How Square Enix's PlayStation Final Fantasy Failed...

[@MassiveRican]

Y’all FF & Console warriors really love to deny the fact that the series is on a downtrend 1. Selling less than 5 million copies and that’s with discounts is not a good return on investment considering how much the development cost. The fact FFVII rebirth of all games sold less than XVI is just sad. 2. PlayStation is majority COD, Dude Bro gaming at this point. RPG players have shifted over to Nintendo and PC. Another reality y’all don’t want to accept. Numbers and sales clearly back this up. 3. FF is no longer a console seller. Get over it. It’s the sad but current truth. I really like FFVII btw prob not even halfway through it at 50hrs but, first off Chadley is not it. Secondly Graphics ain’t all that matters. Games need to be fun above all. Square Enix themselves acknowledge that players are waiting on PC ports backed up by the fact they’re expecting FFXVI Sales to fall in line with expectations once it releases on PC. Multiplat because series doesn’t sell gangbusters on PS platform anymore.

[@ChristFollower365]

So true, its become about graphics above enjoyment. Sony just pushes remasters and remakes.

[@Boss_Fight_Index_muki]

_When you attempt to satisfy everyone, you satisfy no one_ - Japanese Proverb

[@franciscor390]

Exactly!

[@infinite1up389]

*Dumplings over roses*-Japanese proverb

[@tntbigshow4826]

Square/Enix needs to make the next Final Fantasy game more like, you know? A FINAL FANTASY GAME! Put it on the Switch as well, and it'll sell 8-10 million easily.

[@pablocasas5906]

I think at this time it's kind of late for Square-Enix to develop a major Final Fantasy game for the Switch, I think it'd be more logical if put the effort in making a major game for the Switch's successor, but that's were I'm starting to wonder what could they do? I don't think S-E would choose the Switch as the lead platform for the next mainline Final Fantasy, I have a feeling they'll continue to favor Sony, just because it will have to be a graphical showcase. S-E has tried to experiment in making Final Fantasy spin-off that tried to harken back to old-school games from the series like 4 Heroes of Light and even FFIX started as a spin-off, but it seemed like S-E was afraid of diluting the FF brand so they made games like Bravely Default/Second and Octopath Traveller in order to appeal to the sort of gamers that loved games like FF IV and VI, but considering the Switch 2 is going to be as least as powerful as a PS4 Pro, I think developers at S-E should try to make a more ambitious title that takes advantage of the Switch 2's capabilities, kind of what CAPCOM did when they made Monster Hunter: Rise for the Switch. I'm also worried about how big is the Final Fantasy audience on Nintendo consoles, all major FF on Nintendo consoles since 2003 have been late ports/remakes or spin-off titles. I think S-E has tried to make Nintendo players aware of the FF series, but I wonder if a major FF game for a Nintendo console would sell well

[@tntbigshow4826]

@pablocasas5906 Final Fantasy 7 CC Sold More on the Switch than it did on the PS4 or 5. And, the 7-12 releases were huge. It would sell incredible on the Switch successor.

[@pablocasas5906]

@@tntbigshow4826 I haven't checked the current numbers for Crisis Core Reunion, but in its debut week in Japan it sold 54,522 copies on PS5, 53,481 on PS4 and 48,527 on Switch. On its second week, the Switch version did managed rank over the PS versions, though if we combine both the PS5 and PS4 SKUs it outsold the Switch version by 3,127 copies. Still, I'm sure that Final Fantasy can be a successful series on Nintendo consoles, but Square-Enix should try to grow an audience on those consoles, especially in Japan

[@Noid1220]

Make it multi platform, ps5, pc/steam/steamdeck verified, nintendo switch 2

[@tntbigshow4826]

@@Noid1220 Yes. But, they still need to make it better.

[@birdbig6852]

Let's hope the Switch 2 will be the PlayStation 2 of the PlayStation 1.

[@firestriker3580]

No it should be something much more better.

[@ChristFollower365]

They need to build upon what made the switch great, people miss the joy they got from games of old.

[@WillyML4]

After FF7 Remake, I lost all interest in Rebirth, and any other follow-ups to FF7. All I wanted was Final Fantasy 7 with better graphics. Not new characters, not an alternate timeline split, not a bait and switch for what they were showing before release. I was willing to give it's new combat a chance, but after the first Mako Reactor mission, SquarEnix made it clear they had no interest in telling the same story. I'll just stick with the original on Steam with the mods.

[@richenry4738]

Exactly

[@JacksonQuest]

@@richenry4738 agreed

[@WongGamSingLegacy]

I concur

[@orangeslash1667]

@@WongGamSingLegacy Tetsuya Nomura said that he was legitimately surprised that he was chosen to be the director, instead of Yoshinori Kitase.

[@ChristFollower365]

I honestly first thought that ff7r was going to be updated graphics with improvements, i played the demo and it felt strange and quicky lost interest.

[@Shinjiduo]

Really people? Nintendo games sell more than just about any games in the console gaming industry and they are all been exclusive since the early 90's. Square's problem is that they have not identified their core audience and catered to them properly. Right now they are too "Weeb" to win over the current "Bro Gamer" contingent on PlayStation but they are also too "Western AAA" to win over more traditional "Geek Gamers" contingent on PlayStation and Nintendo. They need to stop straddling the fence and pick a side. The multiplat strategy can help but if they continue to make the East / West hybrid games that are not enough of anything for anyone they will just spend more money to court the same niche audience they already have today.

[@pablocasas5906]

The fact that the Final Fantasy series seems to have a lot of trouble connecting with younger gamers is very interesting, sometimes I wonder how Square-Enix cannot repeat the success the original FFVII had on the PSOne. Don't know if it's fair to compare FF to Zelda, but back on the 32/64-bit era FF used to outsell the Zelda games, and while FF and Zelda aren't from the same genre they were the flagship titles for their respective consoles. Despite it's popularity, the Zelda series never managed to sell over 9 million copies in a single console, but Breath of the Wild managed to become a breakthrough hit for the series, selling over 30 million copies and now Tears of the Kingdom is at 20 million. Is there a way a Final Fantasy title can reach those numbers?

[@Big-Image]

Appealing to everyone means you'll appeal to no one.

[@Shinjiduo]

@@Big-Image Bingo! Single player games are not like live service games, with single player games it is about finding an audience not just the user volume game. Single player game just do not have the advantage of the social attraction momentum effect of a successful live service multiplayer.

