Square Enix CEO Resigns!

Taken from BlisteredThumbs

Not long after the CEO of EA has resigned now Square Enix has done the same, is the gaming landscape changing?

Quote :

ust a week after John Riccitiello resigned from his position at Electronic Arts, another major publisher is seeing its head step down. This time it is Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada, who “will be replaced by current representative director Yosuke Matsuda.”

This decision is almost certainly tied to the catastrophic losses that Square revealed this morning, totaling some 10 billion Yen ($105 million) for the fiscal year. This “extraordinary” failure is spurring management restructuring throughout the entire company. More details are likely forthcoming, but the biggest contributing factors seem to be big budget software releases and diminishing arcade returns. Presumably, the former is more true of massive investments like Crystal Tools titles, as opposed to their successful distribution of Western games like Deus Ex and Tomb Raider, which were profitable.

We will keep you informed as this story develops.

Taken from Blistered Thumbs

Quote :

Square Enix announced today their massive net loss for the fiscal year and subsequent release of former CEO Yoichi Wada, but the news is still grim for the Japanese gaming giant. While the reasons for their over ¥10 billion ($105 million) net loss by the company is still in the dark, new information has surfaced regarding the “weak” sales of major console titles released by Square this year.

“Weak” is a complete misnomer regarding the numbers for three big players by the company. Sleeping Dogs, Hitman Absolution, and Tomb Raider had a combined total of approximately 8.55 million units sold during the fiscal year, with Hitman: Absolution leading the charge at a usually healthy 3.6 million units on its own. Only Sleeping Dogs, the untested IP, failed to break 2 million units sold. What’s worse, the numbers above don’t count digital distribution, meaning that adding in more sales through the likes of Steam means they still didn’t hit their projected goal.

And yet, Square is quite to say that the sales for all three games are below their projections. According to the briefing filed by Square, “Despite the high critical acclaim, [the games listed] failed to meet each target. In particular, North America sales force was ineffective, ending up with 2/3 of number of units sold in Europe.”

This is not the first time Square has cited poor sales, despite the numbers deceptively not matching up with such statements. Tomb Raider: Underworld snagged 1.5 million units sold back in 2008, yet Eidos was disappointed by the titles performance at that time. Crystal Dynamics was also hit with layoffs shortly thereafter.

This is also not the only case of a gaming budget being overly ballooned. Many will recall EA’s Frank Gibeau citing that Dead Space 3 needed about 5 million units sold to continue to justify investing into the Dead Space franchise. The now defunct 38 Studios Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, was able to ship 1.5 million copies within four months, yet needed to make double that to generate any kind of profit.

There seems to be a massive epidemic regarding cost of development these days. If gaming budgets are growing to the lofty heights of nearly $10-$20 million or more, it would not be surprising to see 3.4 million units sold as “weak,” according to Square Enix. It also means the industry has a spending problem that needs to stop, so that such budgets don’t begin to cripple studios in the process.

Thoughts?

Link -Weird

So long as the next Kingdom Hearts game comes out and the next Final Fantasy game isn't a corridor with shit-storytelling and battle system, change is awesome!

Link?

I can't link not been here long enough, check BlisteredThumbs...

Rulke55 wrote:

I can't link not been here long enough, check BlisteredThumbs...

It's easy.

1.) Copy the URL
2.) Find that little button above the text box when you're posting that looks like a link of a chain (It's between the Flash thingy and the Image thingy)
3.) Click on that button
4.) If you can't figure it out from there you should probably destroy your modem with a ball peen hammer, as a courtesy to the rest of us.

Okay, one I figured posting links of any sort was forbidden until you had been a member for more than seven days, secondly no need to be condescending. Thirdly I could not destroy my modem even if I wanted too, since it's in a college building with tons of other computer software, I am on a college server.

But fine hold on here's the links:

Oh wait I can't and did what you said, but just in case you don't believe me... here

Quote :

New members are not allowed to post external links or emails for 7 days. Please contact the forum administrator for more information.

So I recommend searching these on google

Square Enix Suffers Massive Losses, CEO Resigns

Square Enix Notes “Weak” Sales for Console Hits

Otherwise next time before snarking, why not check, since snark without checking just shows you to be the clueless one.

But anyway if you must have links you will get them when I can post links without having to hack apart a URL.

Rulke55 wrote:

Okay, one I figured posting links of any sort was forbidden until you had been a member for more than seven days, secondly no need to be condescending. Thirdly I could not destroy my modem even if I wanted too, since it's in a college building with tons of other computer software, I am on a college server.

