Square To Expand Into Online And Mobile

GameDailyBiz is reporting that Square Enix is looking to expand further into the online and mobile markets. While they already have an MMOG (FFXI) and a mobile game (Before Crisis), they see those markets as moneymakers for the future. From the article: "Although there seems to be no indication that Square Enix will be attempting to shift away from its core competency of small and large-scale console RPGs, the company is looking to further invest itself in the rapidly growing wireless and online sectors. Wada specifically pointed to Japanese financial realities almost requiring involvement in the wireless market, and when wireless numbers are included with the traditional console figures, the Japanese video game industry actually isn't in a recession at all. 'Running a business that depends on the software sales through retailers has become a thing of the past,' Wada told Yomiuri."

Comments

What?

[ShadowMarth]

You can go further online that an MMO?

Re:What?

[Wilson_6500]

Yeah. Two MMOs.

Re:What?

[omnispace]

They are making another MMO which will focus more on PvP combat (FFXI had none IIRC).

Chrono Trigger

[iridium_ionizer]

Does anyone else think it is slightly odd that Square Enix doesn't release Chrono Trigger for the GBA? Or Final Fantasy VII for the DS? They would certainly make a killing, and if I understand correctly, the costs of porting to those systems are really quite low. Does this have to do with contracts that they have with Sony?

I never played those games (despite how great people say they are) for the simple reason that I don't have that kind of time to invest tethered to a console. I would love to see portable versions. They could at least port the SNES version of Dragon Warrior III to the GBA.

Re:Chrono Trigger

[Guppy06]

"They could at least port the SNES version of Dragon Warrior III to the GBA."

They already ported it to the Game Boy Color.

At any rate, there's always hope for the Revolution's online service for English translations of all the DQ Remix titles, and I seem to recall mention of the ability to download games onto the DS.

Re:Chrono Trigger

[Cutriss]

They already ported it to the Game Boy Color.

Original post:

"They could at least port the SNES version of Dragon Warrior III to the GBA."

Graphically, the GBC version was inferior to the NES version.

Re:Chrono Trigger

[Wilson_6500]

I heard a rumor that Square-Enix shut down some fan-made CT game because they're going to remake it themselves. Probably hogwash, but who knows?

I'd love to see a PS3-quality CT update myself, but that's just because I can't stand playing on hand-helds.

Too bad there's not enough lore to make a CT MMO.

Re:Chrono Trigger

[Anonymous Coward]

Who needs lore. Look at what blizzard is doing with World of Warcraft.

Re:Chrono Trigger

[MMaestro]

Does anyone else think it is slightly odd that Square Enix doesn't release Chrono Trigger for the GBA?

They haven't even gotten to FF5 and FF6 (3 US). Chrono Trigger has a way to go.

FFVII would NEVER fit on a handheld without being butchered beyond recognition. Too many FMVs, the game is too long for a handheld and without being multidisced, it'd never fit. Oh and porting to either system would be a programming nightmare. The PSP is designed for widescreen usage (complete graphics rehaul) and the DS uses two screens one of which is a touch screen (don't use the touch screen and you look like an amature developer).

They ported Dragon Warrior III to the GBA before. It was nowhere near as good as the SNES version, butthe fact that they did it means its not gonna happen again anytime soon.

Re:Chrono Trigger

[Locke03]

Not hogwash, Square really did shut down some fan remakes. One in particular, Chrono Resurrection ahref=http://www.opcoder.com/projects/chrono/rel=u rl2html-27333http://www.opcoder.com/projects/chron o/>, had a ton of promise, it was a full 3D remake that, from the looks of the teaser video, would have put just about anything I have played or seen to shame. It was a real shame....I was looking forward to playing the best RPG ever in righ-res 3D too.........freaking heartless corprate bastards.....

Re:Chrono Trigger

[KDR_11k]

They're currently remaking FF3 (you know, the last NES FF) for the DS. Some claim they're doing a home console remake of FF7, too.

Re:Chrono Trigger

[Admiral Frosty]

I hope you kidding. CT was great not for its lore or world(s), but for its characters. They gave the story life, making it such a wonderful game. A MMO would not allow any of that.