[@Shinjiduo]

@@pablocasas5906 From what I see the big aspect of gaming young people gravitate toward is agency. Zelda's appeal was limited by a rigid formula that held true from Ocarina of Time to Skyward Sword. When Zelda became less rigid and more fluid more people and younger people got drawn to the franchise.

[@TylerjWebb]

Nintendo is a bit different than square. I know square games will be ported, I'm not buying a console to play their games. I'll also wait for a sale. Nintendo games will generally never get ported. The switch is also the only handheld on the market currently.

[@jairekambui7738]

The problem is, jrpg sales and general interest has been stagnant in recent years as older gamers have less time and more gaming options, and younger gamers don’t even know these games exist because they’re too busy playing Roblox and fortnite.

[@MetsysKra]

Exclusivity is far from the real issue. FF has lost its identity and unfortunately has forgotten who their core audience is. The games look like they would appeal to someone who loves GOW yet the system and battle mechanics are not as deep. Then on the other end of it being an rpg May turn off others who are interested. RPG fans feel isolated as well because now they don’t feel the series is appealing to them despite the fact that the RPG genre is still popular and relevant. FF16 always had the intention to reach to pc and it’s clear that FF7 is gonna be there too so idk what the big deal is. They should strive for simultaneous releases rather than this delayed effort. Switch ain’t strong for any ambitious. titles anyway so that’s that

[@chrisgideonrosario]

Its ok watch if FF17 goes multiplatform and still sells like garbage. Then people will get that you don't 💩 on original fans.

[@tntbigshow4826]

It's both. You need to sell to your audience. Square is a Japanese company, but the quality and the fact they don't try to please the old FF fans has hurt as well.

[@NuiYabuko]

Not strong enough for ambitious titles? Are you trying to act like BotW and TotK don't exist? Or is "ambition" only about graphics?

[@MetsysKra]

@@NuiYabuko yea.

[@MetsysKra]

@@NuiYabuko Zelda so deep down y’all throats you can’t go five minutes without talking bout it. Excellent game by the way but in terms of graphics it ain’t all that. Art style though? Absolutely GOATED.

[@falconlawnch6926]

It's like some higher-ups at Square-Enix were operating as if Final Fantasy still enjoyed the status it had in the mid 90s, when the mainline games had enough pull to shift the entire console industry, just like what happened with the original FF7. That has not been the case for a very long time - in fact, FF has apparently gained a reputation for being somewhat of an outdated, 'boomer' franchise among younger audiences.

[@pablocasas5906]

We also have to consider that back when Final Fantasy VII was released the orginal PlayStation was the leading console, outselling the Nintendo 64 and Sega Saturn by a wide margin and the situtation was kind of the same with the PS2, but things changed a bit during the PS3 era, that's why we saw Final Fantasy XIII on the Xbox 360

[@falconlawnch6926]

@@pablocasas5906 Not exactly. The PS1 became the clear leader by the middle of its generation, but it actually had a pretty slow start. It only turned into a runaway success *after* getting several major third-party exclusives starting in mid-1996. It was FF7, among other pivotal games, that boosted the PS1 to full-on dominance, not the other way around. SquareSoft played such a key role in shifting the JRPG space to the PS1 early on (apparently, their president even went around to convince other developers to jump ship) that Yamauchi banned them from Nintendo offices for close to a decade.

[@Melodyofthesea78]

​​@@pablocasas5906 we Wild arms, lunar 1 and 2, breath of fire games (one being complete trash) Legend of dragoon, these games gave you a feeling that you WERE going on a huge adventure.....but games these days don't give me that feeling of high adventure especially final fantasy the ones that do are Xenoblade games and legend of heroes.

[@Melodyofthesea78]

When I was very sick the Playstation and Saga Saturn came out I picked the Playstation 1.) Because it was cheaper and 2.) It had final fantasy VII and wild arms on it so my grandma got it for me along with the games and the memory card. I was stuck in bed for a LONG time so having something to do was a live saver to me. If it wasnt for Final Fantasy VII and Wild Arms I would never have played the many other fantastic jrpgs that came out after.​

[@Melodyofthesea78]

I don't know about the boomer stuff but I know the younger audience right now are playing the boomer games because apparently they are fun so there's that. I let a friend who's in her late teens borrow Lunar 1 and 2. She absolutely loves the games so far and she pretty far into the second game.

[@JeannieLove]

I always questioned how well those exclusivity deals were actually doing for them. Since they were always saying games weren't meeting their expectations. I see this as them tempering their expectations and realize they are unrealistic for having exclusivity. Hopefully Square and Bandai-Namco really are committed to focusing on Quality and if they do, then I think they'll be more successful.

[@pablocasas5906]

In regards to the exclusivity deals between Square-Enix and Sony for the Final Fantasy VII remake project, I think the deal with Sony paid for most of the game's budget. I'm pretty sure FFVII Remake and Rebirth cost a ton and not even the fact that they re-used plenty of models for Rebirth helped S-E to save in costs

[@TylerjWebb]

I think for remake exclusivity was more reasonable. There were 100 million ps4s. But ps5 isn't nearly as successful at this point, and I believe the economic situation has had a big impact. I also think there is something to be said for making other platforms missing launch hype. I bought remake on sale. What's a few months after waiting over a year already. Same thing for final fantasy 15.

[@popzeus3000]

By focusing on "fun" it almost sounds like S/E is trying to bring some of the Nintendo development philosophy into their process. Foamstars is an example of a game that maybe would've never gotten out of the prototype phase without a better hook than "let's just copy Splatoon".

[@firestriker3580]

It is just a copy of splatoon

[@l0_0l]

0:57 …?! then why is rebirth the opposite of fun?

