Japanese video game publisher Square Enix has delayed the launch of the latest installment in the Deus Ex series to the next financial year while slashing its full-year net profit forecast by more than 90 percent.
The firm's Deus Ex: Human Revolution was originally slated for release in the January to March 2011 quarter, but the company will now "spend additional time to further polish" the Eidos Montreal title, which will launch at some time from April 2011 onwards.
Overall, the company cut its net profit forecast to 1 billion yen ($11.9 million) for the year ending March 31st, 2011, from 12 billion ($142.8 million) yen previously forecast.
In addition, Square Enix's revenue forecast was dropped from 160 billion yen ($1.90 billion) to 130 billion yen (1.54 billion).
This compares very poorly to Square Enix's fiscal year to March 2010, which included the launch of Final Fantasy XIII, but had 192 billion yen ($2.28 billion) in revenue and 9 billion yen ($110.7 million) in profits.
Square commented that the newly launched PC MMO has not yet "achieved the level of customer satisfaction that fans of our Final Fantasy franchise have come to expect." As a result, they "have restructured the development organization and will continue the free trial period until we can present customers with a clear plan outlining Final Fantasy XIV's new direction."
Overall, the company explained: "With weak sales performance of console game titles that have been newly released during the current fiscal year as well as harsh market feedback regarding a key title, the Group recognizes the reinforcement of development capability in our Digital Entertainment segment as our most critical managerial issue."
I wish I had money now to lurk until stock price feel widly, so I can buy and wait it rise again naturally. (unless Square-Enix decide only to make crap games now for whatever reason)
I would be very sad if the disappointment that FF 14 appears to be (from articles and reviews) would lead to cuts on DX 3. That's always the risk of a large corporation, but it would be tragic.
It seems like their games would have astronomical costs given what I've seen of them. Don't know if that's sustainable since they are in some sense niche. I mean, JRPGs don't really get new fans of the genre these days do they? I've never played one and I don't feel like I have a way into them.
Your comment puzzles me. How could you not feel that you have a way into them? The gameplay mechanics are often simple enough (some variation of selecting attack/item and a target) and many of them are also self-contained stories so there is no real prior knowledge reuirement to playing them.
If you have no desire to try one that's perfectly understandable, but it's also quite different from not having 'a way into them'.
That's just what it feels like for me personally. It's a combination of the Japanese style and the fact that it is usually turn based combat, which I'm not keen on at all.
Take FF for example. Something about it seems exclusive. Maybe the fact that there are 14 of them! I feel like I would get a lot less out of the game than someone who'd played a few before.
Have been considering entering this strange world for a little while now but not really made the commitment. Also, if it has a 10 minute long cutscene I will turn it off :)
It's worth pointing out that the company is still in the black - they're posting a profit, meaning that all outstanding expenses are paid for. But still, damn. FFXIV really is the biggest blunder for the company since The Spirits Within.
If you have no desire to try one that's perfectly understandable, but it's also quite different from not having 'a way into them'.
Take FF for example. Something about it seems exclusive. Maybe the fact that there are 14 of them! I feel like I would get a lot less out of the game than someone who'd played a few before.
Have been considering entering this strange world for a little while now but not really made the commitment. Also, if it has a 10 minute long cutscene I will turn it off :)