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[Fredrik]

It's a union that makes sense. It feels like it should have happened years ago.

And selfishly, imagine getting original new JRPG's like Triangle Strategy but with modern tech, and not having to settle on limited HD-2D and the like to compensate for the old hardware.

There has never been anything stopping them from making original and modern JRPGs for better hardware. Playstation, Xbox and PC has been available the whole time.
They’ve been doing those games because it don’t take 5+ years to make them and because they want the money from the big Switch userbase.

What would change if Sony acquired them? The games would sell fewer copies and take longer time to make?

 

[Airbus Jr]

Sony and Square Enix

 

[BadBurger]

There has never been anything stopping them from making original and modern JRPGs for better hardware. Playstation, Xbox and PC has been available the whole time.
They’ve been doing those games because it don’t take 5+ years to make them and because they want the money from the big Switch userbase.

What would change if Sony acquired them? The games would sell fewer copies and take longer time to make?

The games would be more technically impressive because they'd be targeting modern hardware with all of its power and features.

They wouldn't take longer to make; I don't think Japanese developers are incompetent, that they'd be forced to take much longer to complete games just because they were aiming for something evocative of new console creations rather than something indicative of mobile hardware from 2016 - 2017. In fact the limitations of that old SoC probably carries with it its own hosts of challenges. I think they'd rather be just fine, especially with the in-house technical expertise of PlayStation Studios and presumptively better funding and resourcing.

 

[pleaseinsertdisctwo]

I’d rather Sony not buy Square Enix (and my primary platform ever since I’ve been gaming has been PlayStation). I’m just speaking out of ignorance and fear but I have never in my life been interested in a single Sony 1st Party game and I feel like they’d make Square Enix disband their CG studio so their games would be entirely in-engine or some bullshit. Idk I just don’t want Sony to have total control over SE. Sony 1st Party bores the shit out of me

 

[Godot25]

Whatever.
I mean. They treat Xbox players like SIE employees anyway. FF7 remakes will not be on Xbox. FFXIV is not there either. FFXVI has some form of exclusivity. Forspoken looks like shit, but it is also timed exclusive. So what exactly would Xbox players loose by this buyout? Kingdom Hearts? That would maybe sting. Life is Strange? Whatever... Some JRPG games nobody in west cares about? Yeah...whatever.

Now when Square got rid of their western studios, they are non-existent for me.

 

[lh032]

Sony x Square Enix = Sonix

Next Sonic game confirmed.

 

[Fredrik]

The games would be more technically impressive because they'd be targeting modern hardware with all of its power and features.

They wouldn't take longer to make; I don't think Japanese developers are incompetent, that they'd be forced to take much longer to complete games just because they were aiming for something evocative of new console creations rather than something indicative of mobile hardware from 2016 - 2017. In fact the limitations of that old SoC probably carries with it its own hosts of challenges. I think they'd rather be just fine, especially with the in-house technical expertise of PlayStation Studios and presumptively better funding and resourcing.

I’m not saying anyone is incompetent, but what examples are there that anyone could do original modern RPGs targeting higher spec hardware in short time periods?

 

[SkylineRKR]

Whatever.
I mean. They treat Xbox players like SIE employees anyway. FF7 remakes will not be on Xbox. FFXIV is not there either. FFXVI has some form of exclusivity. Forspoken looks like shit, but it is also timed exclusive. So what exactly would Xbox players loose by this buyout? Kingdom Hearts? That would maybe sting. Life is Strange? Whatever... Some JRPG games nobody in west cares about? Yeah...whatever.

Now when Square got rid of their western studios, they are non-existent for me.

I wouldn't be shocked if the next mainline KH won't be on Xbox either. The FFVII R situation is weird. The game is already so old that I doubt its even still feasible to release it on Xbox. Especially at default RRP. Even Intergrade is over a year old right now, and already handed out with Plus. It seems Square is happy how it goes or they're pandering Sony, dunno. But it was announced as timed exclusive. Which is usually 6 months or a year at best.

