Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer • Hacker News Board

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#191

Post by c0balt » Mon, May 02, 2022, 10:24 PM UTC

namelessoracle wrote: post #159

morelisp wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But Nier was even more interesting (formally experimental, better writing - at least in English translation, deeper characterization) and sold poorly. I guess the lesson if you want to make an art game is to make half an art game and the other half ass.

Nier had significant assets in that regard too. Nier: Automata was just a flat out better game.

The term ass.ets is quite an interesting choice of words in this regard. Though besides that time (including current trends) might also have been a very important factor. I would imagine a Deus Ex game might've sold better rn (with the increased hunger for cyperpunk-ish games after Cyperpunk 2077) than in the last few years. Though with the dev times on those games planning for future trends might be unreasonable.

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#192

Post by giobox » Mon, May 02, 2022, 10:31 PM UTC

trey-jones wrote: post #81

robonerd wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The N64 controller did Nintendo no favors, particularly with games like Goldeneye. The original playstation controller didn't stand the test of time either, but once the analog sticks were added it became an instant classic.

The controller was weird then and is even weirder in hindsight but as I recall: 1. This was the first console controller with any analog stick at all. 2. Goldeneye, though it controls differently to modern shooters, was an excellent use of the single stick at the time. You could also use dual sticks by using two controllers at once - groundbreaking! 3. The Z-button was the first trigger-style button on console contro…

> Goldeneye, though it controls differently to modern shooters, was an excellent use of the single stick at the time. You could also use dual sticks by using two controllers at once - groundbreaking!

Wait, what!!? Can you really play dual-stick Goldeneye on original N64 hardware this way?

Edit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDQ_ri2ZbY4

Amazing!

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#193

Post by Sakos » Mon, May 02, 2022, 10:46 PM UTC

houli wrote: post #188

Sakos wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They'd also have to lose people like Nomura and Kitase.

Nomura has been around since at least FF5, and Kitase before that. Long before the Enix merger

Yes, but it's only after Sakaguchi left (and with the SE merger) that they had full creative and management control of the big Japanese projects. The FF13 era was a massive disaster and they've never really recovered from that.

Nomura was literally just a monster designer on FF5. I have no idea how it's relevant that he was the monster designer on FF5 to what he's done to the company in a leadership role in the past 20 years.

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#194

Post by talideon » Mon, May 02, 2022, 10:50 PM UTC

Cool! I like Nordic/Embracer.

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#195

Post by MomoXenosaga » Mon, May 02, 2022, 10:52 PM UTC

baby wrote: post #34

haunter wrote: post #18

>The Transaction will assist the Company in adapting to the changes underway in the global business environment by establishing a more efficient allocation of resources, which will enhance corporate value by accelerating growth in the Company’s core businesses in the digital entertainment domain. In addition, the Transaction enables the launch of new businesses by moving forward with investments in fields including b…

I think a lot of their games are really niche too. Nier is definitely not for everyone.

Nier also had a minuscule budget. I doubt they lost a lot of money on that.

No it is their Western AAA projects that are hemorrhaging them money.

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#196

Post by baybal2 » Mon, May 02, 2022, 10:54 PM UTC

nikanj wrote: post #151

halfmatthalfcat wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? Because enough VCs/Hedge Funds have bought into the lie that is crypto or “AI”. Is this some kind of economic extortion?

VCs reward investments into all that horse hockey, because VCs reward investments into it. It's greater fools all the way down, a weird self-fulfilling prophecy. I still remember when companies proudly claimed their software contains XML and therefore is worth unicorn dollars

No post body was provided.

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#197

Post by favorited » Mon, May 02, 2022, 10:58 PM UTC

bovermyer wrote: post #189

falcolas wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He has since stated that he won't leave FFXIV. Has re-iterated it in the face of the 6.0 launch, since 6.0 wrapped up the main storyline and there were fears of his departure following that.

That's great to hear!

He's also the producer for Final Fantasy XVI, which is being developed by his org (Creative Business Unit III).

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#198

Post by baud147258 » Mon, May 02, 2022, 11:06 PM UTC

Wowfunhappy wrote: post #182

brimble wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe, but it was kind of a problem when I was already like "is there a way to progress the game but have this guy not accomplish what he wants?" on like mission 1 (past the prologue)—there was no build-up to it, I thought he was wrong and should fail immediately. And they might have gone for some kind of turn-around on that when the girl comes into the story, so that I start wanting him to succeed, but then, I also…

...if you haven't already heard of it, I feel like you'd enjoy Spec Ops: The Line . Go in completely blind if at all possible, and don't be turned off by the fact that it seems like a generic dudebro war shooter. It does start out that way.

Dunno about this recommendation, it feels like the parent poster would have the same issues with Spec Ops as with TLoU. But still they can forge their own opinions about it.

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#199

Post by astrange » Mon, May 02, 2022, 11:23 PM UTC

skinnymuch wrote: post #116

smoldesu wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never really liked those franchises, even though they do have AAA production value behind them. Uncharted and God of War in particular just feel like button-pressing simulators to me; they feel like 8 hour long cutscenes with a few QTEs and points where you can wiggle your joystick. Maybe I'm just spoiled by gameplay-heavy titles as of late, but a lot of Sony franchises feel like they'd be better as movies inste…

This Uncharted film seems like it really succeeded at the box office. $120M budget. Even if that gets bumped to $200M with marketing and say a bit more for more rev sharing, Sony will still come out with a profit. It’s at almost $150M in the US and might hit $400M worldwide with almost none of it coming from China or similar regions where their cut of ticket sales are much less. All the non box office revenue kicking…

Uncharted the game series is as far as I know, an Indiana Jones movie except they made it into a video game by having Nathan Drake kill 100000 mooks constantly.

Are the movies the same? Just like an earlier movie but weirdly way more violent?

Re: Square-Enix sells all of its Western game studios and their games to Embracer

#200

Post by KTallguy » Mon, May 02, 2022, 11:28 PM UTC

jerf wrote: post #70

swarnie wrote: post #10

I'd be interesting to see the full list of IP they've sold. The article only gives three examples, one game I've never heard of, one recycled shooter from the 2000s and then there is Tomb raider - a series with twenty instalments, already milked to dust for pre-sequels, squeals and reboots more times then seems fair. Clearly someone thinks they can squeeze a few more dollars out of people here but personally im not s…

I can't speak for the intention of the purchaser, but in their position I'd be looking to just unlock the teams. My impression of Square-Enix is that they've frankly just never been a company comfortable with being international, and it has shown for a very long time now. Just let the teams go produce something without the Eastern and Western design, management, marketing... heck, nearly all the philosophies clashing…

This is the correct take. SQEX has a pretty poor reputation when it comes to outside studio management in general (both domestic and international). Their in house development has produced the most hits.

Also, SQEX desperately wants a Destiny style live game that they can run for many years, like the domestic mobile titles that keep them afloat. Marvel Avengers, Outriders, and Babylon’s Fall were all attempts at this model but none of them captured a significant market.

They’re also pushing harder in the mobile space, trying to get at least one international moneymaker. We’ll see if their bets pay off in the next few years.