[@joopvanhedel1372]

Kingdom Hearts was literally announced yesterday that it was coming to Steam. And the biggest Sega/Atlus leaker that has been doing a lot of Nintendo leaks lately said that Kingdom Hearts is coming to the Switch 2. Combine that with Nintendo buying Shiver, a company that Nintendo will probably use to help many third party companies such as Square Enix to get third party games to the Switch 2. The third party support on the Switch 2 will be Something Else

[@pablocasas5906]

I wouldn't be surprised if Square-Enix releases Kingdom Hearts I, II and Dream Drop Distance on the regular Switch this year. I mean, people will be kind of confused as to how they didn't just do that back when Sora was added to Smash Ultimate, but it seems there were some rights issues or the developers at S-E had problems porting the games. I'd say it'd actually prefereable that they at least port the games for the regular Switch now, due to the huge installbase the console has, instead of waiting one or two years for the successor to arrive As to Kingdom Hearts IV, I say that this game is several years away before it comes out

[@joopvanhedel1372]

@@pablocasas5906 They are not going to do that on the Switch 1 because they have already done that, all kingdom hearts games are on Switch but they are cloud versions and bad cloud versions too. The Switch 2 will get the real games. the only game that the switch would have had trouble with was kingdom hearts 3 but with a little work it would have worked but no they took the lazy route. And with sora in smash it would have sold well too. So I don't understand this decision

[@momokosakurada605]

remember dragon quest the akira work. dont eb surprise if there are changes to kingdom hearts and square enix is gonna die

[@pablocasas5906]

@@momokosakurada605 Dragon Quest is sort of weird, Square-Enix does not technically own the rights, the series is managed by Armor Project, a group composed by the series' creator/director, Yuji Horii and the late Akira Toriyama and Koichi Sugiyama. Now, the Dragon Quest division recently suffered some changes, so I do believe that there's going to be some changes. The one thing that surprised me is that we haven't had a new Itadaki/Fortune Street game in ages

[@momokosakurada605]

@@pablocasas5906 i have no confidence in Square Enix since they canceled a good mobile game and didnt even let it grow

[@TheIronTiger44]

2 million sold on rebirth, is what I hear.

[@zeekay9941]

I hope star ocean 2 remake did well and showed square that we don't need big budget games to be happy. They just have to be stylish and polished.

[@JonBlack413]

If you read the actual report instead of the article you would know that Square Enix financial problems were in large part due to their MMO and mobile projects. But let’s keep pushing the narrative that it was because Final Fantasy was PlayStation exclusive. 😁

[@switchitup3709]

Well, as far as The main title goes they selling less than normal. He didn't say that this was the sole problem. Just the big and main titles. A large part of the Final Fantasy audience is in Japan. What is the biggest system in Japan currently?

[@gladiator8778]

@@switchitup3709So what’s stopping Japanese gamers from buying a PS5? If they truly loved the series they would buy the platform it’s on.

[@switchitup3709]

@@gladiator8778 because of their lifestyle. A lot of them play on the go. Which is why mobile and switch is popular over there.

[@gladiator8778]

@@switchitup3709 Anyone that trades away a console to play games on a cell phone was never a serious gamer to begin. Switch I can understand but it’s a trash primary platform.

[@ChristFollower365]

​@@switchitup3709square could fix that if they port the game over instead of trying to stick to a platform which has a low adaption rate. people are sticking to ps4. Or waiting for a pc port.

[@nindieboy4194]

I don't think that FF16 would have sold much better on switch. FF16 and the remake heavily go into mainstream markets. But mainstream isn't buying FF games. That's why the last FF gamed failed imo

[@deceit1407]

Failed? I’m a noob a these subjects what does failed mean for a game? I really like ff16 even got the platinum. I hate to see it fail

[@Scrumpdaddy]

Exclusivity is not the issue for final fantasy the issue is they spent a decade releasing games that nobody enjoyed. If you weren’t trying to push a narrative so hard you’d be honest. Plenty of exclusive games come to Sony and sale fine I love final fantasy but you can’t burn bridges with fans for over a decade and expect to sale well.

[@AP-qu2li]

Thank you! Came to the comments looking for someone else sane enough to see it

[@Shinjiduo]

You would think a Nintendo fan would know that exclusivity does not effect sales. With the exception of a few multiplat mega franchises like COD and GTA Nintendo games sell more than any other and they are what!?... EXCLUSIVE. Look at the top 50 selling games of all time lots of exclusive Nintendo games.

[@pablocasas5906]

@@Shinjiduo I think most of the best-selling exclusives on both Nintendo and PlayStation are first-party developed titles, while there are third-party exclusives that tend to sell very well, I think these days third-party developers are limiting their games' sales by making exclusive titles

[@Scrumpdaddy]

@@pablocasas5906 it’s not a question for me of if it would get more sales multi platform that’s pretty obvious just based off the numbers. The issue is the narrative of somehow this exclusivity deal had something to do with the state we find final fantasy in today. The fact is that final fantasy use to be a console mover exclusivity had never been an issue for them but after years of abusing the name for profit it doesn’t hold the same weight.

[@zacatkinson3926]

thats not true

[@Talkative_Introvert123]

Companies are finally realizing having game be more available is better unless your Nintendo

[@NYYanks2003040506]

Huge part of the problem is SquareEnix (unlike Capcom or Sega for example) has failed to admit its games are no longer the most popular and won't bring in Call of Duty numbers. Until that happens and budgets and sales expectations are made more reasonable, the company will continue to have problems.

[@JacksonQuest]

its hard ti remain popular when you change everything we like about you. I suggest everyone stop buying COD its the same game and you are telling gaming companies that I as a consumer and stupid and you can take my 60 to dollars plus microtrans actions money and get nothing in return.

[@ValyrianGod]

Overall I do appreciate your videos OJ, but this continued argument of the FF series failing due to exclusivity only is getting old quick. - I love SE games and FF and I'd love for them to succeed. But I really doubt non-exclusivity would've given them the numbers they wanted with FF16 and FF7 Re. I've seen a lot of arguments about how Final Fantasy being exclusive to PlayStation is failing or has failed. However, people often overlook a crucial point: the development burden of creating multi-platform games. 1. The director mentioned that it was easier to develop the FF7 Remake series for PS only. While some people just kind of scoffed at his comment. It comes off most are just unhappy/stubborn about needing a PS5 to play Rebirth. "My console isnt supported so F them" It's a very valid point that focusing on only one console simplifies, speeds up, and reduces the cost of development. 2. I agree with your point that the Nintendo Switch has the largest market share and that its hardware just may(isnt) suitable for the FF7 Remake series. Still, making a switch version concurrently adds to the developmental burden. You also noted that Square Enix can't afford another failure, implying they've been stretched thin with concurrent projects and cancellations. FF series are the SE bread and butter and the games they always try to "make the next leap in gaming" with. It just isnt plausible from my pov for a switch version of FF16 or Rebirth. It wouldve looked horrible like MK. 3. Comparing Final Fantasy to Monster Hunter is sorta unfair. Monster Hunter has always been crazy popular in Asia, and Capcom has wayyy more resources than SE. It's not surprising that SE couldn't afford multi-platform development. When conceptualizing the FF7 remake series, SE sought help and resources, approaching not just PS, but also Nintendo and Microsoft for exclusivity deals. They likely had to cancel side projects to avoid relying on Sony's resources or exclusivity for quality development due to budget constraints. It's tiring to see "SE, FF7, and PS" linked with failure or claims that "Sony's exclusivity is bankrupting SE." Without Sony, we might not have gotten Rebirth at all. Neither Nintendo nor Microsoft wanted to fund it. At this point, I'd prefer Sony to buy SE outright and make some games multi-platform while keeping some exclusives. Sony is the only one of the Big 3 consistently supporting the FF franchise. It's unclear if launching on PC, Xbox, and Switch simultaneously would boost sales as expected. FF games rarely sell well on Xbox, and the Switch can't run these games. PC might be a solid choice, considering Ghost of Tsushima's success.