Most relevant Square IP are already sort of PS exclusive. But the same could be said of Insomniac which Sony ended up buying anyway.

 

[CaptainSlayAHo]

Yeah but not at the budget we are used to under square. Talk about a real money furnace with these ip's.

Based on what? Embracer groups market cap is SIGNIFICANTLY higher than squenix

 

[Fredrik]

Most relevant Square IP are already sort of PS exclusive. But the same could be said of Insomniac which Sony ended up buying anyway.

Insomniac had loosened their ties to Sony and was a multiplat dev when Sony acquired them.

 

[Punished Miku]

It's a union that makes sense. It feels like it should have happened years ago.

And selfishly, imagine getting original new JRPG's like Triangle Strategy but with modern tech, and not having to settle on limited HD-2D and the like to compensate for the old hardware.

And this is how those games disappear entirely. Happens every time.

"What if we take this niche genre that's barely profitable and massively increase the budget? Sure Jim Ryan will approve this and it will sell well for $70."

 

[Thirty7ven]

And this is how those games disappear entirely. Happens every time.

"What if we take this niche genre that's barely profitable and massively increase the budget? Sure Jim Ryan will approve this and it will sell well for $70."

Doubt it, they buy SE because Sony is full in on scaling their content.

Jim Ryan doesn’t approve game project btw.

 

[Kokoloko85]

We don't have to debate it. Just look at the sales numbers of DQ compared to Nintendo games.

Is there a list?
Pretty sure they are in the top 15 and 20 all over the place but can’t seem to find a decent list

 

[Panajev2001a]

How the statement feels, trying to get Jimbo to buy ‘em .

 

[BadBurger]

I’m not saying anyone is incompetent, but what examples are there that anyone could do original modern RPGs targeting higher spec hardware in short time periods?

I swear I'm not trying to be a smart ass, but my answer is there in my reply. I don't think it would cause some kind of significant delay to their work. I trust in SE and Sony to be agile and adapt to the change in targeted hardware (as I mentioned, greater budgets, more resources). They wouldn't change their focus from the Switch to the PS5 and merely leave all of their development, management, and staffing practices the same after all. This is the largest game developer/publisher in the world, and a seasoned veteran that is the result of a marriage of two titans of game development. They know what they're doing.

 

[nominedomine]

That would explain the cheap price, there is some sense to it but I would still be surprised if it happens I just don't see a lot of incentive for Sony to do it now when they already have deals for all the most important SE games.

 

[SplunkyMunkey]

To be honest I was leaning towards konami and capcom since Sony brought out company that provides eSports fighting and football etc?

 

[lh032]

That would explain the cheap price, there is some sense to it but I would still be surprised if it happens I just don't see a lot of incentive for Sony to do it now when they already have deals for all the most important SE games.

they dont own SE or the IP, as long SE remains a 3rd party publisher, anyone can acquire them anytime

 

[nominedomine]

they dont own SE or the IP, as long SE remains a 3rd party publisher, anyone can acquire them anytime

Why should Sony care? Good luck for anyone that buys SE and takes their games away from PlayStation. Unless Nintendo is going to make a move I don't see why there is any pressure on Sony to go after them.

 

[lh032]

To be honest I was leaning towards konami and capcom since Sony brought out company that provides eSports fighting and football etc?

Perhaps, Sony is acquiring TWO PUBLISHER!!!!????

 

[lh032]

Why should Sony care? Good luck for anyone that buys SE and takes their games away from PlayStation. Unless Nintendo is going to make a move I don't see why there is any pressure on Sony to go after them.

Lets just assume Microsoft is not interested, but Embracer, Tencent or any Arab princes may be interested in the acquisition.
I mean DQ and FF is one of the best franchise out there, and FF14 makes big money.

 

[nominedomine]

Lets just assume Microsoft is not interested, but Embracer, Tencent or any Arab princes may be interested in the acquisition.
I mean DQ and FF is one of the best franchise out there, and FF14 makes big money.

I don't see how any of that negatively impacts Sony, third party publishers were never seen as threat. Anyway, I'm not saying it doesn't make any sense just that I don't see them going out of their way to do it. Would be very different from their recent acquisitions as well.