A remake would be nice, but I'd be more interested in a fresh "spirit" sequel. CC is one of my favorite games of all time (next to CT), but it was only that good but adding so much original content to it. The two games were only connected by an not-been-done-before combat system the was awesome, as the two stories were hardly connected at all. It played off of the experiences that I had in the first one, but didn't reiterate them.

eh, my 2 cents.

Re:Chrono Trigger

[Wilson_6500]

Yeah, that's the project I meant; the rumor was that it was foxed due to Squeenix wanting to do a remake themselves. Any truth to that?

Re:Chrono Trigger

[shoptroll]

don't use the touch screen and you look like an amature developer

Says who? I'm pretty sure Mario Kart DS isn't using the touchpad for anything. I'd say you're an amateur developer if you're not using the dual-screens, the touchpad, the stylus, the microphone, or the wi-fi. In other words, not taking advantage of the systems abilities/features.

Do we really need every FF on a handheld? If I'm going to be playing a long game, I'd rather be doing it on a regular console, on a screen larger than a ruler, and on something with a decent sound chip. Mobile games are meant to be played on the go. I don't want to have to load up FF8 on a PSP and have to spend 20 minutes trying to remember where I was supposed to be going the last time I shut down if I haven't been on the road in a month or so.

Square/Nintendo are porting FFIV to the GBA, which is surprising since a FFIII DS title was announced months ago and nothing has been said since. FFIV & V might be ok to port to a handheld since they are both fairly linear, and clock in around 20 hours or so of playtime (V being the longer of the two). VI wouldn't be bad since it's linear for the first half and then becomes fairly non-linear after the big story changing event (TM). However, VI I think can push the 30 hours of playtime envelope if you want it to.

Honestly, I hope they would put Mario RPG on the GBA or DS. It's very linear, entertaining and not that long (10-15 hours?).

Re:Chrono Trigger

[megan_of_wutai]

I've been thinking about this very issue.

I personally think they could do it. I've got the original playstation discs here, over 400MB on each disk (out of 600-620) is movies. You could do the movies realtime.

Even without the movies you'd still have almost 600MB of data. The current maximum DS cart size is apparently 128MB, although I doubt that's a technical restriction.

At the end of the day, although I believe it could be done, it won't be. It wouldn't be anything like a straight port and I just don't see Square-Enix bothering.

Google is your friend.

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm sure you can find used copies and an old SNES / NES out there for sale online. And they really *are* great games :)

What? Were you expecting me to tell him to use Google to find emulators like ZSNES and Nestopia, then to search for the ROMs so that he could play all of those plus the ones never released in English via translation patches? The Supreme Court seems to think that's inducing copyright infringement or somesuch, and I don't want the big media producers to make me walk the plank :(

You'd think....

[Anonymous Coward]

You'd think with their ... experience with Final Fantasy XI, widely heralded as "the worst MMORPG to ever disgrace the genre", Square-Enix would have learned to stay OUT of the online business and concentrate on their core compentancy: making excesively long computer animated cut scenes that make no sense.

I suppose I really should wait until their other online games come out, but based on Square-Enix's current downward spiral, I can't imagine them being any better.

Re:You'd think....

[patio11]

I don't know where it was widely heralded as that, since it was a mega-hit in their #1 market and fairly successful worldwide. They had, lets see, 500,000 paying subscribers? Numbers like that easily justify the business case for an MMORPG even if yours doesn't turn out to be WoW.

Now the game had its faults, but I had fun with it for a couple of months. Then came the WoW :)

Re:You'd think....

[0racle]

Can I get a list of your other 'worst ever' games? I like games that I have fun playing.

Re:You'd think....

[brkello]

Yeah, this is just a troll. FFXI made SE a lot of money and is quite successful for its genre. Some people may dislike it, but saying it is "widely hearlded" is an exaggeration to say the least. Whoever modded this up and whoever posted it are both idiots.

Re:You'd think....

[Anonymous Coward]

Lots of crappy things have made lots of money. Saying "it made money" isn't a sign of quality.

Almost ALL MMORPG players will tell you, assuming that they've ever heard of it before, that FFXI is crap. I don't know how FFXI players delude themselves into believing that it's anything but the worst MMORPG in existance. Hell, I've had more fun watching paint dry.

