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Square Enix Financials Show Final Fantasy 14 Drops, Final Fantasy 16 Disappointing Sales | MMORPG.co

SystemSystem Member UncommonPosts: 12,599
edited August 2023 in News & Features Discussion

imageSquare Enix Financials Show Final Fantasy 14 Drops, Final Fantasy 16 Disappointing Sales | MMORPG.com

Square Enix reported some steep drops in its latest financial report, leading the company's stock to take a hit on the Japanese market. Notably, the company's MMO segment saw a 22% drop in revenue year over year.

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Comments

  • Pher0ciousPher0cious Member RarePosts: 526
    edited August 2023
    image
    ('''\( ',.:.,' )/''')
  • OG_SolareusOG_Solareus Member RarePosts: 1,041
    edited August 2023
    Ego don't sell games... just ask john romero
  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • AeanderAeander Member LegendaryPosts: 8,028
    I'm concerned for Team Asano. They're one of the few genuinely creative, high quality Square studios, and they could absolutely be victims of this "shift funds from the mid tier releases to the AAA releases" plan.
    Neoyoshi
  • ACommonMuggerACommonMugger Member RarePosts: 558
    "However, it's not all bad news, since the publisher sold 7.54 million game copies across its entire portfolio in the first quarter and that's a 76% increase. They are looking forward and predicting a net sales total of about 2.5 billion dollars for the fiscal year that ends March 2024. "

    ....

    What's the problem here? 76% increase and 2.5 billion dollars.

    Is the problem that they can't buy 7 mega yachts, only 6?

    FF14 is in between expansions. FF16 is going to stay at 70 bucks for a year before it's discounted. Mobile off-shoots can go to hell and die off.


    LTBKor1h1m3
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,043
    edited August 2023
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • ACommonMuggerACommonMugger Member RarePosts: 558
    Endwalker is currently considered the worst expansion ever so far.
    What? 


    KrisConwayNeoyoshi
  • DigDuggyDigDuggy Member RarePosts: 694
    The sky is falling the sky is dalling
    Scot
  • DattelisDattelis Member EpicPosts: 1,674
    edited August 2023
    I feel like the 'action-based' combat style would've been fine for a final fantasy spin-off or new IP but as a main FF title (and one roots behind only one character at that mainly), it misses the mark on people who are following the franchise. Personally, what drew me to the FF franchise wasn't even the story, but the cast of characters that I would experience and kind of 'building each one up' in each title. Kind of why 15 fell off quick as well when they tried to originally make Noctis the only one playable (that and half the story had to be experienced outside of the game to make any sense of it). In a way, since 15, the franchise has felt a little lazy to me compared to the older titles and character development/story telling. There's definitely fun to be had in the game, but for a 'FF fan' I'd say its going to be hit/miss for a lot. Definitely doesn't feel like a 'rpg.'
  • LTBKLTBK Member UncommonPosts: 90


    They run events that are nothing more than a short quest with a fluff item and call them "huge event".



    That has been that way since the very first day. Events, which are time limited content, are made short and easy so that people don't miss them, or feel forced to *only* play them once they log-in to the game. Moreover, the core audience is Japanese, and many people here in Japan are busy enough to not be able to commit to play long time limited content in a videogame (thus not playing any other content in that case). Just notice how crossover events that required grinding made a return, or last for months/years. They can't do that with seasonal events, as their storylines keep moving forward each year, unlike other MMOs do.

    I personally like it, as I hated and hate MMOs or games in general that introduce FOMO seasonal events that take days or weeks to complete, or grinding just for the sake of it, with a story behind it even shorter and worse than what you complain about. And, outside of a vocal minority, everyone else seems to like it too. Events are not one of the problems with the game.

    I agree on the cash shop part, as I opposed it since the very first day that it was introduced (and we lost many things due to it that would make new players cry if they knew, like being able to buy past year's event items with gil, or being able to put them for sale on the marketboard). I, and many others, saw this coming. But that ship has already sailed.
  • ZiebaaZiebaa Member UncommonPosts: 19


    Endwalker is currently considered the worst expansion ever so far



    sir, what in the love of god are you smoking LOL nothing was ever going to peak shadowbringers but you're going to sit there and say EW was worse than stormblood?
    KrisConwayACommonMugger
  • The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • XiaokiXiaoki Member EpicPosts: 4,037
    Ziebaa said:


    Endwalker is currently considered the worst expansion ever so far



    sir, what in the love of god are you smoking LOL nothing was ever going to peak shadowbringers but you're going to sit there and say EW was worse than stormblood?