 

[N30RYU]

Creative Business Unit I - mainline FF, Kingdom Hearts, Saga
Creative Business Unit II - Dragon Quest, Nier, Octopath, Bravely Default
Creative Business Unit III - FFXIV, MMOs
Creative Business Unit IV - Mana, remasters, ports

too good to be true

 

[Tams]

If the PS5 was the only place to get the latest mainline Dragon Quest, people will line up to buy it in Japan.

Hell by then Sony will have a "Slim" PS5 ready to go and do a Slim PS5/DQ bundle to own the country forever.

I don't what planet you are on, but while Dragon Quest is popular in Japan, it isn'r everywhere like some franchises. Anecdotal, but I haven't noticed anything notable Dragon Quest for years. Students I teach never mention it.

And it's not even in the top 20 selling Switch games. It only just makes the top 30.

Also, Sony have exactly zero issues trying to sell PS5s in Japan.

 

[Fredrik]

I swear I'm not trying to be a smart ass, but my answer is there in my reply. I don't think it would cause some kind of significant delay to their work. I trust in SE and Sony to be agile and adapt to the change in targeted hardware (as I mentioned, greater budgets, more resources). They wouldn't change their focus from the Switch to the PS5 and merely leave all of their development, management, and staffing practices the same after all. This is the largest game developer/publisher in the world, and a seasoned veteran that is the result of a marriage of two titans of game development. They know what they're doing.

Well personally I think they’ll keep making them as is, for Switch and PS5 with some minor upgrades for PS5, or they’ll increase the budget and scope and they’ll disappear as we know them and we’ll only see a fraction of those titles. I’d love to be wrong.

 

[mortal]

I’m responding to an argument saying Nintendo would lose the top spot in Japan if DQ became exclusive to Sony, so that’s the base of the discussion.

If Sony buys SE and then keeps them as multiplat then of course it won’t do much to change the landscape and will just be extra revenue. Im not convinced however that smaller SE titles make that much money.

I didn't make that argument, so why quote me?

 

[Shut0wen]

Fuck square, Montreal carried them and in return square made them work on shitty avengers and did a shit job of advertising gotg

 

[Kokoloko85]

To be honest I was leaning towards konami and capcom since Sony brought out company that provides eSports fighting and football etc?

Capcom isn’t for sale. Namco too I believe.
Konami IP would be great though.

 

[vpance]

Garage sale That shade

 

[SoraNoKuni]

Actually, people underestimate how Sony would impact how SE works, Team ICE helping them and Sony using their new IPS for more content like movies and anime.

This is actually great news, hopefully it's true as the rumor has been circulating for quite a long time.

 

[Roman Empire]

You all playing favorites but I'm actually getting fed up with all these acquisitions. Industry consolidation is good and all but I really don't want Square Games going the exclusive route like we are getting with Bethesda, but those are just my two cents.

 

[Chukhopops]

I didn't make that argument, so why quote me?

Ah yes I see it now, my bad - quoted another person at the same time and got lost in who said what.

 

[AllBizness]

Square isnt selling to sony Square makes way much more money going multi platform to consider cutting off nintendo, pc and xbox all the people who keep saying BUT BUT ff7 yes FF7 the game sony paid x10 the price so they would have something worth while to sell on the ps1. Half of the people who keep bring up ff7 dont even play jrpgs or japanese games in general like that and are more just shills for sony.

People thought Activision would never get bought for the same reason and we know how that turned out

 

[Zatzuken]

I could see Sony buying square and the pixel remasters still not being on the PSN

 

[Lognor]

Yes and no. I can see those titles coming to PS as I'm not sure why Sony wouldn't and they'd do just fine with the PS market as they tend to play lots of JRPGs, I also think you'd still see them on Switch. Having a market on Switch doesn't mean no one plays them on PS as....it sounds kinda silly lol

I don't even see the logic in any of that as a fuck ton of sales records have been broken on PS that haven't been on Switch by Square, so clearly a market for JRPG exist on PS for them to break those records in the first place, so I see it as a likeliness of us simply seeing them launch on both or something.

