New Square Enix Annual Report Shows Company Shifting Focus to Multiplayer Over Single Player

The latest annual report from Square Enix has revealed the massive Japanese company is apparently shifting their overall focus in game development from single player RPGs to multiplayer experiences.

Square Enix has traditionally been known for large scale RPGs and other types of games, all of which have mostly been focused on a single player-driven story. Now, they’re apparently changing gears:


“Gone are the days in which single-player games were of primary status and multiplayer games secondary,” reads the new report.

“Lately, multiplayer games have taken the lead, and it is standard for games to be designed for long-term play. The terms ‘multiplayer’ and ‘Games as a Service’ themselves have existed for some time, but they are now being used in reference to game designs that place a strong emphasis on longer-term user engagement. We will also endeavor to develop games designed not to be played once after launch but that customers can enjoy more and play longer. In so doing, we will increase customer satisfaction and enhance the lifetime value of the games themselves.”

This actually reflects their change in development for Final Fantasy XV, which during its decade-plus of development went from a more orthodox Japanese RPG to a monolithic, trans-media property that is also getting a large multiplayer expansion next month, a full-fledged PC port, and possibly a Nintendo Switch port.

Square Enix is seemingly adding more and more content to Final Fantasy XV, and not just via traditional single-player expansions (despite the core game being single player), some are even timed events made available through exclusive and seasonal events – like the Assassin’s Festival content.

Final Fantasy XV is currently available for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. In case you missed it, you should check out our written and video review for the game here.


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