As we move into the fourth quarter of the year, Square Enix recently held its typical financial briefing giving results on its progress for the year to its board and shareholders. With the recent briefing, Square Enix has announced its future plans on the Nintendo Switch and bringing games to the West.
On the topic of the Switch (translation via Takashi Mochizuki), Square Enix says that its success is “strong” and that its “core architecture is similar to PS4 and Xbox One. Some adjustments are necessary, but multi-platform games [are] not impossible.”
Digging a little deeper, Square Enix specifically calls out the Switch as the “ideal platform to put mid-range games.” That is similar to the company’s position with Nintendo’s previous handheld device, the 3DS. With 3DS, Square Enix continuously released high-quality, exclusive titles for the platform, such as Bravely Default, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, and Dragon Quest VII.
Also: Project Octopath Traveler Survey Hints at Being Bravely Default Sequel
The Switch games Square Enix released this year and those already announced for next year show evidence of a similar approach. I Am Setsuna, Lost Sphear, and Project Octopath Traveler are all smaller, “mid-range” games that fit well on the hybrid console/handheld device. The Japanese company says it is aggressively developing new games for Switch.
The Switch wasn’t the only topic that Square Enix during its earnings call, as it also brought up its plans for unannounced games for 2018. Square Enix currently has no big games planned between now and the end of this fiscal year in March 2018. Instead, it plans to launch major global titles next fiscal year.
These games will be “sharp, powerful, and well-made”, with Square Enix preparing right now to announce them at E3 2018. While this could potentially mean a release next year for the first episode of Final Fantasy VII Remake, it is most likely referring to the Western release of Dragon Quest XI and unannounced games.
