Another Final Fantasy XIV Could Destroy Square Enix

[Atmos Duality]

If anything can bring them back to the top it would be FFXIV. Its bad enough that it will be more similar to WoW, they did this because of peoples suggestions as well. *snip* Please stop making thoughtless suggestions because the direction they were heading in FFXII was the correct one. Unlike other developers, they try to listen to the fans. Bad move in my opinion.

So FF14 has been ruined by fan input...therefore FF14 can be Squeenix's savior?
What?

There is a reason 98% of you arent in game development.

I dunno, I think more than 2% of me could hack it in game development, but my heart always argues with my head.

 

[cidbahamut]

Unlike other developers, they try to listen to the fans.

You never played Final Fantasy XI did you?

It took FFXIV crashing and burning in a financially ruinous fashion to get them to begin even considering listening to player input, and that's only really for FFXIV. FFXI is still struggling to get devs to address really basic issues that have been around for almost a decade.

 

[Khaoticsuccubus]

I grew up with final fantasy, it was always there for me when my parents weren't. Seeing the Trailer where bahamut freaking DESTROYED THE ENTIRE WORLD of ff14 was probably one of if not the most beautiful thing's I've seen in gaming and I never even played it. I'll be there when this game launches, with the Super limited collectors edtion. Trash Square enix all you want, I'll be right behind them through the hard times like they were for me. I have faith in you Square enix! good luck!

You and me both. End of An Era really caught my attention. Also, let's face it, the reason they are useing WoW as an example of what they are useing as a lesson, isn't the desire to outdo them. No one can knock Blizzard off their throne except for whatever Blizzard does. Instead they are changing the fundamental dynamics of the game to suit the familiarity of the audience. They tried something new and unusual with FFXIV, and it stunk. Sticking to a formula may seem "lazy" but it will at least turn people away less frequently then a system that isn't only broken but hard to understand for some. Of course, again I never played FFXIV but this is what I've gathered.

Just went n saw the trailer myself. Totally was choked up tears n all. (╥﹏&#9573 I'll definitely be trying it out at least.

On a side note, epic trailer aside... doesn't this seem very reminiscent of Wow Cataclysm... ya know, with a dragon destroying the world as we know it n all that =P

 

[RandV80]

What would actually happen if Squaresoft went under? This would be the first case of a AAA IP property going under wouldn't it?

So going with this "what if?" scenario, personally I don't think it would be the end of Final Fantasy or even other games like Dragon Quest or Kingdom Heart. If there's one thing publishers like it's safe bets, and if there's one good way to make money for liquidation through the bankruptcy process it's selling off IP's. Or maybe they keep some and restructure into smaller companies. Either way the people currently making the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest games will still probably end up doing the same thing one way or the other. What will be lost is Square's ability to call the shots on their games as a publisher.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

Maybe they should stay out of the MMO business and reboot their main titles as so they don't suck....

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

What would actually happen if Squaresoft went under? This would be the first case of a AAA IP property going under wouldn't it?

So going with this "what if?" scenario, personally I don't think it would be the end of Final Fantasy or even other games like Dragon Quest or Kingdom Heart. If there's one thing publishers like it's safe bets, and if there's one good way to make money for liquidation through the bankruptcy process it's selling off IP's. Or maybe they keep some and restructure into smaller companies. Either way the people currently making the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest games will still probably end up doing the same thing one way or the other. What will be lost is Square's ability to call the shots on their games as a publisher.

Not really Interplay and Midway went under, generally stuff gets sold off or people band together and create a new studio to buy up the old IPs

 

[Hectix777]

Before you drive yourself into the ground SE, finish Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy Versus 13, Lightning Returns and a TWEWY sequel, those alone will get you out of your financial woes...

Better idea, FINAL FANTASY 7 REMAKE! If you are so strapped for cash just give us what we want already, I'm sure you've been sitting on the remake as some sort of red button or a rainy day, well wouldn't the current financial status of you company count today as a flippin' hurricane. I want everything you want, but if Square is that strapped for cash, just do the remake already, we won't care if it sucks we're in it for the nostalgia.

I would go for the idea, problem is, no matter how hard they try, no matter how good the game is, no matter how true it stays to the original, there will be annoying pr*cks who will be shouting bloody murder as soon as the first gameplay trailer is released!

The original was perfect, leave it be! We don't need the colossal buttburt that a FF7 remake would bring.

Also, do you relize how much would have to be removed? Because of people being insanely paranoid, the honey bee inn, Don Corneos mansion and the whole hilarious cross dressing thing would have to be scrapped, I don't thing they can show Cloud getting raped in a bathtub in HD.

Waitaminute, Cloud got raped?

And secondly, this isn't for the sake of integrity, this is Square Enix, this is for sheer money and nothing more. By the time the game comes out too many people would have pre purchased or something or ignored all the bad reviews just to relive their childhood. I KNOW that a remake will suck, I just know that it will make a lotta money too.

