Square Enix today revealed that it intends on shifting its focus to a multiplatform strategy across console, PC, and smart devices.
While Square Enix has released a slew of hit games the past few years, the company has struggled to hit its lofty financial goals. Though few of their AAA games could be considered failures, only a handful of managed to hit their targets. Meanwhile, the studio has struggled with many of its free-to-play live service titles and shuttering several of them (i.e. Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier, Babylon’s Fall). Due to this, it appears that Square Enix is altering its strategy to focus more on multiplatform releases.
A multiplatform strategy
As per the company’slatest financial report, Square Enix plans to ‘aggressively pursue a multiplatform strategy’ that’ll include PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Platforms with the ultimate goal of creating an environment where players can enjoy the publisher’s franchises and AAA games regardless of their platform. This strategy also includes bringing SD titles not only to iOS and Android devices, but also PC. Moving forward, the publisher intends to target both new users and recurring users.
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A beautiful revision of the classic ‘97 story that will leave you emotionally broken by the end.
Wasn’t Square Enix always multiplatform?
As a third-party publisher, Square Enix has released several of their games on multiple platforms. However, the publisher has never been shy about signing exclusivity deals or forgoing releasing games on certain platforms. Back in the early days of the seventh-generation, Square Enix cut several deals with Microsoft that made The Last Remnant, Infinite Undiscovery, and Star Ocean 4 timed exclusives on the Xbox 360. Most recently, Square Enix has been more keen to partner with PlayStation to release Final Fantasy VII Remake, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Forspoken, and Final Fantasy XVI as console exclusives.
Still, games like Kingdom Hearts III, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion, and Star Ocean: The Divine Force have launched on multiple platforms simultaneously. Though, Square Enix does sometimes omit Xbox releases for some titles. Octopath Traveler II, the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters, and Star Ocean: The Second Story R all skipped Xbox, though Octopath Traveler II is announced for release on Xbox sometime this year.
What comes next?
Square Enix did not use its report to make any game announcements. Outside of Final Fantasy XIV and Octopath Traveler II, no other previously released games were announced for Xbox platforms. It’s safe to say that future games, except for maybe one, from Square Enix will likely launch simultaneously across PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and the Nintendo Switch Successor. That exception is potentially the third entry in the Final Fantasy VII Remake Trilogy. If a deal with PlayStation was inked for the whole trilogy, its likely it will launch exclusively on PlayStation like its predecessors.