But fine hold on here's the links:

Oh wait I can't and did what you said, but just in case you don't believe me... here

Quote :

New members are not allowed to post external links or emails for 7 days. Please contact the forum administrator for more information.

So I recommend searching these on google

Square Enix Suffers Massive Losses, CEO Resigns

Square Enix Notes “Weak” Sales for Console Hits

Otherwise next time before snarking, why not check, since snark without checking just shows you to be the clueless one.

But anyway if you must have links you will get them when I can post links without having to hack apart a URL.

First, I was completely unaware about that seven day waiting period. It's probably something to prevent spammers that has been implemented since I joined.

Second, I'm always condescending. It's a side effect of perfection.

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

Second, I'm always condescending. It's a side effect of perfection.

That would make me very extremely perfect.

Nice.

Rulke55 wrote:

no need to be condescending.

Don't mind him, he just gets really excited when he feels like he knows something other people don't.

Considering how many people have said something to the effect of "just joined, can't post links yet" just in the last couple of months, this isn't your proudest moment, Mikey.

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

It's a side effect of perfection.

In my case, yes.

In your case, it's the side effect of recieving an elevated social status because people like Clopper have emerged to take over the bottom rung around here. You're still wrong about nearly everything and have the same mental faculties as a bucket of piss.

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

It's a side effect of perfection.

Social status on a really low-rung, tight-knit webforum: +1

Mikey doesn't know what to do, because it's like, he's not getting as much negative attention as he used to, and while he's mellowed out a LOT, it's actually kind of cute.

This clueless awkwardness is kind of cute.

He did pretty effectively make this thread all about him though, so he has that going for him.

Jay/Cris wrote:

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

Second, I'm always condescending. It's a side effect of perfection.

That would make me very extremely perfect.

Nice.

There aren't degrees of perfect. It's like being pregnant, you either are or you aren't.

You aren't pregnant, are you?

grmblfjx wrote:

Rulke55 wrote:

no need to be condescending.

Don't mind him, he just gets really excited when he feels like he knows something other people don't.

Considering how many people have said something to the effect of "just joined, can't post links yet" just in the last couple of months, this isn't your proudest moment, Mikey.

Who said that?

Hot Cancer wrote:

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

It's a side effect of perfection.

In my case, yes.

In your case, it's the side effect of recieving an elevated social status because people like Clopper have emerged to take over the bottom rung around here. You're still wrong about nearly everything and have the same mental faculties as a bucket of piss.

Please, I've never been on the bottom rung. There has always been someone like Harley or Chrissy or Skillet or Clopper. Those losers come and go, Mikey is forever.

Reepicheep-chan wrote:

He did pretty effectively make this thread all about him though, so he has that going for him.

I didn't mean to, I swear.

By which I mean, I wasn't even trying, I'm just that cool. It's true, it's true.

PS: From now on, I'm going to be shoehorning in pro wrestling references into ever post.

Wow. It's finally happened.
Mikey's more full of shit than Knorg's outhouse.

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

Jay/Cris wrote:

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

Second, I'm always condescending. It's a side effect of perfection.

That would make me very extremely perfect.

Nice.

There aren't degrees of perfect. It's like being pregnant, you either are or you aren't.

You aren't pregnant, are you?

It's the 21th century. Of course there a degrees of perfection, just as much as you can be a little bit pregnant. Like, you're only a little bit pregnant if you just bought the morning after pill.

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

PS: From now on, I'm going to be shoehorning in pro wrestling references into ever post.

The ramipercussions of that could be quite dire.

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

Second, I'm always condescending. It's a side effect of perfection.

Oh, get your hand off your dick. If Chris91 (who is in his fucking forties, as I discovered a few days ago) can't shape up, you never will.

Hot Cancer wrote:

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

It's a side effect of perfection.

In my case, yes.

In your case, it's the side effect of recieving an elevated social status because people like Clopper have emerged to take over the bottom rung around here. You're still wrong about nearly everything and have the same mental faculties as a bucket of piss.

Bitch, please. I was never bottom rung.

TheIan wrote:

Wow. It's finally happened.
Mikey's more full of shit than Knorg's outhouse.

We don't always see eye to eye, Ian, but when we do it's a beautiful thing.

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

Please, I've never been on the bottom rung.

Clopper wrote:

Bitch, please. I was never bottom rung.

Keep telling yourselves that.