 

[Gregory McMillan]

Square-Enix if you want to save the company, chop off the 2nd part of your name and remake FFVII. Seriously everyone, whether you love it or hate it, this option would end all financial woes for SE.

Or finish Versus XIII

Or announce the final entry to the Compilation of FFVII

 

[II2]

As others have said,

Maybe this would be a good time to demonstrate your ability to develop amazing cinematic CG with a FF7 remake everyone wants and would love you for, rather than gamble it all on a... MMORPG???

Remodel the price of your iOS entries and add more classics from the back catalog? Or sell the joint property ones on the Wii / Wii U store? Maybe localize the other Earthbound entries?

-----

I don't claim to know japanese corporate culture very well, but it seems like on an executive level there's some weird pride and arrogance to Square causing a distortion of their own cultural cache and what games THEY value versus what the FANS value... Aesthetically, fine - be proud of your new projects, but if your fans are your customers and your bank is breaking...

Some friends of mine who lived in japan for 5 years or so teaching English and living in Tokyo and Kyoto said that the cultural climate towards Final Fantasy was essentially indifferent, at that time (few years ago)... However, the Advent Children movie came out while they was living there and THAT was a MAJOR cultural event, apparently. Collectible Japanese soda cans with HD and classic character designs on them flying off the shelf into the pockets of a wide demographic...

-----

I dunno. While I don't really care about the future of Final Fantasy, I really enjoyed Square's games from the NES to PS1. Kinda fallen out of touch, but I don't want to see them fail.

 

[Lugbzurg]

Yikes. Reminds me of Dead Space 3 with far worse stakes that really don't even need to exist.

"It's like World of Warcraft!" Yep. See ya, guys.

 

[m72_ar]

I don't care if Square Enix crashed and burned, just make sure they sell Eidos to Valve first.

You know what would be a better idea than relaunching FFXIV? Thief 4 and the next Deus Ex.

Spend money on those instead of another me too WoW (and even WoW itself has started to bleed subscribers)

 

[Tanis]

Just remake FF7.

Sure, it's based off a mediocre JRPG, but it's a mediocre JRPG with a rabbit fanbase that cums any time someone mention's its name.

It's like CoD or Madden for JRPGs.

 

[remnant_phoenix]

"FF Versus XIII is already in full production, has a solid anticipation base, and is almost gaurenteed to turn a profit.

FF XIV Online has already cost us millions, doesn't have a lot of anticipation surrounding it, and it is going up against one of the biggest and most successful games in the history of the industry (WoW).

It's gonna take us a lot of money and time to finish either of these games, and we're in dire financial straits...

I know! Let's re-launch FF XIV!"

Someone, anyone, PLEASE explain to me the logic at work here, because I don't see it.

I'm guessing that FF14 has a lot more money sunk into it already, and the only way to get any of it back is to finish it. Not that I don't see what you're saying, personally I think it feels kinda dumb to have 14 come out before all the 13 stuff is finished(not that it needed 2 sequels not counting VERSUS) but I would imagine the higher ups plus investors want this huge cash sink to finally start paying off already, and is most likely pressuring the staff to make it their #1 priority.

That does make sense. And, to be fair, an MMO with even a decent-sized player base will make more money over a longer term than any one-time-purchase game. This is, of course, assuming that they can gain a decent-sized player base, which I'm skeptical about.

More than trying to make a logical argument against Squeenix's decisions, I was mostly expressing my frustration and worry.

I'm frustrated that FFXIV Online is getting all this time, money, and attention while any number of other current/future projects that have lots of fan support (FFVersusXIII, Kingdom Hearts III, the The World Ends With You sequel, the Soul Reaver reboot, another Deus Ex game, etc) are left to collect dust.

I'm worried that FFXIV Online: A Realm Reborn will be a financial loss again and put the above-mentioned projects in further jeopardy.

 

[shrekfan246]

Humm, DaoC with WoW? Mark me interested, I will keep it on my radar. Hopefully they will take the best of those 2. If not, maybe TES online will hit the mark.

Lots of people got caught by the hype of Guild Wars 2 as the one game who would COMPLETELY REVOLUTIONIZE MMOs. When I see so many people putting so much hope into a game that is not even released, I get suspicious. I'm sure it's a good game but I don't think it lived up to the hype built around it.

For me it did, WvW is amazing and the battlegrounds feel very well designed and balanced. Sadly it takes a guild to fully experience it and i dont like to interact with people, just to pvp with them.

And the company never said "COMPLETELY REVOLUTIONIZE MMOs", but if you like to beat strawmans, suit yourself.

The company never said that, the fans did. For months before it launched, these forums were filled with posts saying that Guild Wars 2 would be a completely revolutionary experience, new and different from everything we've seen before, and it would blow away WoW entirely. Then it launched and had something like two or three threads and nobody talked about it ever again.