    Most definitely.
    RLWD
  • JakobmillerJakobmiller Member RarePosts: 687


    Part of it is S-E showing they're increasingly out of touch with core audience as well as gamers at large. FFXV and FFXIV, both main games in their biggest franchise, were poorly received. The most frequent complaint by their core audience, people who live and breathe FF, "This is an okay game but it's not Final Fantasy.".

    Players in FFXIV are getting tired of everything becoming more and more low effort except for the cash shop. They run events that are nothing more than a short quest with a fluff item and call them "huge event". The anniversary event? Pretty much everything announced  so far is cash shop bound. 

    Endwalker is currently considered the worst expansion ever so far. It had less than half the content a normal expansion before it had. And now you can add in almost an extra year added between it and the next expansion.

    And let's also not forget the fans completely torched them when S-E announced they planned to make NFT games and add NFT's to their existing games. S-E backtracked, but only on not adding them to their cash cow (such as it is) FFXIV. They still intend to make NFT games and that continues to piss off many previously loyal fans.

    Deus Ex and Tomb Raider were very successful for them, so what'd they do? Sold Crystal Dynamics and Eidos.

    Add in low effort cash grabs like Forspoken, and it really makes one wonder if the leaders have been IV fed saki.



    I don't think we share the same universe...
    ACommonMugger
  • RLWDRLWD Member UncommonPosts: 50
    edited August 2023

    Ziebaa said:





    Endwalker is currently considered the worst expansion ever so far






    sir, what in the love of god are you smoking LOL nothing was ever going to peak shadowbringers but you're going to sit there and say EW was worse than stormblood?



    Stormblood had its problems. It was the start of the watering down of the game. But every problem it had the following expansions aggravated.

    The current game is such a watered down, lazy mess that all tank classes are essentially the same mechanically with shiny effects being the difference.

    Stormblood was still trying to be a game. Endwalker has completely given up on it (tanks literally don't need to be healed in "endgame" dungeons lmao). And that pacing in the main campaign storyline... holy. fuck. stretches of literal 3 hours of straight inane dialog (most of it unvoiced) without a SINGLE piece of actual gameplay. Add to that the fact that despite making a LOT more money the content schedule has remained virtually unchanged and i struggle to see how this game still gets any good will towards it.

    The only reason this is tolerated is because of the deranged circlejerk that has formed around it. It will collapse soon enough
    ACommonMuggerunfilteredJW
  • ACommonMuggerACommonMugger Member RarePosts: 558
    edited August 2023
    RLWD said:

    Ziebaa said:





    Endwalker is currently considered the worst expansion ever so far






    sir, what in the love of god are you smoking LOL nothing was ever going to peak shadowbringers but you're going to sit there and say EW was worse than stormblood?



    Stormblood had its problems. It was the start of the watering down of the game. But every problem it had the following expansions aggravated.

    The current game is such a watered down, lazy mess that all tank classes are essentially the same mechanically with shiny effects being the difference.

    Stormblood was still trying to be a game. Endwalker has completely given up on it (tanks literally don't need to be healed in "endgame" dungeons lmao). And that pacing in the main campaign storyline... holy. fuck. stretches of literal 3 hours of straight inane dialog (most of it unvoiced) without a SINGLE piece of actual gameplay. Add to that the fact that despite making a LOT more money the content schedule has remained virtually unchanged and i struggle to see how this game still gets any good will towards it.

    The only reason this is tolerated is because of the deranged circlejerk that has formed around it. It will collapse soon enough


    So, the sentiment of MMORPG.com forum goers is 'because it has a story and doesn't focus completely on endgame, expansion is bad'.  You and DarkZorvanReturns

    I swear, these forums have some of the worst takes. They dare not post on a site that can downvote their shitty takes, so they have to do it on a echo chamber like mmorpg.com where they feel validated.

    Hard disagree, obviously. 

    Could you or the guy above you please link your parses? You've OBVIOUSLY done all the end game content if you feel so passionately about it.

    If you haven't done any savage content, going to immediately consider your points bullshit (which they are). You seem to focus on endgame, is why I'm asking for it.

    Send me your parses, and to confirm that it's actually you, if you send me an in game mail with that character, I will mail you back 10 mil gil. 







    In before "I don't pay the sub anymore" or some stupid reasoning behind it. Or just not doing anything.