@ManaByte I think what @bitbydeath means is that the impact would be greater to Nintendo as they've had more success with those titles then XB has.

I don't know. You haven't seen these AA type of jrpgs on PS4/5. They've been primarily on Switch and have done very well. The jrpg market on PS is mostly those AAA Flashy jrpgs (FF, Persona, etc). I don't know if PS owners would be open to buying a $60 sprite based jrpg. They want flashy shit. I think SE would certainly keep those games on Switch. Think about it. None of those games are on PS now. You thinkPS owners would just start buying these games? I don't. The market is on switch.

 

[EDMIX]

I don't know. You haven't seen these AA type of jrpgs on PS4/5. They've been primarily on Switch

Thats actually not true at all..., like not even remotely.

World Of Final Fantasy, Lost Sphere, I Am Setsuna, Odin Sphere, Disgaea 5 and a fuck ton more. I have no clue where you got any of that was "primarily on Switch" when its the platform that is even fucking begging for the remainder of JRPGs that are still on PS.

So...I just don't know how you've come to that conclusion.

The jrpg market on PS is mostly those AAA Flashy jrpgs

Most JRPGs are not AAA number 1, number 2 the JRPG market on PS is all of the above.

Its smaller titles, AA titles, AAA titles.

They have the smaller titles like Tokyo Xanadu eX+, 13 sentinels aegis rim etc
They have the AA titles which is tbh most of the market, World Of Final Fantasy, Blue Reflection, Atelier series etc
They have the AAA titles, KH, FF, Persona, Tales

I have no clue where you got any of this shit btw lol

So they exist on PS cause a market exist for gamers to buy it on PS. There is a reason why 1 base is fucking begging for content from the other base.

So yea...I think PS gamers will fucking continue to actually buy the genre they get the most of bud. Nonsensical.

 

[Lognor]

Thats actually not true at all..., like not even remotely.

World Of Final Fantasy, Lost Sphere, I Am Setsuna, Odin Sphere, Disgaea 5 and a fuck ton more. I have no clue where you got any of that was "primarily on Switch" when its the platform that is even fucking begging for the remainder of JRPGs that are still on PS.

So...I just don't know how you've come to that conclusion.



Most JRPGs are not AAA number 1, number 2 the JRPG market on PS is all of the above.

Its smaller titles, AA titles, AAA titles.

They have the smaller titles like Tokyo Xanadu eX+, 13 sentinels aegis rim etc
They have the AA titles which is tbh most of the market, World Of Final Fantasy, Blue Reflection, Atelier series etc
They have the AAA titles, KH, FF, Persona, Tales

I have no clue where you got any of this shit btw lol

So they exist on PS cause a market exist for gamers to buy it on PS. There is a reason why 1 base is fucking begging for content from the other base.

So yea...I think PS gamers will fucking continue to actually buy the genre they get the most of bud. Nonsensical.

Yikes! I really triggered something in you.

The very successful AA jrpgs have NOT been on PS. Octopath Traveler sold over one millions copies. That's a game made by SE and available on Switch and Xbox (NOT on PS!). What about Bravely Default 2? That also sold over one million copies and is not on PS. These very successful AA jrpgs have not been on PS. There's not a market for it there. Those games you mentioned on PS are years old and none of them did so well. I looked up sales. I Am Setsuna (also available on Switch) did poorly. Lost Sphere sold poorly too (and also available on Switch). Switch really is the go to console for these AA jrpgs, not PS. These games do not sell well on PS. There is a reason Octopath didn't come to PS. Nor did Bravely Default 2.

But it's all a moot point because Sony is not acquiring SE and these games will continue to be on Switch regardless. I'm sure a lot of them will be exclusive to Switch too.

 

[Chukhopops]

Sony/MS should buy Koei Tecmo instead if they want solid Japanese games.

