In
Square
Enix’s
latest
financial
results,
the
company
has
laid
out
a
plan
to
radically
alter
its
approach
to
game
development
and
publishing
which
may
result
in
the
end
of
platform
exclusive
games
like
Final
Fantasy
7:
Rebirth.

Named
the
“Square
Enix
Reboots
and
Awakens
–
3-years
of
Foundation-Laying
for
Long-term
Growth”
the
new
plan
intends
on
addressing
some
“major
challenges”
that
appeared
during
the
company’s
last
medium-term
business
plan
which
ended
in
March
of
this
year.
These
challenges
included
“low
profitability
at
the
HD
Games
(HD)
sub-segment”
and
“insufficient
franchise-by-franchise
portfolio
management”.

Step
1
in
this
new
plan
will
apparently
be
to
“shift
away
from
quantity
to
quality”.
In
2021
Square
Enix
published
a
total
of
11
games,
and
a
whopping
18
games
in
2022.

For
what
Square
Enix
calls
“HD”
titles,
which
is
presumably
how
the
company
refers
to
PC
and
console
games
to
differentiate
them
from
mobile,
the
company
plans
to
“aggressively
pursue
a
multiplatform
strategy
that
includes
Nintendo
platforms,
PlayStation,
Xbox
and
PCs.”

Note
the
mention
of
multiple
Nintendo
platforms,

a
direct
reference
to
Nintendo
finally
discussing
a
Switch
successor.

This
new
focus
on
multiplatform
releases
could
spell
the
end
of
PlayStation
exclusive
releases,
such
as
Final
Fantasy
VII
Rebirth.
Indeed,
Square
Enix’s
approach
to
platforms
tends
to
be
a
little
confusing
with
some
games
launching
on
just
or
two
platforms,
others
releasing
on
just
one,
and
others
still
launching
on
everything.

Notably,
Sony
and
Square
Enix
seem
to
have
a
good
relationship
due
to
many
of
the
company’s
biggest
games
favouring
PlayStation.
However,
Final
Fantasy
7
Rebirth
is
reported
to
underperformed,

selling
about
half
of
what
its
predecessor
did.
Based
on
what
Square
Enix
is
saying,
it
seems
like
the
end
of
these
platform
specific
releases
is
coming
soon,
undoubtedly
as
a
means
to
combat
the
38%
decline
in
profit
from
gaming
noted
in
the
financials.

Square
Enix
also
believes
its
new
plan
will
help
maximise
digital
sales,
although
it
isn’t
clear
how.
It
will
also
“pursue
initiatives
designed
to
win
over
PC
users”
due
to
its
belief
that
there’s
significant
growth
to
be
had
on
PC.
You’re
a
bit
behind
the
times
on
that
one,
Square.

It
also
seems
like
Square
wants
to
jump
on
the
cross-media
bandwagon.
In
its
report
it
says:
“In
addition,
it
will
build
an
organization
which
makes
more
active
use
of
its
IP
by
offering
it
across
all
media
formats.”

Given
the
massive
successes
of
things
like
the

Super
Mario
Bros.
Movie
and
the
Sonic
films,
I
can’t
help
but
think
Square
Enix
want
to
move
into
movies
and
TV
shows.
The
company
also
noted
a
massive
rise
of
51%
in
merchandise
sales,
doubtless
tying
in
with
their
new
focus
on
moving
into
other
media
formats.

Square
also
wants
focus
on
developing
games
which
deliver
“‘Fun’
that
only
the
Group
can
create,”
which
is
fancy-pants
talk
for
making
good
games.
At
least,
I
hope
it
is.

On
paper
then,
Square’s
new
plan
seems
promising:
focus
on
creating
fewer,
higher
quality
titles
that
launch
on
multiple
platforms.
As
with
all
company’s
and
their
PR
statements
though,
the
reality
can
often
differ
from
what
they
say.
Only
time
will
tell
if
their
new
plan
will
actually
come
to
fruition.