[@wolfan20]

Exclusivity is no longer sustainable in an investement=revenue, they are making insanely big games with a lot of graphical and cinematic pieces that have huge money in them is not sustainable in only one console, specially one where barely people are upgrading to.

[@XVa-uj8m]

I would rather have more games like the Goemon spiritual sequel. That is lower priced, looks good and I have heard it is long enough.

[@Swagkia_Kuchiki]

The exclusives were noted as a financial highlights in SEs financial report...the exclusive angle is a false narrative. Takashi Mochizucki is known to have bad info it pains my heart to see his stuff used here of all places. SE biggest problem here is not Sony or "platform exclusivity" but their messy management that produced low / mediocre quality games and unnecessary projects . Like example SE spent a lot of money for NFT projects and all of them doesn't lead to anything except a big hole in their financial. Or tons of garbage mobile games that only got closed down in less than a year. Not to mention, SE sold mid AA games like The DioField Chronicle, Saga Emerald Beyond, or Star Ocean 6 at $50-60 which all of them are multiplats and failed to sold well.

[@nanofate8662]

It pains me to see Star Ocean get treated as a throwaway series by SE. Like the games could be so much better if they got some actual support.

[@chasegaetze4507]

For myself I love boss fights. Love learning movesets and how to defeat them. ff7 remake was great. Decent balance between mini games and action. Rebirth was bogged down with so many dang mini games. The boss fights were amazing. But they are so far and in between. Then with FF16 there was no customization compared to 7 remake with the party members, if I wanted more of a spell build or melee build, the stagger based on weaknesses idk remake was just excellent. The stuff they are releasing now just isn't as fun

[@nanofate8662]

You know, it probably doesn't help some of these games been in development for 2 console gens at least. Like I think SE sets the bar too high for themselves and then ends up pleasing no one because the games themselves are a collection of ideas that were implemented and never finished.

[@insanodeleite1]

a trilogy retcon nobody wanted and DmC from wish, i wonder why it failed?

[@dibbinssp2018]

The market and especially consumers have shifted. PlayStation is no longer the place to be for RPG’s like it was in the PS1 and 2 days. Us over 40s have mainly shifted to Nintendo and PC. Just look at how PlayStation performs today, it is the place to play FIFA, free to play titles, and call of duty. Going multiplatform will help square no end.

[@MetsysKra]

Hogwash.

[@Vyse195]

I never thought about that but you're right. I'm not 40 yeah I'm only 35 but only play is switch and PC I see no need to get a PS4 or Xbox series X.

[@caliburnblade7895]

And yet all the games square enix released kn switch all sold like crap.... The 2 exclusive final fantasies are their only ip that sold 3 million, most of their multi plats bombed.

[@deathxul777]

A safe space for older ff fans

[@theonlymattthatmatters]

The problem is: The potential downgrade of graphics needed to put the game on a Nintendo console could also alienate the PS players. Are they now going to have to hire two teams to develop for the proper system? If so, is that really going to help Square’s bottom line? I guess we’ll have to see.

[@maplemiles3381]

Switch sells really well in Japan and JRPG's even if they only stayed on Playstation have not sold really well in recent years. Plus square has done awful marketing and out of the sales are made up by mostly weebs since a lot of gamers seem to hate anime but their are a lot of gamers who are closet weebs

[@jarde1989]

What happened? Square Enix thought it was a good idea to take a shrinking franchise and make it exclusive to a single platform lol

[@TheIronTiger44]

I’ll be strengthening my position in SE. I’m not offering financial advice. Just saying I appreciate they will be addressing the quality problems and I have faith this new plan will work. Is it a risk? Sure. But I love SE… just not the FFVII Reboot.

[@uppernimbus]

Switch 2 should be sprawling with Square Enix support, especially with their new business strategy announced. I've definitely got my fingers crossed because I'd love to play some bigger Square games on the next system!

[@caliburnblade7895]

Square sprayed and prayed tons of rpgs on switch, did they sell well? Why are Nintendo people low iq.

[@jaynunya5136]

Square Enox also hurt themselves with the naming of their games. the sequel to the remake of FF7 should have been called FF7 part 2.

[@calvinmatthews1527]

I don't think it's the fact that console exclusives are dying, but the fact that the number of consoles sold is the problem. Well, let this be a lesson to Square on how the spend their money & on what time they should give on what console.

[@alex1212456]

We don’t know how much Sony pays for exclusivity. Also it didn’t fail, it underperformed

[@fenrirsfolly92]

Underperforming is failure, to the business world that is failure

[@alex1212456]

@@fenrirsfolly92 I think there is a difference but yea it depends on how the suits see it I suppose

[@NAzo.]

They should be fine once they release on PC but god damn they're taking forever announcing it. Once Switch 2 is out they can finally port them over there too. I dunno why they were not taking advantage of the Xbox when they gave them FF13. I dunno about now tho after what Microsoft has been doing to it.

[@franciscor390]

Brother it's actually not that complicated, the FF franchise is nowadays a tarnished brand, ever since FFXIII the stories and gameplay are simply not good enough. The games aren't even close to the fantastic Snes and PSX FF's directed by Sakaguchi.

[@orangeslash1667]

The good news is that he did work on Fantasian: Neo Dimension.