  • XiaokiXiaoki Member EpicPosts: 4,037
    RLWD said:

    Ziebaa said:





    Endwalker is currently considered the worst expansion ever so far






    sir, what in the love of god are you smoking LOL nothing was ever going to peak shadowbringers but you're going to sit there and say EW was worse than stormblood?



    Stormblood had its problems. It was the start of the watering down of the game. But every problem it had the following expansions aggravated.

    The current game is such a watered down, lazy mess that all tank classes are essentially the same mechanically with shiny effects being the difference.

    Stormblood was still trying to be a game. Endwalker has completely given up on it (tanks literally don't need to be healed in "endgame" dungeons lmao). And that pacing in the main campaign storyline... holy. fuck. stretches of literal 3 hours of straight inane dialog (most of it unvoiced) without a SINGLE piece of actual gameplay. Add to that the fact that despite making a LOT more money the content schedule has remained virtually unchanged and i struggle to see how this game still gets any good will towards it.

    The only reason this is tolerated is because of the deranged circlejerk that has formed around it. It will collapse soon enough


    So, the sentiment of MMORPG.com forum goers is 'because it has a story and doesn't focus completely on endgame, expansion is bad'.  You and DarkZorvanReturns

    I swear, these forums have some of the worst takes. They dare not post on a site that can downvote their shitty takes, so they have to do it on a echo chamber like mmorpg.com where they feel validated.

    Hard disagree, obviously. 

    Could you or the guy above you please link your parses? You've OBVIOUSLY done all the end game content if you feel so passionately about it.

    If you haven't done any savage content, going to immediately consider your points bullshit (which they are). You seem to focus on endgame, is why I'm asking for it.

    Send me your parses, and to confirm that it's actually you, if you send me an in game mail with that character, I will mail you back 10 mil gil. 







    In before "I don't pay the sub anymore" or some stupid reasoning behind it. Or just not doing anything.



    I used to do Savage raids in FF14 but I ran into too many people like you.

    People like you is why I will never play FF14 again.
    Kyleran
  • unfilteredJWunfilteredJW Member RarePosts: 398


    Endwalker is currently considered the worst expansion ever so far.



    You can't be fucking serious.

    I'm a MUDder. I play MUDs.

    Current: Dragonrealms

  • unfilteredJWunfilteredJW Member RarePosts: 398



    RLWD said:



    Ziebaa said:








    Endwalker is currently considered the worst expansion ever so far









    sir, what in the love of god are you smoking LOL nothing was ever going to peak shadowbringers but you're going to sit there and say EW was worse than stormblood?






    Stormblood had its problems. It was the start of the watering down of the game. But every problem it had the following expansions aggravated.



    The current game is such a watered down, lazy mess that all tank classes are essentially the same mechanically with shiny effects being the difference.



    Stormblood was still trying to be a game. Endwalker has completely given up on it (tanks literally don't need to be healed in "endgame" dungeons lmao). And that pacing in the main campaign storyline... holy. fuck. stretches of literal 3 hours of straight inane dialog (most of it unvoiced) without a SINGLE piece of actual gameplay. Add to that the fact that despite making a LOT more money the content schedule has remained virtually unchanged and i struggle to see how this game still gets any good will towards it.



    The only reason this is tolerated is because of the deranged circlejerk that has formed around it. It will collapse soon enough




    So, the sentiment of MMORPG.com forum goers is 'because it has a story and doesn't focus completely on endgame, expansion is bad'.  You and DarkZorvanReturns

    I swear, these forums have some of the worst takes. They dare not post on a site that can downvote their shitty takes, so they have to do it on a echo chamber like mmorpg.com where they feel validated.

    Hard disagree, obviously. 

    Could you or the guy above you please link your parses? You've OBVIOUSLY done all the end game content if you feel so passionately about it.

    If you haven't done any savage content, going to immediately consider your points bullshit (which they are). You seem to focus on endgame, is why I'm asking for it.

    Send me your parses, and to confirm that it's actually you, if you send me an in game mail with that character, I will mail you back 10 mil gil. 







    In before "I don't pay the sub anymore" or some stupid reasoning behind it. Or just not doing anything.





    And this is moronic too and you should be embarrassed for posting this shit.
    Kyleran

    I'm a MUDder. I play MUDs.

