Losses? Never! We’re in profit country now, my friend.
Square Enix, whose financial outlook up to now has been bleak, revised its financial predictions after a much better than expected quarter. Where previously it had expected a loss of ¥2 billion, it’s now looking forward to a profit of ¥4.7 billion ($47.6 million), and while “uncertainties in the second half of the fiscal year” cause Square Enix to tread cautiously, nevertheless it’s good news for a company that, up to now, was looking financially unsteady.
It’s thanks in no small part to the success of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, its MMORPG for PC, current and next generation PlayStation consoles. The game did so well its servers spontaneously combusted, forcing Square to briefly put a halt to digital sales. “We didn’t expect this kind of response at launch,” said project director Naoki Yoshida, as he thanked Western fans for their support. This is the title that Square hoped would bring gamers back to the franchise, a wish that has definitely come true.
It also helps that console sales in North America – the factor Square previously blamed for its financial failures – seem to have been doing better than expected, and company-wide cost cutting efforts are bearing fruit. But all that said, the more than 1.5 million Final Fantasy player base – and the subscription fees that each one of them contributes – did more than save a realm; they might have saved the company too.
Source: Square Enix
