Square Enix sold a number of its studios and IPs probably in an attempt to make itself more attractive to be acquired.
A lot happened to Square Enix towards the end of the year, but the company’s sale of the biggest studios in the West might come as a surprise. While it’s clear that there are major restructurings going on behind the scenes of Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts publishers, the facts show that things could be even more exciting.
Jeff Grubb recently spoke on Twitter about the current state of Square Enix and what it could mean for the company in its larger plans. One theory currently circulating online is that Square Enix is gearing up for a major acquisition, and while Grubb doesn’t have any specifics to confirm or deny it, it seems likely. He also believes this to be true.
According to Grubb, the theory that Square Enix is looking to be acquired by a larger company isn’t really based on inside information, as none of his usual sources want to comment on the matter as it’s highly likely. There will be legal consequences if the information is discovered as a leak. Instead, it’s possible that Embracer’s recent acquisition of Square Enix developers is because Square Enix wants to get rid of Western IPs and studios in order to streamline its focus on truly mainstream titles for the market. Japanese and Asian schools. Others have suggested that Square Enix sell off its Western studios to avoid possible FTC antitrust problems for anyone who acquires the company.
Of course, while Grubb has openly stated that he believes Square Enix is meant to be acquired, the company may simply be reinventing itself in a way that makes more sense for leaders. For instance, the president of Square Enix has expressed an interest in NFT, and the publisher may believe that properties like Tomb Raider and Deus Ex simply don’t have the potential to grow in that direction. Or because the West has imposed too many political issues such as feminism, LGBTQ, people of color, etc. into current mass media entertainment products, even interfering with many game titles and anime series. Japan also pressures Japanese creators to change, so Square Enix wants to get rid of that restriction. The president of Square Enix not long ago also commented that “the company will not be able to make a good product if it just pleases the Western market”.
More specifically, Square Enix can believe that their future lies in JRPGs and anime or near-JRPG titles. Combining the AAA series with NFT-oriented lightweight products could also very well lead to a great investment opportunity for Square Enix in the future, depending on where the industry goes next, and this certainly could. making them an attractive acquisition opportunity.
Finally, some believe that Sony PlayStation’s upcoming big acquisition is in fact Square Enix. Grubb himself addressed the issue, although he also warned people not to take the news too seriously because it’s unfounded and no one has confirmed that Square Enix is indeed positioning. himself to be acquired by a larger company. Chances are it’s just in the process of getting rid of IP and western developers to be more suitable for game making, and the rest is just speculation.
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