[@differentsame9402]

How do you know that ff7 rebirth sales flunked when the numbers haven't been released yet? All this uproar over ff7 poor sales numbers in Japan, a country where 90% of its populace plays handheld gaming. Someone is artificially creating a fake narrative that square enix's downfall is somehow related to ff7r's exclusivity deal. Why won't they show the global sales numbers? I bet if those numbers were disclosed, we'd be singing a different tune, that ff7r is actually saving Square from going under... I bet the numbers were so good Square decided to start focusing on games like ff7r and slow down on other titles, as it was recently reported. There seems to be an agenda to end Sony's exclusivity over ff7 and people keep falling for the hoodwink without showing us exactly what the world-wide sales numbers are.

[@TheIronTiger44]

What they should do is a real, faithful remake of FFVII for the Switch. Improve the graphics and presentation, but don’t change the story, and keep it turn based. That would certainly shut me up. And let PS5 have that awful reboot all to themselves.

[@ryh2638]

It amazes me how much Square squandered opportunities to make bank on the Switch during its prime years. "Aggressively pursue multiplatform strategy" sounds good for PC/Xbox users but I remain on the fence regarding how far they would go on the next Switch. We shall see soon enough.

[@pablocasas5906]

I'd actually say that Square-Enix, out of all Japanese third-parties, gave some of the best support for the Switch. While most of the games they developed for the system are kind of smaller, AA experiences, they were very impressive, like the Team Asano games, plenty of Dragon Quest spin-offs, the Dragon Quest XI S and NieR Automata ports, NEO The World Ends with You and the fact that S-E ported a ton of their back catalog that never appeared on Nintendo's systems before. However, I say that S-E fumbled a lot by not making native ports of Kingdom Hearts I, II and 3D and the fact Armor Project didn't make a major Dragon Quest game or at least a remake from previous games in the series (aside from the DQIII remake that is still in development) Perhaps S-E, like many other third-party developers, were caught off-guard by the Switch's success after the disaster that was the WiiU and didn't know how to tackle the system. I hope that they and other developers at least give the Switch's successor a lot more support.

[@ssj690]

Best hope the Switch 2 versions of these games sell well or boy the discourse is going to be lit.

[@pablocasas5906]

Could the Switch 2 run these games. I mean, Final Fantasy VII Remake was released on the PS4 and rumors said the Switch 2 will be as powerful as a PS4 Pro, but I think one of the main issues is the Switch game cards' storage capacity, FFVII Remake came in two discs, could S-E compress the data in order to fit on a single game card or an additional donwload will be required

[@knowledgeseeker4614]

Maybe the series should be called “Failures and Course Corrections”.

[@fenrirsfolly92]

All I know is once FF is back on Xbox I’ll be buying them *edit, also would love a Chrono Trigger “REMASTER” not remake but doubt it’ll happen

[@JonBlack413]

How do you love JRPG but only have an Xbox?

[@fenrirsfolly92]

@@JonBlack413 simple I just like Xbox better, also because MS security, last time I had a ps my account was hacked like 3 times and I had to cancel 2 credit cards and go thru hell just to get access back to my account so that kinda left a sour taste in my mouth, and Nintendo has nothing for me since Pokemon has taken a nosedive and the last good Zelda game imo was twilight princess *edit, also I don’t have the $ to get multiple consoles

[@notme8152]

FF was never an Xbox series with the exception of a few multiplatform entries, so it's not "back" on xbox.

[@fenrirsfolly92]

@@notme8152 well now they’ll all be

[@orangeslash1667]

@@notme8152 There's a game called Lost Odyssey available on Xbox backwards compatible. It was written by Hironobu Sakaguchi of Final Fantasy fame.

[@JacksonQuest]

Sqaure created a game that its hardcore fan base did not ask for. Final Fantasy VII is my favorite game but remake and rebirth don't even come close to OG FF7 regardless of how great the graphics look. Square Enix wanted to please a western audience by making western games...when we play YOUR GAMES BECAUSE WE WANT TO PLAY JAPANESE STYLE GAMES! Also, Triple A title such as 2k, COD they are the same game re-released every year. The masses traded in our enjoyable solo experiences for microtransactions and unlocking new skins? I think SE needs this, go back to making what could be the "final fantasy". Do more with creativity and less with graphics. I'd like extremely happy with a turn based jrpg with graphics that will last the test of time but a story that I can re play over decades is even better,

[@ivanjovanovic7118]

Never first person shooters never multiplayer where our precious time depending on others knowledge patience and their free time, only straight content in our free time for our money

[@metroidprime3863]

Because the PS5 is nothing but a CoD and FIFA machine.

[@RhythmGrizz]

It really is. Sony exited Japan completely. Players took notice first, and now thankfully devs and publishers are seeing the writing on the wall

[@Melodyofthesea78]

​​@@RhythmGrizz For me I'm not interested in the road Sony is taking for Final Fantasy I like variety and it seems they are headed in the type of gaming that doesn't have variety. FF for me was always turned based jrpg I play those games when I get bored of playing COD or hack and slash type games....it seems there are a ton FPS out there and people tend to make fun of farming games or visual novels which I don't get? Those two type of games get different audiences that don't want to play FPS or hack slash or fighting games....the same with jrpgs or strategy jrps, Action jrpgs, etc. I think all consoles need variety in games so they can attract different gamers. And leaving their country for were did they move? California is a huge mistake....if you're a company you go to California to literally kill your company.

[@KH-nk8ry]

I guess GOW, Spiderman, Horizon and TLOU don’t exist…

[@firestriker3580]

In none of those games 1 game of the year so what's your point. God of war, spider-man, horizon, and the last of us are glorified interactive movies.

[@shinra358]

nobody asked for 16 and ff7 being censored, having terrible music, 75 percent of the game is minigames, and lastly changing the story

[@xenogen372]

I honestly wish FF7R had a similar feel to the Advent Children OST

[@momokosakurada605]

square enix also baby sweet thing obviously and censorship will elad to people leaving it behind

[@deceit1407]

Man I love ff I hate to see they are doing badly, are they?

[@uchennaobi5985]

Make GOOD FUN games on every platform. simple for whatever platform preferred

[@TheIronTiger44]

SE games don’t sell well on Xbox. They never have.