Chrono Trigger MMO

[Wilson_6500]

Yes, but I'd like to have some backstory, thank you, and while you're at it hold the leagues of Blizzard fans. In an MMO where you have time travel, you better damn well have a well planned story tree, otherwise someone will go back in time, kill Lord British, and then whine when Alfred Fancypants doesn't become Mayor of Greektown in 202020 AD.

Of course, the CT MMO could have no time travel, but then what's the point?

:Its also harder to pirate

[mikek3332002]

and how many people with pirated accounts? because isn't it harder to 'pirate' online games. No more millions of dollor being lost to 'theft'

FUD FUD FUD - MOD PARENT DOWN

[Anonymous Coward]

BULLSHIT

Gamespot 8.2 "Great"

RPG Vault Final Fantasy XI is a well-made , evolutionary online world that doesn't present a lot in the way of innovation, but does present an extensive list of adapted and enhanced features that combine to offer deep, solid play. Perhaps the single most noteworthy element is storytelling, something for which Square Enix is renowned.

AVault Final Fantasy XI succeeds on so many levels.

GameSpy 4/5 Stars

MMORPG.com Tied for 5th highest rated MMORPG with a user score of 8.0. The highest rated score is only 8.4.

Re:FUD FUD FUD - MOD PARENT DOWN

[Anonymous Coward]

Unfortunately, those scores were from BEFORE Square-Enix allowed the economy to become completely destroyed by gil sellers. The largest problem with Final Fantasy XI is Square-Enix and their lack of willingness to enforce their terms of service.

The game may not seem like absolute crap for the first several levels, but by the time you manage to get to level 20, it's quite obvious that the core design of the game ensures it gets the rank of Worst MMORPG Ever. Does any other game absolutely FORCE you to play through the newbie levels TWICE just to make it to the higher levels? Does any game FORBID you from playing certain classes until you reach level 30 in another class? If you wanted to play, as an example, the Bard class, you'd have to make it to level 30 in another class and level 15 in a third class! That's just flat-out BAD design. We're not talking hero classes here, we're talking BASIC classes.

Pretty much EVERY design choice they made was the wrong one. (Rare spawns that spawn predictably for easy monopolizing by gold farmers, horrid travel options, rare gear only from rare spawns, lousy quest system, unquestionably the WORST client I've ever seen, and more.) There are, quite literally, no redeeming features. They may have managed a lot of subscribers, but that's soley by filling the mostly empty niche for Japanese MMORPGs, which it was essentially the ONLY one available.

(For an updated view, try looking at the ratings for Chains of Promathia, the expansion pack. The reviews for the expansion paint a much better picture of the game, and it got HORRIBLE reviews for that.)

Re:FUD FUD FUD - MOD PARENT DOWN

[satoshi1]

Someone had a bad experience with the game. Bard is NOT a basic class. It is an advanced class and therefore requires you to do something extra to unlock it. What's wrong with that idea? Nothing. Leveling two jobs through the newb zones to become stronger? Yea, but that's because the second job becomes your sub-job. Your sub-job augments your main jobs stats and abilities (or totally counter-acts them, depending on the job/class you choose). What other game allows you to mix and match any job at will? You can switch your main job at almost anytime (as long as you're in your mog house), thus allowing you to play a totally different role without logging out and choosing a totally different character. What other games allow you to change your job/class like FFXI? WoW? Nope, you need separate characters for every class. In FFXI, you can level every job/class to the max level on one character. I think that's a HUGE redeeming feature for the seemingly little problems the game has.

Again, bard is NOT a basic class. Get it right. The only basic classes are Warrior, Monk, White Mage, Black Mage, Thief, and Red Mage. Bard, Beastmaster, Summoner, Dark Knight, Paladin, Ranger, Ninja, Samurai, and Dragoon are all advanced classes. Therefore, it's expected that you'll have to do some extra work in order to use them. Makes perfect sense, especially in a game such as this where only one character is really needed to play every job/class.