    Current: Dragonrealms

  • unfilteredJWunfilteredJW Member RarePosts: 398

    RLWD said:



    Ziebaa said:








    Endwalker is currently considered the worst expansion ever so far









    sir, what in the love of god are you smoking LOL nothing was ever going to peak shadowbringers but you're going to sit there and say EW was worse than stormblood?






    Stormblood had its problems. It was the start of the watering down of the game. But every problem it had the following expansions aggravated.



    The current game is such a watered down, lazy mess that all tank classes are essentially the same mechanically with shiny effects being the difference.



    Stormblood was still trying to be a game. Endwalker has completely given up on it (tanks literally don't need to be healed in "endgame" dungeons lmao). And that pacing in the main campaign storyline... holy. fuck. stretches of literal 3 hours of straight inane dialog (most of it unvoiced) without a SINGLE piece of actual gameplay. Add to that the fact that despite making a LOT more money the content schedule has remained virtually unchanged and i struggle to see how this game still gets any good will towards it.



    The only reason this is tolerated is because of the deranged circlejerk that has formed around it. It will collapse soon enough



    Even more clownery.
    Kyleran

    I'm a MUDder. I play MUDs.

    Current: Dragonrealms

  • RLWDRLWD Member UncommonPosts: 50
    edited August 2023



    RLWD said:



    Ziebaa said:








    Endwalker is currently considered the worst expansion ever so far









    sir, what in the love of god are you smoking LOL nothing was ever going to peak shadowbringers but you're going to sit there and say EW was worse than stormblood?






    Stormblood had its problems. It was the start of the watering down of the game. But every problem it had the following expansions aggravated.



    The current game is such a watered down, lazy mess that all tank classes are essentially the same mechanically with shiny effects being the difference.



    Stormblood was still trying to be a game. Endwalker has completely given up on it (tanks literally don't need to be healed in "endgame" dungeons lmao). And that pacing in the main campaign storyline... holy. fuck. stretches of literal 3 hours of straight inane dialog (most of it unvoiced) without a SINGLE piece of actual gameplay. Add to that the fact that despite making a LOT more money the content schedule has remained virtually unchanged and i struggle to see how this game still gets any good will towards it.



    The only reason this is tolerated is because of the deranged circlejerk that has formed around it. It will collapse soon enough




    So, the sentiment of MMORPG.com forum goers is 'because it has a story and doesn't focus completely on endgame, expansion is bad'.  You and DarkZorvanReturns

    I swear, these forums have some of the worst takes. They dare not post on a site that can downvote their shitty takes, so they have to do it on a echo chamber like mmorpg.com where they feel validated.

    Hard disagree, obviously. 

    Could you or the guy above you please link your parses? You've OBVIOUSLY done all the end game content if you feel so passionately about it.

    If you haven't done any savage content, going to immediately consider your points bullshit (which they are). You seem to focus on endgame, is why I'm asking for it.

    Send me your parses, and to confirm that it's actually you, if you send me an in game mail with that character, I will mail you back 10 mil gil. 







    In before "I don't pay the sub anymore" or some stupid reasoning behind it. Or just not doing anything.





    It's completely irrelevant, but i had 99 and 100 percentile parses in a tank class during the 3.0 and 3.2 raid tiers and was top 10 for my class in my region, which was the last time i bothered in pushing myself with the game, because, again it went downhill after that.
    Unironically calling for parses as if they have any argumentative value shows how little you have to contribute. It doesn't change any of the unambiguous flaws i pointed out. The game's classes have become watered down. This is just objective, observable, measurable fact. Any person with even a semblance of honesty can't avoid admitting it.

    I like how you twist criticism of awful pacing and bad writing into "it has a story". Lmao. Funnier even is that i would forgive shitty story writing if the game hadn't become a shell of what it was, design wise, and if they had any attempt at originality.
    And i haven't subscribed in a few months, but i could send you the parses anyway, but i dont you owe shit nor do i want to tie online accounts together. Learn basic argumentation principles before you go on to write deranged crap next time.
    Kyleran
  • RLWDRLWD Member UncommonPosts: 50




    RLWD said:





    Ziebaa said:











    Endwalker is currently considered the worst expansion ever so far












    sir, what in the love of god are you smoking LOL nothing was ever going to peak shadowbringers but you're going to sit there and say EW was worse than stormblood?









    Stormblood had its problems. It was the start of the watering down of the game. But every problem it had the following expansions aggravated.





    The current game is such a watered down, lazy mess that all tank classes are essentially the same mechanically with shiny effects being the difference.





