Forspoken developer Luminous Productions is to be merged into Square Enix

Luminous Productions, the development studio behind Forspoken, is set to be fully merged into Square Enix.

In a press release issued today, Square Enix Holdings – which oversees all the company’s businesses, including gaming, publishing, manga, film, merchandise etc. – announced that Luminous would be merging into Square Enix.

“Square Enix Holdings Co announces that it will merge its wholly owned subsidiary Luminous Productions Co, Ltd into its wholly owned subsidiary Square Enix Co, Ltd effective Monday, May 1, 2023,” the statement reads.

“The merger is part of the company’s efforts to further bolster the competitive prowess of the group’s development studios, a goal set forth under its current medium-term business strategy.

“Square Enix Co, Ltd has developed numerous AAA high-definition games and possesses a wealth of intellectual property and content. Luminous Productions Co, Ltd. is meanwhile equipped not only with AAA title development capabilities but also technical expertise in areas such as game engine development.

“Combining the two entities will further enhance the Group’s ability to develop HD games.”

Luminous then released its own statement on Twitter, in which it stated that it was still working on Forspoken content, including a previously announced patch intended to improve the game’s performance, and DLC named In Tanta We Trust which is planned for summer.

“Beginning on May 1, our talented team will join Square Enix to deliver new, innovative gaming experiences to players across the globe,” Luminous’s statement reads.

“When we established Luminous Productions in 2018, our vision was to make AAA games that fused technology and artistry to deliver completely new play experiences. Having the chance to do just that has been a dream come true.

“We appreciate you taking this journey with us and look forward to continuing to create new entertainment and experiences as a part of the Square Enix family.”

Forspoken was released to middling reviews, with its Metacritic score currently sitting at 64 on PS5 and 63 on PC.