[@coltdeedede]

In my opinion, it's abundantly clear that Nomura has lost his touch with game design in the 21st century - FF Rebirth is a bad open world experience with outdated mechanics (like the towers - its an embarrassing copy of Breath of the Wild but completely misses the mark 7+ yrs later) and even the upcoming KH Missing Link mobile game being a rip of Pokemon Go a game from 2016. The innovation is gone and they prioritize graphics and money printing so much that their game design can't keep up with the current standard. They are draining the IPs that gave them their fortune in an attempt to carry on but it's sloppy - FFVII Remake should have been 1 game, 2 games max. I guarantee Remake Part 3 will underperform if Rebirth is already down this bad.

[@orangeslash1667]

Square said they were pressured by the fans to make it, they were too scared to say no.

[@TheIronTiger44]

I’m all for increasing support for Nintendo. But I haven’t seen evidence of an audience for SE games on Xbox.

[@pumpkinpie1509]

There isnt a audience on xbox because square has barley put anything on xbox this gen only two games that i know of is ff7cc that came out december 2022 and ff14 that came out a few months ago so yeah if square doesnt support xbox with games then of course square wont do good on xbox. The whole thing about jrpgs not doing good on xbox is just not true becuase the persona series has been huge for gamepass being some of the most highest rated games sure they were free for gamepass owners but sega also got money from sony and nintendo when it came to at full price also xbox gave atlus a big bag of money so they can keep making games for gamepass unlike sony who just hands square a bag and wants 99% of there games exclusive.

[@aquapyro1]

Ah the revisionist history of FF15 and KH3 continues to plague KZbinrs. Acting like the game came out with okay reviews.

[@Wynntersenk6017]

Ff15 did enough damage that I didn’t buy 16. I do keep buying the 7r trilogy but Chadley in rebirth isn’t good. I also miss turned based combat so I’m not willing to buy all of the triple a square games cuz they’re a lot of action games. I really do think porting onto multiple systems will help but there are a lot of issues that have compounded square.

[@agamersinsanity]

tbh FF15 wasnt that bad.. sure it had some flaws like magic being useless.

[@NathanaelRibeiro]

Atlus just forgot about switch for persona 3 reload and metaphor refantazio, hopefuly we'll see them on switch 2. And I think square enix delivered amazing games on switch and games being released in more console will make these games profitable so they can make more games and not fire everyone or they'll do crappy decisions like microsoft or embracer or ea or ign or.....

[@xenogen372]

With all this Switch 2 news going about, and Nintendo straight up confirming it'll be shown soon, most devs aren't making OG Switch games because A. It probably can't run well, and B. Why would you make your new big game on old hardware when that same company is coming out with a new system which will most likely have better hardware?

[@toddolsen4604]

You have to have Nintendo. Square -Enix main market is still Japan. Cater to that market and the other regions will follow. When you take the "games are for everyone" approach, you end up with FF13...We buy games from Japanese studios because we want Japanese style story telling. We dont want Japanese games with western style story telling.

[@originaltallman28]

If you’re thinking of a name for these type of videos may I suggest, “Let’s keep it a buck”..

[@israelruiz8706]

Exclusives sell consoles. Thats how its always been and has always worked. Until recent years The gaming industry is evolving and is ourgrowing consoles. Pc gaming is basicalky becoming the new king and becomin more accessible and easier than ever. Handheld gaming also seems to be taking over alongside streaming. So its getting to a point that only thing that will be needed will be an app on a device. Whether it be a phone, tv, or computer.

[@fenrirsfolly92]

Except they’re not a console holder, they’re a 3rd party company and no 3rd party game should be exclusive

[@madjoe8622]

Phil, is that you?

[@XVa-uj8m]

Enix Square should start looking at getting ready for their stuff to work on Linux now too because of that AI feature Win 11 now has. When many Win 10's hit expiration many will move to Linux.

[@franciscor390]

Plan step nr 1. Get Nomura out of Square-Enix!

[@orangeslash1667]

But then there would not Kingdom Hearts, he's always been charge of it.

[@painuchiha2694]

Final fantasy went downhill after Chadley

[@maharaja101]

Chadley is 100% optional though, just skip don't take a quest from him.

[@bethanyh1637]

I expect SE to be very committed to their multiplatform strategy up until the next round of new Final Fantasy games and this suddenly decided its time to try exclusives again. This company never learns.

[@1988M.]

They also needa go back to their roots. 16 ain’t it

[@jrpgaddict7726]

Good, hope they keep failing until they get the message 🤦🏾‍♂️

[@hajimaridesu2523]

PS exclusive pa more

[@badboy-gn8fu]

final fantasy went downhill after ff10 imo

[@WinspearUltima]

You say that but if you’ve played rebirth it’s still going good if you’ve played the actual game

[@kingkarrot9304]

You failed to mention thats also the last one you played

[@nashdash6404]

Their going multiplatform so more people can have the chance to play their ego trip awfully written overrated games.

[@WARLORD626]

Except the other problem is that square doesn't want to admit they false advertised Remake pt2 and then FF16 had a certain life style be advertised in people's faces. Im not going to sugarcoat square keeps acting like people just aren't interested in thier games.SQUARE ENIX stop the cap.

[@Mohddaus]

Wtf Xbox loss

[@davidhill8565]

Square Enix should originally develop the AAA games for PC, then port them to the PlayStation and Xbox platforms and downgrade them to the Nintendo platforms. The Western customers will go with PC or PlayStation or Xbox, while the Japanese customers will go with Nintendo.

[@Lucasjkllllop]

Bro was defending rebirths low sales number while back and now he has turned a complete 180 lol

[@tohms19]

Beating a dead horse with this topic at this point. I know this channel heavily pushes the Nintendo circle jerk (gotta carve out a niche somehow), but this trope of "exclusivity" killing this franchise is nothing more than schadenfreude bait for Nintendo gamers at this point.

[@Ukaran]

"Final Fantasy failed". Meanwhile.... From Square's own Financial Report, under the "Financial Highlights" section: "Square Enix's digital entertainment sales were ever so slightly up, mainly thanks to its HD Games sub-segment, the firm said. The solid performances of Final Fantasy 16, Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince, and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth saw HD Games sales increase to ¥99.2 billion ($636 million) versus ¥78.5 billion ($503 million) the previous fiscal year". Oh, and they also rewarded Rebirth's director, with a promotion. BUT REMEMBER GUYS..... Final Fantasy failed. 🤡🤡🤡

[@sharkulashairstylist5505]

FF 7 rebirth is a pile of minigame trash and cheating program. That's why people do not want to buy it or play it. I know I'm not a FF player, but I bought a PS5 and pre ordered this game... and I can confirm the gameplay and story suck. I did like FF 15 after I played remake but no chance I will keep dragging myself through the mud playing bullshit programs.... The games are too time consuming and I am a caretaker of real life.

