, and is pushing ahead with its plans to release NFT games in the near future. While the success of these games remains to be seen, it is clear that Square Enix is willing to take risks and explore new ways to enhance the gaming experience for its users.
