Square Enix's focus on mobile and online games is paying off

Some good news for Square Enix fans, but some bad news for the 'fans' that want Square Enix to stick to the same business models that were clearly not working for it; the company is again profitable, and it's thanks to its new business model that is focused on online and mobile experiences.

For the first half of the fiscal year, Square Enix reported a profit of ¥2.6 billion (around $260 million US, give or take depending on the exchange rate), which is even more impressive when you consider the previous period last year saw it lose ¥5.5 billion.

The (successful) re-release of Final Fantasy XIV was a big factor in this turn around. Currently sitting comfortable with 600,000 subscribers, the MMO looks like it has a good life ahead of it as well, and represents Square Enix's new approach to the market. In the earnings report, Square Enix stated that the company's games divisions are now focused on online games with variable pricing models, and mobile games.

Looking forward, Square Enix is anticipating around ¥150 billion in revenue for the year and a profit of between ¥3.5 and ¥6 billion.

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Screenshots of Drakengard 3's aerial combat

Drakengard 3 is one of the more anticipated titles around here lately, with its similarities to Nier appealing to several of us. Here we get to see Square Enix's upcoming title showing off some of the dragon-against-dragon airborne combat.

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Square Enix's crowdfunding initiative is genius

Earlier today Square Enix announced its own crowdfunding initiative; Square Enix Collective. In partnership with Indiegogo, Square Enix is offering independent developers the ability to post up their game ideas, and if they're popular enough they'll gain funding via Indiegogo, and publishing support via Square Enix.

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Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII-3; Getting hands on with Lightning

A convention is never a good environment to trial a game that is likely to last 50 or so hours. If I had played a random 20 minutes of Final Fantasy XIII I would never have been inspired to pick up the final game, and that would have been a pity because I fall firmly in the group of people that enjoyed that game for what it was.

So I'm not judging Final Fantasy XIII-3 in any way based on what I experienced at the EB Expo 2013. Merely, I am commenting on the potential I see for the final version of the game; I reckon it's going to fall between Final Fantasy XIII and one of my favourite JRPGs of the generation, Final Fantasy XIII-2.

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Dear Square Enix: please localise Dragon Quest X on iPad

Dragon Quest X was initially a Nintendo Wii game. Then it was ported to the Wii U and PC. Now it's being released on the iPad. Is this our best chance for the game to finally be localised in English?

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Review: Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix (PS3)

Review by Matt S.

Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix was a good idea by Square Enix. This is a series that has become utterly incomprehensible for any player who hasn't kept up with each new release over the years, and so packaging three of the more critical stories together will help new players take those first steps into the universe as we wait for the eventual release of Kingdom Hearts 3.

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An encore to Theatrhythm coming up!

Theatrhythm was a surprise hit by Square Enix when it released on the Nintendo 3DS. Not that Final Fantasy or its widely adored music did not have some pull, but the title was seen as 'odd' by quite a few people when it first released. Thankfully, that does appear to have been a detriment to overall sales, because Square Enix is readying a follow-up title: Curtain Call.

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Square Enix has another iOS Final Fantasy port/ remix thing on the way

Square Enix gets a bad rap from self-proclaimed "hardcore" gamers for taking games like Theatrhythm, which was always a touchscreen-only experience, and then releasing them on iOS. Something about a lack of buttons being an issue on a touchscreen-only game... I dunno. I long ago gave up on trying to follow the logic of those self-proclaimed "hardcore" gamers and their attitudes towards iOS gaming.

That tangent aside, Square Enix has a tantalising little iOS game on the way. Final Fantasy Type-0 is a really good PSP game (tragic death of a chocobo aside). Final Fantasy Agito is the iOS game that's on the way that's based on that PSP game that never quite managed to be localised in the west.

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Review: Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (PS3)

Escape Reality. Live the Fantasy; that's the slogan plastered on the back of the box. It's also the statement of intention for Square Enix, who desparately needed this complete remake of the original Final Fantasy XIV to work and to engage people on a very deep level to the point where it becomes a second life. The good news is that Square Enix has largely succeeded. This new Final Fantasy XIV is the kind of game you can lose months to, and fine proof that MMOs can work on console.

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Lightning strikes soon

I know that Final Fantasy XIII is not a series everyone enjoys, but I certainly had fun with the first two instalments and am looking forward to this final chapter in the series. Square Enix is slated to release this title in Japan on November 21st, North America on February 11th and in Europe on February 14th.

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This Final Fantasy HD remaster just blows my mind

Set to release later this year, This Square Enix remaster of Final Fantasy X and X-2 ranks among the titles I am most anticipating this year. This title will release on both the PlayStation 3 and Vita, and those who pre-order it are still able to get the free upgrade to the collector's edition (a co-worker of mine just did so a few days ago).

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Square Enix turnaround on track

Square Enix's quarterly results for the financial year paint a picture of a company that is just about back in the black: the company has reduced its losses by 75 per cent year-on-year.

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Lightning strikes in late 2013, early 2014; some more details on the game

During a recent showing in Tokyo, Square Enix showed off some new screens of Lightning Returns; Final Fantasy XIII. We have seen a lot of screenshots from this game (just click here, here and here to see some of the articles) and even had a piece recently by Matt talking a bit about one of the upcoming outfits for Lightning.

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Screens: Please just release Drakengard 3 already?

This game has caught several eyes around here. Nier was a favourite among the staff, and there are enough similarities in Drakengard 3 to pique a lot of interest among us.

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