[@SuperChristianMiiworld]

Yeah you’re not an FF player nor a fan. And as one of those people who didn’t buy Rebirth because of “cheating program”, I didn’t buy it because I don’t have the funds for it at the time of release and I have financial stuffs to deal with IRL, so I’m waiting for a discount.

[@JonBlack413]

If you liked FF15 then your opinion on the franchise doesn’t matter.

[@agamersinsanity]

Bro OG FF7 had a lot of minigames as well. Go back to your rock where you came from.

[@insomniaddictesp]

The whole success behind ff7 was how accessible the characters and the game was. Materia and equipment was easy to understand and swap, limit breaks were awesome, summons were strong. The second installment of the remake has shifted too much to fan service and pretending to be dark souls combat. Played through it once, tried to replay it and just didn’t feel like finishing the game at all and that was skipping the side content.

[@orangeslash1667]

Square said they were pressured by the fans to make it, they were too scared to say no.

[@Cloud-dt6xb]

As much as I defend from 13 onward I have reached a point where I really want them to stop the trend chasing and go back to a more traditional feeling Final Fantasy game. Either adapt the system from the 7 remake triliogy or go back to Turnbased but 16 despite being a very good game has just made me realize how much I miss when Square did'nt give a crap what other people did and just focused on their own ideas. They need to get their idenity back for this series and I hope their really thinking about that for 17. It's not too late to fix things and get back on track so long as their willing to put in the work. Doubling down on mistakes and not owning them only guarantess you'll keep sinking as Sony and Microsoft are currently demonstrating. If even Sega can come around to admitting their screw ups and try to change things Square definetly can too.

[@JonBlack413]

All 16 needed was a playable party and most of these complaints go away.

[@videogamefanpty]

Imagine if final fantasy 17 goes back to turn based I would be More than Happy but the question is would it sell well?

[@Cloud-dt6xb]

@@JonBlack413 Well that's certainly something I want fixed as well, but my main issue with is the fact that it's M there's nothing in the story that demanded an M rating and when they do try to push it comes off really forced and DMC reboot levels of bad writing. Those moments feel the most not like Final Fantasy to me, it's not too bad but it is noticable enough to where I don't want a repeat of this.

[@XVa-uj8m]

@@videogamefanpty I would buy it even if I am not happy Sakaguchi is gone as FF just hasn't been as strong since X.

[@NuiYabuko]

Was there ever a time where companies didn't care what other people did?

[@Patrick-tw7nr]

Square Enix isn’t failing because of platform exclusivity with Sony and Nintendo on certain games. The reason they failed so far is because the budgets swelled to the point that those deals aren’t enough to cover the costs of those games and if there isn’t enough residuals on the back end of the deal for revenue generation after release then it is costing them money and not making them money. Square Enix not having Rebirth on PS4 hurt their opportunity for money on a platform far greater than PS5 so they should have had the trilogy on both PS4 and PS5 and they would have at least made a profit vs a loss. Exclusivity isn’t a bad thing if the business side is set up for growth on the back end and enough front end cost to covered by the partner invested in the franchise.

[@alfredocoronado712]

The reason Final Fantasy is failing is being exclusive to Playstation, Playstation paying exclusive rights is hurting Square Enix, Square Enix should just release the games on all platforms, this will follow on other companies that release exclusive games on one platform, Capcom, Sega, Bandai Namco, Konami, SNK, Koei Tecmo, etc

[@sharkulashairstylist5505]

wrong, square can't build fun games, final fantasy is just nba jam style of cheating programing... Sqaure enix games are not fun to play... the markets changed and good graphics DO NOT make good games.... square enix is the proof of that fact.

[@Mojaveknight17]

Who accepted the contract?

[@JonBlack413]

Most of square Enix games are multiplatform.

[@JeannieLove]

Koei-Tecmo has just as many exclusives as Square enix. Nioh 1 and 2 and Rise of The Ronin both are.

[@pablocasas5906]

@@JonBlack413 well yeah and ironically Square-Enix has released more exclusive, or timed exclusives, games on Nintendo, but most of those multiplatform games are smaller experiences compared to big AAA titles like Final Fantasy XVI and VII Remake/Rebirth, it's like they have some sort of deal with Sony to save the more prestigious titles for PlayStation

[@DogHairDontCare]

You know what's fun? Not-Chadley

[@MidnightBlackandVictoria]

Its been the same post-FF 10. They have tried to go more "mainstream". When a fan of Fire Emblem buys a new title in the series, they want Fire Emblem. When a GTA fan buys a new title, they want GTA and so force. But when you go drastically changing the gameplay so that its not even the same genre anymore, and altering storylines so that they are no where near the epics they once were you throw your core fanbase under the bus, and no amount of fan service or nostalgia bait will make up that difference. Sure, you may draw in some new players, usually casuals or fans of other genres who will love the new format, but your core fans? The "Heart" of your base? No entity can live without its heart. And that's what SquareEnix did here. Its why Atlus booted them right off the JRPG throne. And they didnt JUST do it to Final Fantasy, but Valkyrie profile as well.

[@NuiYabuko]

Really milking the topic.

[@jeanchat]

As he should 😂

[@MirageJRPG]

@@jeanchatthen he takes to twitter claiming hes a neutral and objective guy while arguing with 12 year olds. He doesn’t know why the series is having issues he just cares about his console war

[@JonBlack413]

@@MirageJRPG Exactly, if the Next Final Fantasy is on Switch 2 and still doesn’t meet Squares expectations then I wonder what the next narrative will be?

[@keonhobgood1551]

Right the series is having issues because they spilt the fanbase when they switched from traditional RPG to action RPG

[@patrickatilano2014]

​@@keonhobgood1551totally agree with you there.

[@darkazurr9891]

i think they lost a lot of long time fans making ff7 remake action based , lost me and i played there games for 25 years so they started messing with the battle system in ff12 wich was square enix . all the best titles, ff10 and below were square soft , something happened in the merger that just destroyed their games

[@AndersonTenecela]

The final fantasy series no longer being turn based I don’t think is the biggest problem since the franchise always changing has been the core philosophy of the franchise according to the creator Mr. Sakaguchi and I still enjoy the classic and newer games of the series. But yeah having FF be available on all platforms is a good thing long term

[@orangeslash1667]

The good news is that he did work on Fantasian: Neo Dimension.

