Square-Enix reconsidering focus on mass-market gaming

[Lennis]

In a rather startling change of tone for the company, Square-Enix president Yosuke Matsuda has admitted that the company "lost it's focus" when attempting to make games for a wide global audience.  This change in attitude was apparently spurred by poor sales of recent Square-Enix titles in Japan, and unexpectedly high sales of the more traditional JRPG "Bravely Default", which the company considered to be only a niche title at its release.

"Not only did they end up being games that weren’t for the Japanese," said Matsuda on the company's recent slate of Japanese titles, "but they ended up being incomplete titles that weren’t even fit for a global audience.”

I find it encouraging that Square-Enix is publicly expressing contrition on their policy of chasing the mass market instead of focusing on what made them great in the past.  It remains to be seen if this is anything more than rhetoric, but I'm hoping it's a sign of a much-needed change in corporate culture.  Certainly, this represents a possibility that a Chrono remake/sequel might actually be on the table sometime in the future.  At the very least, a change in attitude and focus will bear fruit in whatever IP they pursue.  Thoughts, anyone?

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/square-enix-rethinks-its-bid-to-appeal-to-the-mass-market-after-bravely-default-success/1100-6418665/

[Acacia Sgt]

A phase of epiphany huh. Hopefully it is the beginning of a turning point.

[Kodokami]

So, let me get this straight... Ichiro Hazama--a fairly prominent producer at Square Enix, I would think--wants to make a Chrono Trigger sequel. An "ultimate dot-art" game, he said, so I'll take that as "traditional JRPG". However, other SE members seem to be on the fritz.

Now, Square Enix President Yosuke Matsuda is admitting his astonishment at how well Bravely Default, a traditional JRPG, has recently sold. Remember when Shinji Hajimoto once said, “If people want a [Chrono Trigger] sequel, they should buy more!”? Well, to me, it looks like the fans are buying.

...why don't we have Chrono Trigger II again?

[Acacia Sgt]

Well, according to the link Magus22 posted in another thread:

http://squareportal.net/2014/03/06/final-fantasy-go-there-special-interview-report-lightning-returns-dissidia-sequel-theatrhythm-final-fantasy-xiv-chrono-trigger-more/

It looks like it's not quite easy, apparently.

[Lennis]

Yeah, I should have guessed there would be legal hurdles.  We'll have to generate a lot of demand to get the suits to work through their issues.