 

[SlimySnake]

I’d rather Sony not buy Square Enix (and my primary platform ever since I’ve been gaming has been PlayStation). I’m just speaking out of ignorance and fear but I have never in my life been interested in a single Sony 1st Party game and I feel like they’d make Square Enix disband their CG studio so their games would be entirely in-engine or some bullshit. Idk I just don’t want Sony to have total control over SE. Sony 1st Party bores the shit out of me

 

[Nautilus]

Yikes! I really triggered something in you.

The very successful AA jrpgs have NOT been on PS. Octopath Traveler sold over one millions copies. That's a game made by SE and available on Switch and Xbox (NOT on PS!). What about Bravely Default 2? That also sold over one million copies and is not on PS. These very successful AA jrpgs have not been on PS. There's not a market for it there. Those games you mentioned on PS are years old and none of them did so well. I looked up sales. I Am Setsuna (also available on Switch) did poorly. Lost Sphere sold poorly too (and also available on Switch). Switch really is the go to console for these AA jrpgs, not PS. These games do not sell well on PS. There is a reason Octopath didn't come to PS. Nor did Bravely Default 2.

But it's all a moot point because Sony is not acquiring SE and these games will continue to be on Switch regardless. I'm sure a lot of them will be exclusive to Switch too.

Just a quick correction: Octopath did more than 2,5 million. Most of those being on Switch.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

So, I think [Square Enix CEO Yosuke] Matsuda-san put it like a garage sale."

What’s with the constant Japan fetishism? Hentai-san? Do we refer to someone from France as Monsieur Jean-Luc each time we can? Give me a break.

 

[Morrie’s wig shop]

What a coincidence, i also keep hearing rumors about that. All the time.


wait..... its true. I didn't expect such a plot twist coming into this thread.

You personally keep hearing rumors? From who?

 

[Guilty_AI]

You personally keep hearing rumors? From who?

From a very reliable source of information on anything game related:

Spoiler

neogaf

 

[FalsettoVibe]

What’s with the constant Japan fetishism? Hentai-san? Do we refer to someone from France as Monsieur Jean-Luc each time we can? Give me a break.

Its supposedly an honor/respect thing and simply part of their culture. Maybe other Japanese employees(at SE) referred to him the same way? My question is, why does it bother you so much?

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Its supposedly an honor/respect thing and simply part of their culture. Maybe other Japanese employees refer to him the same way? My question is, why does it bother you so much?

Who’s culture? Stephane sounds French AF. Do you see people calling Americans Mr. Smith?
It’s fetishism, pure and simple.

 

[YeulEmeralda]

What’s with the constant Japan fetishism? Hentai-san? Do we refer to someone from France as Monsieur Jean-Luc each time we can? Give me a break.

In my country we call everyone by their first name and I've personally seen Germans get an aneurysm over it.
Cultures are different.

 

[Spyxos]

Square gave their north american studios peanuts.
Embracer is more likely to give any of these studios a big budget.
People forget that Embracer and its investors have alot more money than Square and they want to become a household name.
If a project is greenlit its getting tons of dough.

I don't know everything that i played and saw from Embracer looked like AA at best.

 

[kikii]

yeah better that lets keep CatLady just on PS and PC

 

[Black_Stride]

I don't know everything that i played and saw from Embracer looked like AA at best.

What have you played from Embracer?

Their only big AAA Studios prior to getting Crystal, Eidos and 4AG was Gearbox, who recently released Borderlands 3 and Tiny Tina.
Very AAA games.

With the Embracer war chest 4AG can double down on making something truly amazing.
Crystal and Eidos without japanese overlords setting unrealistic targets with limited budgets will let them really make what they want to make without that pressure.

They will still keep their smaller studios working obviously, but now that they have AAA talent they can spend on AAA quality games.

Hell Saber is bringing out Space Marine 2 and for a game that I was so sure was never gonna get a sequel seeing it back had me so happy Embracer exists and is willing to keep these studios funded.

 

[AnotherDayAnotherDollar]

This would cost Sony quite a bit. My guess is 750-850B+ Yen or more depending on the premium. May even get to 1T Yen.