[@deceit1407]

Not to mention the tedious work you have to put with PS support in order to claim the ffvii remake avatars you deserve when earning the platinum trophy💀

[@Noid1220]

They should just make a final fantasy shooter. Lol

[@FleischmannMVD]

the other principal issue here: is Sony really willing to pay for Final Fantasy exclusivity if it's not moving the needle on hardware anymore?

[@pablocasas5906]

I mean, Sony seemed to be very closely associated with the Final Fantasy VII Remake project, perhaps they were convinced that the project would've been a repeat of what the original Final Fantasy VII was on the original PlayStation, but just like Square-Enix themselves did, they overstimated the demand for the project. Gaming has changed a lot from what it used to be back in the late 90s and early 2000s, while the PlayStation 5 is the leading current gen platform, now there are more options to play games and not everyone is interested in the Final Fantasy series as they were 20, 15 or 10 years ago

[@Maximusbyronus]

FF7Remake/Rebirth and FFXVI are massive (and amazing) games. How is Square going to fit these triple A 100+gig games on a Switch or a Switch 2? Doesn't seem possible unless they release a severely downgraded/pocket version of these games. Also, if Square begins developing with a Nintendo-Switch-First mindset, this is a major step back in the advancement of gaming because Nintendo has consistently had the weakest videogame consoles for 4+ generations now. Supporting the Switch is the capitalistic approach, I guess.

[@ThatDudeGigs]

Awe-tom-a-ta

[@houragents5490]

Exclusively is not the problem. Modern Final Fantasy games are barely recognizable as Final Fantasy anymore. Their games didn't sell because they're not that good.

[@XVa-uj8m]

coughSakaguchibeinggonecough

[@franciscor390]

This newer FF are mediocre at best.

[@NAzo.]

That's true with FF16 but not FF7. The issue with FF7 is they split it into 3 parts. With the absurd prices from shietty Sony upping it to $69.99 multiply that 3 times it's too fukkin much especially when there's a 3-4 year cycle for each release. I think they should of only announce Remake when they were developing Rebirth and bug fixing and polishing Remake and made the announcement that FF7 Remake was finally a thing or they should of also had the release for PS4 like they did with Remake. The entire thing of developing for PS4 then PS5 hurt them too as there was an establish base with the PS4. They also should of developed for the Xbox too all this time even if it came later. There was a no go on the Switch since it could not fit in their cartridge. It would be a great move if they release Remake and Rebirth on Switch 2 as launch titles. And yeah no Sakaguchi. I thought Yoshi-P was the guy but nah he's not in Sakaguchi's league. I wish Enix could do a collab with his studio Mistwalker on FF17.

[@orangeslash1667]

@@franciscor390 Square has a bad habit of making their pretty and realistic, at the cost of gameplay.

[@gamekiller64]

Final Fantasy definitely doesn’t have an exclusivity problem. It’s more of a relevant issue. FF as a brand just doesn’t pull the market like it used to. I loved 13 and enjoyed 15 but I understand I’m in the minority. 16 was a spectacle but it seem like the M rated tone might of done more harm than good to attract the market, especially the younger audience. The remake trilogy felt like the safest bet yet it’s doesn’t seem to sales either. Just releasing these games on other platforms is a bandaid for the problem if the people don’t care about the franchise. I don’t think just making it turn based is the solution. If that was the case Bravely Default and Octopath Traveler series would have more impressive sales to show the market agrees. It’s a shame FF doesn’t pull in the sales like they used to cuz their past few games are quality titles. If the IX remake is real I wonder with a cartoonish art style and more old school turn based feel if that’ll grab the audience. Sure the old heads will shout for joy but at the end of the day only so many of them are actually buying the game

[@konstantinos-iliasstrempas4594]

do you guys think ff16 will come to switch 2 just curious

[@nekomorph17]

Square Enix made a lot of games that released these past two years. Sometimes it felt like they were competing with themselves. As a fan that buys almost all of their games, I couldnt get all of them at launch, and sometimes would have to wait for sales because games are expensive. The NFT initiative from their CEO, and the fact that several people are clammering online for a return to a turn based / traditional ATB style battle system for mainline Final Fantasy probably doesn’t help. SquareEnix has made some bad management decisions recently, and instead of taking responsibility, they're trying to blame Sony. Games like Harvestella and Octopath Traveler sold modest numbers, compared to the install base of the Switch, but you don't see them blaming Nintendo there. If going multi platform helps boost Final Fantasy's sales significantly though, then I'm here for it. I definitely wanna see Final Fantasy 17 come to Switch 2 whenever it's released, even if it's a graphical downgrade from the other consoles and PC

[@NuiYabuko]

OT and Harvestella likely have neither the prestige nor the budget of the average FF game.

[@badboy-gn8fu]

ff7 remake is an abomination.

[@WinspearUltima]

I’m glad square will no longer make exclusives for PlayStation and moving to multi platform gaming I’ll say it now FFXVI for Xbox

[@SuperChristianMiiworld]

And FFXVI for Switch 2

[@JonBlack413]

I better not see any games exclusive to Nintendo then

[@kingkarrot9304]

Who tf is going to buy it on xbox

[@RafaelLoki]

PS5 exclusive is dumb. I don`t even touch my PS4 anymore and I`ll not buy a PS5. Atlus (Sega) is going full mult platform and it`s working for them. Can`t wait to buy SMTV in Steam, while FF16 even if they put it on Steam I already lost the will to play.

[@fenrirsfolly92]

Are those standalone games or do u need to play the others to know what’s going on? Cuz I was considering it for Xbox, but if I have to play the others to know the story then what’s the point if I can’t play them?

[@RafaelLoki]

@@fenrirsfolly92 You mean SMTV? It's fully standalone. Each game in the franchise it's own thing much like FF. (Except a few dualogys)

[@fenrirsfolly92]

@@RafaelLoki k thanx👍

[@888job]

U about to make a lot of enemies 😆

[@AnthonySmith-bj9mo]

hi OJ

[@LordFoxxyFoxington]

Call it The Failure of Playstation. :D