Square Enix are losing money and Western fans ...

Gothic Girl | May 26, 2008 | News | Company

Square Enix didn't have a particularly good financial year in 2007. They lost profit, Western market shares, and Western fans.

In 2006 they sold 6.1 million games in America, compared to only 3.7 million in 2007. European sales were also slightly lower in 2007.

But 07's game sales were higher in Japan. At least Square Enix can fall back on their Japanese fans if the West loses interest in their games ...

OH. OH. So this is why Square-Enix boss Yoichi Wada said they needed to "go beyond traditional Square Enix". The company have released their FY2007 financial results, which not only show them losing money (with a 20% drop in profits), but losing a ton of Western market share in the process. The company's performance in the US should be of particular concern (Europe, it did OK), as it dropped like a rock, from 6.1 million games sold in FY2006 (during which FFXII was released) compared to only 3.7 million last year, while sales were up in Japan, from 7.2 million sold to 7.5 million. Guess Japan love them some remakes of games they've already played! And America, well, America notsomuch.

6 comments | go to source (kotaku.com) | Add to favorites!

favourite this article |

send to friend |

add alt source

112	Can Level-5 Dethrone Square Enix? (26) October 12, 2008
102	Square Enix to Acquire Tecmo? (12) August 28, 2008
45	Square-Enix Release New The Last Remnant Screenshots (1) October 7, 2008
115	Something's a stir between Square Enix and Microsoft at TGS08 (35) October 8, 2008
90	Square-Enix Not Showing Anything New For PS3 At TGS 08 (22) October 6, 2008

Comments

Comments with -10 or lower "thumbs" are removed from display.

4 thumbs!
Storm | May 27, 2008

Meh, that's business, good and bad days. What did they expect? We didn't see much from them in 2007...

Their latest DS game is a huge hit (DS Owners need to check it out, The World Ends With You), and FFXIII is gaining hype over the bits of information revealed. Then there's the Kingdom Hearts games/sidestories. IMO, things are already turning around.
- -2 thumbs!
  Final Blade | May 27, 2008
  
  _{I agree. I think things are turning around you just gotta wait.}
  - -1 thumbs!
    Benedict | May 28, 2008
    
    I agree. And how much are these DS games/
0 thumbs!
phowell23 | May 27, 2008

its been a while since they released a good game on the former next gen consoles (ps2 specificly). FFXII was horrible so kingdom hearts II might be the most recent good game theyve put out.
4 thumbs!
BANDITO ATTACK | May 27, 2008

this is because people get bored after playing the same game with a different story for the 12th time. not japan tho. the japanese will play anything with tiny outfits, characters with indistinguishable gender, and people with fur.
0 thumbs!
Donnelly | May 27, 2008

It's probably cause they haven't released anything remotely good for a while.