Soapbox: Square Enix's "Extraordinary Losses" And This Whole Xbox Mess Have Me Scared For The Future

Image: Nintendo Life

Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Alana fears for Square Enix's smaller-budget titles and is worried about the rest of the industry as a result.

What on earth is going on with Square Enix?

I asked that question about a year and a half ago when the Japanese publisher and developer was firing on all cylinders, releasing a huge amount of games in a short span. So back in February 2024 when President Takashi Kiryu said that the company would be overhauling how it makes games, "reviewing from scratch what the organizational structure is to embody the contents of the pipeline, and what is best," I wasn't surprised. Disappointed? Maybe.

Come April 30th, the company announces that it "expects to recognize approximately ¥22.1 billion in content abandonment losses." That's $140 million down the drain just from reorganising structure, cancelling projects, and reducing the amount of outsourcing. When Final Fantasy VII Rebirth — arguably the developer's tentpole release of the year — is underperforming, something is going on.