No, I actually agree with Mikey. He may be the eternal class clown, but he's not bottom rung. There's always been someone like Clopper to take that place.

Jay/Cris wrote:

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

Jay/Cris wrote:

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

Second, I'm always condescending. It's a side effect of perfection.

That would make me very extremely perfect.

Nice.

There aren't degrees of perfect. It's like being pregnant, you either are or you aren't.

You aren't pregnant, are you?

It's the 21th century. Of course there a degrees of perfection, just as much as you can be a little bit pregnant. Like, you're only a little bit pregnant if you just bought the morning after pill.

But seriously, you aren't pregnant, right? One of you is plenty and I'd hate for you to lose the monopoly on this whole "snarky homosexual" thing that you do.

Aggie wrote:

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

PS: From now on, I'm going to be shoehorning in pro wrestling references into ever post.

The ramipercussions of that could be quite dire.

Did you just make a Santino Marella reference?

Nice.

xerrofoot wrote:

Mikey Go WOOGA wrote:

Second, I'm always condescending. It's a side effect of perfection.

Oh, get your hand off your dick. If Chris91 (who is in his fucking forties, as I discovered a few days ago) can't shape up, you never will.

I don't follow your logic here. It's probably because I'm not autistic, and you are very autistic.

grmblfjx wrote:

No, I actually agree with Mikey. He may be the eternal class clown, but he's not bottom rung. There's always been someone like Clopper to take that place.

It's clear that you love me, but alas, we can never be together because I don't date Europeans.

On an unrelated note, it seems beggars can be choosers.

Um so rather than forum politics could we instead get back to the point at hand. Square Enix have got to shape-up or ship-out really at least with their RPGs which seem more like they focus more on graphics than stories.

Now here's a query are better graphics killing Square Enix ability to make good compelling stories in RPGs?

Rulke55 wrote:

Um so rather than forum politics could we instead get back to the point at hand. Square Enix have got to shape-up or ship-out really at least with their RPGs which seem more like they focus more on graphics than stories.

Now here's a query are better graphics killing Square Enix ability to make good compelling stories in RPGs?

Graphics =/= good games necessarily.

Arguably, Sonic '06's cinematics are pretty, but the whole of the game was unfinished glitchy garbage so broken the higher-ups at Sega had to have been smoking some strong shit to greenlight the fucker in the first place.

I will agree that Bioshock Infinite is a pretty game, and I've heard-tell it's received nothing short of praise. I myself would honestly like to play it (and its previous games at some point).

If the game's story fall short, it's the fault of the story, not the graphics. Your game could have this great, well-done atmosphere (I.E. Dead Space 1, Shadow of the Colossus, Amensia: Dark Descent, etc, etc, etc) but if the story sucks, (Like Final Fantasy XIII, hoo-boy is that a clusterfuck!) then it's not the fault of the graphics, it's the fault of the story. The graphics are only a means to convey the storytelling.

Rulke55 wrote:

Um so rather than forum politics could we instead get back to the point at hand.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Get used to it. This is what we do.

xerrofoot wrote:

Bitch, please. I was never bottom rung.

Technically correct. You can't be called bottom rung, but in your case it's because you fell off the bottom of the ladder entirely.

Rulke55 wrote:

Um so rather than forum politics could we instead get back to the point at hand.

I see you're new around here. Hi.

Rulke55 wrote:

Um so rather than forum politics could we instead get back to the point at hand. Square Enix have got to shape-up or ship-out really at least with their RPGs which seem more like they focus more on graphics than stories.

Now here's a query are better graphics killing Square Enix ability to make good compelling stories in RPGs?

As rae pointed out, forum politics are sort of the bread and butter of this place, though you're always welcome to try to change things.

I'm not too sure what you mean by your question - do you mean that Square Enix has neglected storytelling in favor of making games look prettier? If so, are you implying this is being done intentionally or that they are unwittingly improperly allocating resources when crafting the games? In other words, do you think the developers are simply saying "NEED MOAR PRETTEH. PLOT COME LATER?" and then going from there or do you think they're simply running out of budget by the time it comes to pay the writers?

If you are trying to either argue that pretty graphics = shit story or that pretty story = pretty graphics, either equation is wrong. Ian pointed it out - graphics are simply one of the means for conveying storytelling. But you also need writing. music, etc (because if the score doesn't match up, that causes its own problems). Square Enix's games have gotten prettier, indeed, but I'm not so sure I'd blame the graphics directly - the allocation of resources concerning the graphics, sure. But not the end product of those resources, if that makes sense.