    Stormblood was still trying to be a game. Endwalker has completely given up on it (tanks literally don't need to be healed in "endgame" dungeons lmao). And that pacing in the main campaign storyline... holy. fuck. stretches of literal 3 hours of straight inane dialog (most of it unvoiced) without a SINGLE piece of actual gameplay. Add to that the fact that despite making a LOT more money the content schedule has remained virtually unchanged and i struggle to see how this game still gets any good will towards it.





    The only reason this is tolerated is because of the deranged circlejerk that has formed around it. It will collapse soon enough







    Even more clownery.



    Another amazing counter argument. Boy you guys sure are showing me wrong by conceding literally everything by omission
  • ValdemarJValdemarJ Member RarePosts: 1,380
    Personally, I don't think things are as dire with SE and FF14 as people like to fantasize. Overall sales were up and they brought in billions in revenue. It's hard to spin that as a negative just because it didn't give investors a double digit increase in profits and dividends.

    The lower sales of FF16 are a bit of a surprise to me with all the hype surrounding pre-launch. Sony bought the exclusivity (I think it's timed) with SE using the excuse that PC and Xbox ports would be hard and take a lot of time. I suspect that wasn't entirely honest and it really was about the Sony payout.

    Another thing that might have set off some fans, even on PlayStation, is that the Blood Sword DLC is advertised as only included in a limited physical edition exclusive box.

    Personally, I hope this puts a pinch in the Sony - Squeenix relationship and they consider respecting their customers in other platform markets over a quick cash infusion from the dominant console maker. I'd like to see game publishers put a damper on platform exclusives, even those that are time limited.
    Bring back the Naked Chicken Chalupa!
  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 43,975
    Overlooked in the article is the forecasted 78% decline in operating income (profitability) in Q1 2024 even though revenues are expected to increase.

    Their financial report did not really explain why just a short blurb, something, something, video games be expensive to make, something.  ;)

    Likely they've got to account for deferred expenses on previously released games that didn't do as well as expected vs their cost to make.

    This also probably spooked investors as the margin between making a profit or showing a loss is the smallest it's been in years which could be determined by one bad release or a market downturn.

    "Operating income is a company's profits after deducting operating expenses. This type of income is commonly calculated in accounting and investment banking to measure profitability"

    Random internet definition.
    Scot

    "True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde 

    "I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant

    Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm

    Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV

    Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™

    "This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon






  • XiaokiXiaoki Member EpicPosts: 4,037



    RLWD said:



    Ziebaa said:








    Endwalker is currently considered the worst expansion ever so far









    sir, what in the love of god are you smoking LOL nothing was ever going to peak shadowbringers but you're going to sit there and say EW was worse than stormblood?






    Stormblood had its problems. It was the start of the watering down of the game. But every problem it had the following expansions aggravated.



    The current game is such a watered down, lazy mess that all tank classes are essentially the same mechanically with shiny effects being the difference.



    Stormblood was still trying to be a game. Endwalker has completely given up on it (tanks literally don't need to be healed in "endgame" dungeons lmao). And that pacing in the main campaign storyline... holy. fuck. stretches of literal 3 hours of straight inane dialog (most of it unvoiced) without a SINGLE piece of actual gameplay. Add to that the fact that despite making a LOT more money the content schedule has remained virtually unchanged and i struggle to see how this game still gets any good will towards it.



    The only reason this is tolerated is because of the deranged circlejerk that has formed around it. It will collapse soon enough




    So, the sentiment of MMORPG.com forum goers is 'because it has a story and doesn't focus completely on endgame, expansion is bad'.  You and DarkZorvanReturns

    I swear, these forums have some of the worst takes. They dare not post on a site that can downvote their shitty takes, so they have to do it on a echo chamber like mmorpg.com where they feel validated.

    Hard disagree, obviously. 

    Could you or the guy above you please link your parses? You've OBVIOUSLY done all the end game content if you feel so passionately about it.

    If you haven't done any savage content, going to immediately consider your points bullshit (which they are). You seem to focus on endgame, is why I'm asking for it.

    Send me your parses, and to confirm that it's actually you, if you send me an in game mail with that character, I will mail you back 10 mil gil. 







    In before "I don't pay the sub anymore" or some stupid reasoning behind it. Or just not doing anything.





    And this is moronic too and you should be embarrassed for posting this shit.

    And here we have another great example of the awesome FF14 community.

    Play FF14 and you too can be this hateful.
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