With Japanese video game company Square Enix (the company behind the Final Fantasy franchise) finally reaching a deal with Swedish based gaming ‘The Embracer Group’ to sell Western Studios for a reported $300m. Along with this deal includes the IP of many notable and recognisable game series’ such as Tomb Raider which has sold around 88m units (which is more than double popular Square Enix title Kingdom Hearts) along with Dues Ex, Legacy of Kain and Thief.This news which came associated with their published accounts for their last financial year. Square Enix reveals their plans to “establish new studios” while acquiring others. All of this comes in the same month of a ‘big rumour’ of Sony apparently looking to buy Square Enix. https://metro.co.uk/2022/05/03/playstation-buying-square-enix-is-the-big-rumour-admits-insider-16577300/

Jeff Grubb a man who is often on the money when it comes to rumours and information not reported on yet did add that he doesn’t claim to have any insider knowledge of whether this is actually happening.

https://twitter.com/JeffGrubb/status/1521284936795258881?s=20&t=ffaHnOVOmBEMf3BrdsmmPw

For now its just a case of sitting tight and waiting with Final Fantasy XVI announced the title that has essentially kept Square Enix in business. You only need to look at the most recently released financial reports where the heartbreaking decline in non-MMO titles was offset by the most recent release in the Final Fantasy franchise (which is available on the Go2games website if you’re yet to acquire your copy) saving Square Enix from the disappointing releases of the Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy game that didn’t reach its initial sales expectation. Also, coincidentally the developer for that title was Eidos Montreal which was one of the studios picked up in the Embracer deal. Which is probably why the right to Marvel games are now in the hands of Embracer for an eye-watering loss for Square Enix. This loss is reportedly at an overall $200m across both Marvel games release the other title of course being Marvel’s Avengers. That $200m estimate was reported by the Metro  https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2022-05-13-final-fantasy-14-drives-strong-financial-year-for-square-enix  But it appears as if Square Enix are best positioning itself for acquisition which if bought by Sony would potentially impact returning characters for the Super Smash Bros title with Cloud, Sephiroth, Hero and Sora at risk. This is of course if Sony do in fact purchase Square Enix and with IPs such as Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts still owned by Square Enix, who needs Lara Croft?

The post Square Enix and their future plans first appeared on Get2Gaming.