OT: Well, considering all of the stupid business decisions Squeenix has made these past three years, I'm not surprised. Why don't you localize Final Mixes of your Kingdom Hearts franchise? Why don't you release Final Fantasy Type-0 outside of Japan? Why don't you actually finish making a goddamn game before you announce three more, instead of pouring money into the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, and Final Fantasy XIV?

Final Fantasy VII couldn't possibly cost you any more than XIV has to remake at this point, and despite its flaws I'm pretty sure it's still a guaranteed bet to earn a ton of money.

Come on, Squeenix, you've dug this hole yourselves.

 

[shrekfan246]

At the risk of double posting, I just wanted to address this point and editing doesn't notify of quotes.

I will always remember you as the company that didn't release Pandora's Tower in America, shot down Versus 13, and made great games between the shit.

Square Enix has nothing to do with Pandora's Tower, and Versus XIII is in active development, it's just been in development for seven years now. Just a month ago there was an interview that stated they were still hard at work on it. What exactly they've been doing for the last seven years I can't really say, but it hasn't been shot down.

 

[Trishbot]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks this, but I like JRPGs... but I don't like MMOs. Thus, no matter how much I love Final Fantasy, I have zero interest in FF14, no matter how much better it could be (and I heard the original was absolutely awful).

To me, Final Fantasy, and Squaresoft, ended when the creators all left (or more appropriately were "asked to leave"). Final Fantasy X was the last true Final Fantasy game I enjoyed... and the series started to stagnate ever since, despite trying to change EVERYTHING every new installment.

Meanwhile, the creators of Xenoblade, The Last Story, Lost Odyssey, and Persona all have surpassed Square Enix's latest offerings by leaps and bounds, either in terms of gameplay or strong storytelling in the gaming medium.

Square is a shell of its former self, throwing money at graphic artists and hoping cosplay outfits on attractive fashion models can mask tired tropes, bland gameplay, unlikeable characters, and awful storytelling.

This is a company with such a massive number of titles they could release, but we've instead had over THIRTY (30!!!) Final Fantasy games, re-releases, and spin-offs in the past decade. Whatever happened to Chrono Trigger? Parasite Eve? Brave Fencer Musashi? Front Mission? Secret of Mana? SaGa series? Xenogears? Vagrant Story? Tobal? Ehrgeiz? Drakkengarde? Super Mario RPG? Bushido Blade? Threads of Fate? The Bouncer?

Square's list of "5 necessary elements of a Final Fantasy game" they unveiled the other day didn't exactly inspire hope in me either. It seems to be a case of them throwing as much money at it to make it LOOK as nice as possible, with less interest in how it plays or how the story is shaped and formed. I remember reading how FF9 had everything, every story moment and every character involved, written down in detail before a single pixel or polygon was made. It was a game created with focus, passion, and creativity, whereas the modern Square mindset is to made sterile, pretty worlds first and then string them together with a skeleton plot and highly convoluted bad-anime dialogue and characters.

 

[crimson sickle2]

At the risk of double posting, I just wanted to address this point and editing doesn't notify of quotes.

I will always remember you as the company that didn't release Pandora's Tower in America, shot down Versus 13, and made great games between the shit.

Square Enix has nothing to do with Pandora's Tower, and Versus XIII is in active development, it's just been in development for seven years now. Just a month ago there was an interview that stated they were still hard at work on it. What exactly they've been doing for the last seven years I can't really say, but it hasn't been shot down.

Thanks for the correction, I space often about names and associates. However, I sincerely doubt Versus XIII will either still come out at all or be anything better than decent. I love to be proven wrong, but 7 years is a little long for a development period.

 

[KingdomFantasyXIII]

I think the problem SE has is the incentive to keep making FF spinoffs, sequels and expanded games instead of just trying to make different games. A remake for FF14 is a good idea to make sure that people can

Someone needs to stop Yoshinori Kitase from his obsession over these things and having them made. Most of the stuff we have to suffer though from the franchise itself is mostly the spinoff games.

list of FF products that
Final Fantasy X-2
Dirge of Cerberus
Advent Children
Final Fantasy XII: Revanent WIngs
FF4 The After Years
XIII-2
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII

Seriously, who asked for these (and I even liked Final Fantasy XIII so that is saying much as well). It's these products that are dragging down the franchise and hurting the people around the development of the games. To put it in more of a perspective, here's an example:

Back in the day, FF8 had come out and that had gained some criticism because it wasn't the sequel people were hoping for to come after FF7. What did Squaresoft do to bring in a good gesture towards the people they were selling to? They went and made FF9. They moved on with the franchise instead of making a "FFVIII-2 or a "Squall Returns: Final Fantasy VIII". If the spinoff ideas didn't exist, people like Toriyama would not have hate on them (Midgar section of FF7, FF8, FF10/10-2. FF13 trilogy). Toriyama would be only known for the Midgar section FF7, parts of FF8, FF10 and FF13 if Yoshinori Kitase wouldn't force the guy to make more sequels and spinoffs for his own pleasure.