If they didn't have FFXIII release this year they would have made a massive loss. (And Dragon Quest IX but I hear a lot of its profit went to Nintendo as they published/advertised it) and also FFXIII is technically "last year" according to the fiscal calendar, so its not even counted for this years profits actually.

Many of you don't realize how big of a failure FFXIV is, its the biggest failure for them since The Spirits Within, the game has been free to play since launch, they make no revenue from it monthly, server costs aren't made up. I don't think Tanaka is going to last at the company for long, nor do I expect another MMO Final Fantasy title from the company. Their hand held game haven't been huge successes. 

Maybe in the NA/PAL region but SE got the profit that counted and that is from Japan. They published it there. Tanaka will be fine too, he has been there since like forever and even if he goes he will wind up at Mistwalker since he and Sakaguchi are good pals.

I guess their biggest releases were western releases of BBS and DQIX as well as Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2.

Making FFXIV free to play until the end of the fiscal year is probably what led to this. They still have the costs of running the MMO but with no revenue coming in to cover it

I know I edited my post after I realized in the language of fiscal terms they are using FFXIII wasn't this year but last year.

Yeah, I caught that too late, and didn't edit fast enough haha.

You know it is also possible that SE had to put some cash into R&D costs for new games. They like to start them 20 years in advance so that could be another reason.

Been saying it for 3 years now; SE had made the worst decisions of any publisher this gen through alienating their core audience. Yes 360 looked attractive due to the smaller install base of PS3 but they couldn't give preferencial treatment to the 360. SE has had a history of going with the frontrunner (PS1, PS2 after leaving Nintendo), but come on! Timed release of Star Ocean 4; terrible idea, the whole FF13 ordeal; could have been handled better, making Kane & Lynch 2; uncessary. Now FF14. Oh well they will learn once they hit the red!

Actually their quality has fallen by at least 9001% percent, AT LEAST! 

@MM

The decrease dev cycles strategy would have to start before it could even become short lived

@Topic

I have to believe it has to do with things like FFXIV, it was like a hard punch to the gut, I mean hell their beta was piss poor to start with (how they ran the beta I mean) if they got that right then they could have worked on user feedback on game quality. 

I want them to give us some figures on development costs of FFXIII, DQIX, Nier (even though they were simply publishers), Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Crystal Bearers (even though that was last fiscal year), and Deus Ex, then couple it with revenue/profit figures.

Honestly as probably the biggest SE supporter on VGChartz the best thing for them at this point is to hit where Sony hit back in 2006-2007. They need to feel the pain in order to come back bigger and better. SE is getting to big for their own good IMO.