Square Enix has been displaying a worrying approach to their games recently, with the most recent example being the sudden bait-and-switch of their sales plan for Hitman. Their previously already confusing game got even more difficult to understand after it became episodic last week, with Square Enix essentially intent on selling pieces of a game that isn’t complete. As it turns out, this has been a strategy of theirs for years now.
So says Jim Sterling, who recently revisited some sources within Square Enix after hearing about this move over two years ago already. Back then Sterling released a video stating that Square Enix (along with other publishers) had lost faith in the console market entirely, and saw microtransactions and free-to-play titles as the future of the industry. The success of titles like Warframe and World of Tanks sealed this in, and the publisher started making plans to adapt to the new market.
In the process, Square cancelled multiple projects that we’ll never hear about and withdrew all confidence in new IP, instead choosing to alter the way all their existing IP was sold. Just Cause 3 was nearly a casualty of this, with the title originally designed to be an online-only multiplayer shooter. Avalanche reportedly fought hard for their game, and ended up delivering the rather fun yet online-crippled title late last year.
Hitman too was designed from the start as an online-only experience, and for the first two years of the new console cycle Square was intent on doing this to most of their games. It explains things like Deus Ex: Mankind Divided’s peculiar pre-order scheme (a game which is apparently being broken up too), as well as the Final Fantasy VII Remake putting all its chips into episodic content. This was Square’s vision of the future, and it came crashing down as soon as the PS4 and Xbox One launched.
Because these console have both done exceedingly well, and the market is making it clear that $60 AAA titles are still very much the bread and butter of the industry. For games like Hitman and Just Cause it was simply too late, and so both have become casualties of a plan Square hatched out of desperation. It seems that they, and many other publishers, have learnt from it – which means fewer HD remasters as safe bets and more faith into investments for new IP and better sequels.
But it’s scary that these first two years of the new generation have been burdened because of a fear from publisher heads, which could still see the success of their episodic and DL- ridden content as reason to continue down this path. As always, your vote lies within your wallet. Let’s just hope this never happens again.
Last Updated: January 19, 2016
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
January 19, 2016 at 13:04
If only Squeeeeeeenix knew, that’s the fastest way to have my wallet shout “NO! YOU WILL NOT BUY IT”
R1ker
January 19, 2016 at 13:08
Speaking of square enix – anyone else picked up the temporarily free copy of nomad soul?
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 19, 2016 at 13:13
Warframe? Never heard of it.
Ottokie
January 19, 2016 at 13:15
Maybe we should go check it out?
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 19, 2016 at 13:18
Maybe Hammer will join, he said he was looking for a new online game to play.
Ottokie
January 19, 2016 at 13:19
Yea, he has given up on Destiny, so he needs a new looty shooter game.
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 19, 2016 at 13:19
Just hope he doesn’t carry on & on about it if he ends up liking it.
Ottokie
January 19, 2016 at 13:21
Like those Kojima fanboys?
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 19, 2016 at 13:22
They just won’t keep Quiet. Until they get to chapter 2 anyway. trollol
BakedBagel
January 19, 2016 at 13:23
Thanks for spoiling shit bro. :/
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 19, 2016 at 13:28
Have I? 😀
BakedBagel
January 19, 2016 at 13:34
No not really C:
I was just wanting to make you feel bad. 😛
Ottokie
January 19, 2016 at 13:35
😛
http://i.imgur.com/22T1GrT.gif
HvR
January 19, 2016 at 13:36
Hey look JJ’s cat
RinceThis
January 19, 2016 at 14:44
hahahah
Ottokie
January 19, 2016 at 13:25
xD
RinceThis
January 19, 2016 at 14:43
Ohhhh
Hammersteyn
January 19, 2016 at 13:20
http://i.memeful.com/media/post/3M2eWYw_700wa_0.gif
BakedBagel
January 19, 2016 at 13:22
Do you have like a chest or bag just full of .gifs?