They may have managed a lot of subscribers, but that's soley by filling the mostly empty niche for Japanese MMORPGs, which it was essentially the ONLY one available.
Lies. There are constantly 3000-4000 players on at any given time on the server I play on (Odin). During the North American peak hours, there's about 3200 players on. During the Japanese peak hours, there's about 3500 players on. Not much of a difference, eh? Your reasoning is flawed, as it makes the assumption that only Japanese players play the game. There are a great deal of North Americans and now Europeans that play the game. Why? Because it's obviously a great game. Would people really pay to play a game that was "the worst in the market?"

I may not have played as much as most people or have the highest levels, but I think I've played enough so far to really understand the game. I have a Warrior at level 30, Red Mage at 20, Dark Knight (advanced job) at 20, Monk at 15, Beastmaster (advanced job) at 10, White Mage at 8, Black mage at 8, Ranger (advanced job) at 2, and Thief at 2. Sure, some areas are a pain to level in, but isn't that so in every game?

As I said before, maybe you just had a bad time with the game and need to vent it? Let me guess, you play WoW now? WoW and FFXI are completely different games. Same genre, yes, but vastly different. One of my Linkshell mates said it best:
"If you were to play WoW and then come to FFXI, you would hate the game and make everyone around you hate it too."

From my real-life friend:
"It's funny to watch the FFXI Paladins come play Paladin on WoW. They get their asses handed to them."

From what you've said, it sounds like WoW (or one similar) is your game of choice. Just because you didn't like FFXI doesn't mean it's the worst MMORPG ever. Maybe you just couldn't handle what the game? It is a bit more... shall we say... challenging that WoW. From what I've played of WoW and from what I've heard from my friends, there's not much you actually have to work for.

If you don't like FFXI, don't post bullshit like "Worst MMORPG Ever." The expansion may not have gotten the greatest reviews, but the expansion is not the entire game. Your posts are very one-sided. They also sound like someone who did not give the game a proper chance. I also find it funny how you posted anonymously =P

Re:FUD FUD FUD - MOD PARENT DOWN

[Anonymous Coward]

What other games allow you to change your job/class like FFXI? WoW? Nope, you need separate characters for every class.

You think that's a bad thing?! Sorry, but the job system is the single WORST feature in FFXI, especially combined with the extra charge if you want to have an alt. See, in WoW, you can try out different races without playing more. In FFXI, you get ONE character for the basic fee. Want more? You pay more. Since certain races are geared towards certain classes, you can't effectively have both a melee character and a caster character. You're stuck with choosing one or the other, or paying EVEN MORE to have two characters worth playing.

As an added bonus, thanks to the job system, you get to level up MULTIPLE TIMES. Good design if you want to make the most of your content by making people experience the newbie levels AGAIN.

Say you want to play a Bard, which is an "advanced job" for no good reason. (What makes it advanced? It just is.) You get to do the following:

1. Level another job to 18 - probably White Mage.
2. At that point, you get access to a "sub job".
3. Level yet another job to 15 - probably Black Mage.
4. Level the first job to 30, gaining access to the Bard quest.
5. Complete the Bard quest.
6. Level Bard from level 1. Yet again.

Notice you've now played THREE jobs from level 1. Ranger is even WORSE, since it's sub job is ALSO an "advanced" job, requiring you to level two worthless classes to level 30/15 before leveling the ones you ACTUALLY want to play.

Notice also that this job system means you'll spend a good 1/3rd of your time playing a class you DON'T want to play in order to play the class you DO want to play. Say you want to play as a White Mage, a healer. Well, you're going to HAVE to level another class - almost certainly Black Mage, a nuker. If you like healers but hate nukers, well, you're SOL. It's play a nuker or bust.

The job system is the single WORST feature in FFXI.

Lies. There are constantly 3000-4000 players on at any given time on the server I play on (Odin).

That's IT?! There are what, 40 servers in FFXI? WoW has more than 100, and they ALL have about that much on a SINGLE FACTION a night. So by your estimate, FFXI has about 200,000 active subscribers. Yes, that's REAL popular. Especially since the WoW figure is ONLY North America, and the FFXI figure is WORLDWIDE.

WoW and FFXI are completely different games. Same genre, yes, but vastly different.

No kidding, WoW is fun, FFXI is a CHORE. I game FFXI MORE than an adaquate chance, based on the levels of your characters, I've played it longer than you have. Wait until you get a character to 50.

