Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda has released another letter to celebrate the new year, and like last time, many fans are not reacting well. In early 2022, Square Enix’s Matsuda had shared a similar New Year’s letter in which he primarily focused on discussing the potential of blockchain and expressed interest in NFTs. This came after a year filled with discussions about development studios and publishers adding the controversial technology to their games.
For many people, the growing trend of adding monetization schemes to even single-player games has not been a welcome one, and the thought of companies implementing NFTs into the ecosystem is even more disturbing. While some see no problem with it, others have threatened boycotts and blacklists, especially as larger companies like Ubisoft have shown interest in NFTs and proved that blockchain can be a real threat to the status quo.
To usher in 2023, Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda shared a letter doubling down on the company’s interest in NFTs and blockchain technology. Instead of discussing the exciting games coming in the new year – like Luminous Productions’ Abandoned, which launches on January 24 — Matsuda discussed the company’s new focus. According to the businessman, Square Enix “has devoted aggressive investment and business development efforts [on]… blockchain development.”
Matsuda went on to reveal that the Square Enix Group – which includes Square Enix, Taito, Tokyo RPG and Luminous Productions – has several blockchain games in development. These are games based on the companies’ original IPs, and while some were already announced last year, fans can expect more to be unveiled in 2023. Gamers have already learned that the 25th anniversary of Final Fantasy VII will act as a starting point for Square Enix NFTs. This landmark date falls on January 31, 2023, so fans may not have to wait long to see what the company is up to.
In late 2022, Square Enix trademarked the word “symbiogenesis”, sparking rumors that a remake of Parasite Eve may be at work. Instead, it turned out that Symbiogenesis is a story-driven NFT mystery game to be launched in the spring of 2023. Understandably, many were disappointed both by the realization that there would be nothing new Parasite Eve the game and that Square Enix’s interest in Web3 technology appears to be waning.
Nearly half of Matsuda’s 2023 New Year’s letter was devoted to discussing blockchain and NFTs, dismissing the 2022 market collapse as nothing more than “volatility.” As a result, on social media, many are calling for Square Enix to replace Matsuda with someone more attuned to players’ desires and less focused on unpopular cash. Others have expressed relief that Square Enix sold off a number of its studios to the Embracer Group in mid-2022. Although the acquisitions resulted in the closure of Square Enix Montreal and a number of mobile games, to some people that seems like a better fate than dear IPs are being lost during a wave of (perhaps misplaced) NFT enthusiasm on Square Enix’s part.
Source: Square Enix