You have to many gifs for one man sir.
Its time for an intervention.
Hammersteyn
January 19, 2016 at 13:23
No, the internet keeps them for me XD
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
January 19, 2016 at 13:23
Hammer’s computer is actually considered to be the world’s greatest library of animated gifs!
Hammersteyn
January 19, 2016 at 13:24
I’ve even learned how to make my own…. Uh oh!
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
January 19, 2016 at 13:27
https://media.giphy.com/media/H2AqZGtF2gc8w/giphy.gif
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 19, 2016 at 13:23
😀
Ottokie
January 19, 2016 at 13:24
http://i.imgur.com/JSsWeAf.gif
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
January 19, 2016 at 13:26
Holy crap, what’s wrong with that cat??? 😮
Ottokie
January 19, 2016 at 13:26
Episodic games
Hammersteyn
January 19, 2016 at 13:27
So it’s having an episode?
The Grand Admiral Chief Prime
January 19, 2016 at 13:51
SUM TING VEWY WONG WITH DAT CAT
BakedBagel
January 19, 2016 at 13:17
Oh so the publishers that put all this faith and money into console games, giving PC the middle finger by giving us ports(trash ports 90% of the time), have now lost faith in that market.
F U K I N G T O P K E K
PC’S ARE KING. AND WILL ALWAYS BE KING.
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 19, 2016 at 13:30
MA SE RACE!
Wait… that doesn’t look right.
Ottokie
January 19, 2016 at 13:32
Glorious PC Mustard Race!
BakedBagel
January 19, 2016 at 13:35
Please stop being racist towards mustard and mustard seeds.
People like you are what is wrong with this ENTIRE world.
#JUSTICEFORMUSTARD
HvR
January 19, 2016 at 13:37
#KETCHUP_MUST_FALL
BakedBagel
January 19, 2016 at 13:38
I ONLY GOT 35 TOMATO’S IN THIS BOTTLE OF ALLGOLD.
IVE BEEN ROBBED.
Ottokie
January 19, 2016 at 13:39
Allgold is bestest!
HvR
January 19, 2016 at 13:51
https://media.giphy.com/media/tu3tRDdxEFtE4/giphy.gif
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 19, 2016 at 13:37
What kind of mustard? You know how we like our internal battles.
Ottokie
January 19, 2016 at 13:37
Danish dill mustard
Hammersteyn
January 19, 2016 at 13:22
Release it in episodes, I’ll grab the box set and binge watch the whole thing…. oh wait… this is games we’re talking about isn’t it? O_o
Alien Emperor Trevor
January 19, 2016 at 13:40
I honestly can’t understand why they’d think that way. 3rd gen was a massive success. 4th gen would just be giving people more of what they loved. The types of games that boosted the “dying PC” weren’t traditional console-style games, they’re practically different markets. And WTF was going to go from COD on their console to some shitty mobile game? NO ONE. Mobile games have exploded because of increased access, not because people switched.
aj_nator
January 19, 2016 at 13:47
**darth vader “nooo!” scream**
Please! PLEASE! Give us full games! I’ll pay! I’m tired of games focusing solely on online features (they’re nice to have IF done right) / online only games. Bring back the SP!
The Grand Admiral Chief Prime
January 19, 2016 at 13:51
WARFRAME!
RinceThis
January 19, 2016 at 14:42
NOPE!
Ghost In The Rift
January 19, 2016 at 15:13
“microtransactions and free-to-play titles as the future of the industry” i’m sorry, when that happens i’m done with gaming.
InvisiGhost
January 19, 2016 at 20:14
nice article..they fell off long before this in my opinion..lessons will be learned here for sure as it should..
WitWolfy
January 19, 2016 at 20:27
All I read is “Blah blah blah… We want more money for nothing blah blah..”
chimera_85
January 20, 2016 at 08:24
Hopefully Final Fantasy XV will still be a normal game.
Square-Enix sucks balls, I want SquareSoft back 🙁