Square Enix President Laying Down The Law
Square Enix's 2007 financial statement indicates that the company is going through a rough patch. How bad are things? Apparently, there has been an internal shakedown going on. According to several company insiders, things are getting heated. Word has it that a fierce meeting was held over a month ago where the Square Enix honcho threatened to start axing employees if they didn't (and we're paraphrasing) "stop making games that only they wanted to play." Wada is supposedly worried that the company's games have become more and more insular, alienating itself from the mainstream. Granted, this is purely a rumor, but there does seem to be a huge dichotomy within the company's products. You've got very, very casual Japan-only DS titles on one hand, then largely an endless stream of Final Fantasy spin-offs and remakes. Not exactly a balanced portfolio! Sure, Dragon Quest IX and Final Fantasy XIII are going to be huge, but neither game has a firm release date. Putting all your eggs in one basket, no? That, or painting oneself in a corner.
I'm taking it that RPGs aren't selling less, but that they take too long to make and cut into the company's output. So a wider selection of games will help the company.
Does this mean a few casual games? Well if they help the company, yes.
EDIT: This is a rumor, but S-E is having reduced profits, so it makes sense.
A flashy-first game is awesome when it comes out. A great-first game is awesome forever.
Plus, just for the hell of it: Kelly Brook at the 2008 BAFTAs