And this isn't getting into the equipment issues, questing problems, absolutely HORRENDOUS client, economic problems, forced grouping, lousy end-game, lousy travel options, NO developer feedback, terrible crafting system, and too much more to list. I'm trying to come up with a redeeming feature in FFXI, and I seriously can't. Everything about it is just, flat out, horrendous.

Re:FUD FUD FUD - MOD PARENT DOWN

[Anonymous Coward]

welcome to the leveling hell. I was a little taru blm(lv 63, 1 exp will be 64. Windurst rank 7.) in odin world.

your highest level job just reach 30, right? when you keep leveling you'll know that leveling is not something enjoyable anymore. spend 1 night to get level up is fun, spent more than 2-3 nights to get level up (once you're level 50+, I'm not sure how's the exp required after the summer update) is boring (doesn't count waiting for good, bad PT, etc...).

I'm not sure FF XI is especially bad or not. but I won't play any MMORPG anymore after it. maybe MMORPG is really not something for causal player.

Re:FUD FUD FUD - MOD PARENT DOWN

[satoshi1]

Reallly? I found WoW to be quite the chore. It was boring. Sure, I played during Open Beta, but I've logged onto a friend's account since and have found that not much has changed. It looks nice, but that's all I see going for it. You like WoW. I like FFXI. Good enough. I've given the reasons why I like it. You have yet to provide valid evidence that it is the "Worst MMORPG Ever." You even said (in your original post) that it was "widely heralded" as the "Worst MMORPG Ever." Link me to a creditable reviewer that says that, and I'll shut up.

Oh, and WoW: My friend's constantly expound upon me tales of down-time and bugs and glitches. One of my friends only plays the game to find glitches and hidden areas. He hasn't gone beyond level 40 or so because leveling is just that boring. I'm not saying WoW is a bad game. I'm not saying FFXI is the best game. I can't make either of those statements, and neither can you. You can say that you don't like it, but you can't say that it is the "Worst MMORPG Ever."

Ugh, I can't resist typing can I..? You don't need another character to try out a class in FFXI. Just because a TaruTaru is not the best melee character does NOT mean you can't play a Taru as a melee class. It's done all the time. And more often than not, those that do play races as jobs that don't "fit" them are better than those that do play as races that "fit" their desired job. So what if the character stats don't "fit" the job. If you're a good player, it won't matter.

Again. You dislike FFXI. Fine. But you cannot say it is the "Worst MMORPG Ever." without backing up your argument with reasoning and facts. Everything you've detailed are just personal annoyances. You never explain the "equipment issues, questing problems, absolutely HORRENDOUS client, economic problems, forced grouping, lousy end-game, lousy travel options, NO developer feedback, terrible crafting system, and too much more to list."

How is traveling via Chocobo worse than traveling via the WoW "Mount?" Level 20 is required to get a Chocobo License. To get a mount you need to be level 40, don't you need an ass load of gold too? In FFXI, all you need are some Gysahl (?) Greens (will run you a measly 3k at most) and some time.

It may look like I'm trying to defend FFXI because I like it and play it, but my main goal is to point out to you that everything you say and spend the time to explain is a personal experience and that NO ONE has published anything saying it is the "Worst MMORPG Ever." When you say that it was widely heralded as such, that's pretty much deemed your complaints with the game as extremely biased and fanboyish.

Re:FUD FUD FUD - MOD PARENT DOWN

[satoshi1]

MMORPGs really do require dedication, of which I have been lacking as of late... They can be overwhelming to the casual gamer, but it just takes time to get used to it. If you don't have the time, I can't totally understand that =P

Mobile Relreases

[marcybots]

Why dont they make a mobile Final Fantasy tactics, it will work with the craptacular control sets present on any given phone and have a popular name to boot. How about repackaging Final Fantasy II and III (IV and VI Japan) for the gameboy advance since the gameboy Micro is such a huge seller and provide massive amounts of content on the go.
      Beyond that Square could create an online game for the DS thats more kid orientated thats sort of a MMORPG but where you raise do the standard fantasy stuff and raise chocobos, customize your character with things you draw with a stylus etc. That would be pretty neat to have a on the go MMORPG.