Comments on: What Square Enix Games Sold Well Last Year? http://www.siliconera.com/2009/05/21/what-square-enix-games-sold-well-last-year/ The secret level in the world of video game news. Tue, 06 Dec 2011 01:27:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Aoshi00http://www.siliconera.com/2009/05/21/what-square-enix-games-sold-well-last-year/comment-page-1/#comment-617560 Aoshi00 Fri, 22 May 2009 05:25:48 +0000 http://www.siliconera.com/?p=36713#comment-617560 I'm not as knowledgeable on this subject as the others here, correct me if I'm wrong, but could it be that JRPGs just don't have that much of a market in the US anymore, unlike the 90's on SNES & PSX? You have young gamers who think JRPGs are a thing of the past, then you have gamers who played RPGs before who have grown up and moved on to the more mature FPS and war games. People get jaded and keep dismissing any characters in JRPG as "emo".<br><br>FF still is a killer app because of the brand power. Million sellers now tend to be inFamous, Killzone2, Resistance, etc. MGS4 and RE4/5 have evolved more in the line of shooter. And Capcom making games like Dead Rising 2 and Lost Planet 2 for the West.. <br><br>I don't think recent JRPG have decreased in quality per se, if they stick to the tried formula, people say it's a PS2 game w/ HD graphics, if they experiment too much or have unconventional system it's rather niche. How did Valkyria Chronicles do on the PS3 anyway? <br><br>But yeah, TLR was an unfinished product and rushed out to consumers too soon, it was sold on Amazon for $40 on day 1 for a reason.<br><br>I'm still buying all the new RPGs, but personally I find it harder and harder to finish at 29 yrs old compared to as a teenager or college student. My gaming taste has grown quite a bit and now I prefer shorter games. I'm able to finish RE5 or Gears of War 2 in 2 weeks while it takes me forever to tackle games like P4, which I would have no problem doing before. I'm not as knowledgeable on this subject as the others here, correct me if I'm wrong, but could it be that JRPGs just don't have that much of a market in the US anymore, unlike the 90's on SNES & PSX? You have young gamers who think JRPGs are a thing of the past, then you have gamers who played RPGs before who have grown up and moved on to the more mature FPS and war games. People get jaded and keep dismissing any characters in JRPG as “emo”.

FF still is a killer app because of the brand power. Million sellers now tend to be inFamous, Killzone2, Resistance, etc. MGS4 and RE4/5 have evolved more in the line of shooter. And Capcom making games like Dead Rising 2 and Lost Planet 2 for the West..

I don't think recent JRPG have decreased in quality per se, if they stick to the tried formula, people say it's a PS2 game w/ HD graphics, if they experiment too much or have unconventional system it's rather niche. How did Valkyria Chronicles do on the PS3 anyway?

But yeah, TLR was an unfinished product and rushed out to consumers too soon, it was sold on Amazon for $40 on day 1 for a reason.

I'm still buying all the new RPGs, but personally I find it harder and harder to finish at 29 yrs old compared to as a teenager or college student. My gaming taste has grown quite a bit and now I prefer shorter games. I'm able to finish RE5 or Gears of War 2 in 2 weeks while it takes me forever to tackle games like P4, which I would have no problem doing before.

]]> By: Joannahttp://www.siliconera.com/2009/05/21/what-square-enix-games-sold-well-last-year/comment-page-1/#comment-617561 Joanna Fri, 22 May 2009 05:17:36 +0000 http://www.siliconera.com/?p=36713#comment-617561 I think their major problem is price. Their games are still really fun, but I cannot spend 45 (50 with tax) CAN on day one releases of SE games, even though I know I will love them (few excepts like TWEWY, FFTA2, and CT which I purchased day one). I usually wait till the price slides a bit. I think if they lowered their price to nintendo standards (35-40 CAN), they would sell a bit more. I know I've said this before, but those 5-10 dollars do make a difference. Oh, and I am exclusively looking at DS games, because that's the system that I use the most. Or maybe Canadian prices are insanely inflated? whichever, the prices really need to be dealt with. I think their major problem is price. Their games are still really fun, but I cannot spend 45 (50 with tax) CAN on day one releases of SE games, even though I know I will love them (few excepts like TWEWY, FFTA2, and CT which I purchased day one). I usually wait till the price slides a bit. I think if they lowered their price to nintendo standards (35-40 CAN), they would sell a bit more. I know I've said this before, but those 5-10 dollars do make a difference. Oh, and I am exclusively looking at DS games, because that's the system that I use the most. Or maybe Canadian prices are insanely inflated? whichever, the prices really need to be dealt with.

]]> By: darthLegionhttp://www.siliconera.com/2009/05/21/what-square-enix-games-sold-well-last-year/comment-page-1/#comment-617562 darthLegion Fri, 22 May 2009 00:20:10 +0000 http://www.siliconera.com/?p=36713#comment-617562 If anyone has a DS and hasn't played FFTA2, go out and pick it up right now. I'll wait. You still may be able to find it for 50% off at GameStop. That's how I got mine. I wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise. If anyone has a DS and hasn't played FFTA2, go out and pick it up right now. I'll wait. You still may be able to find it for 50% off at GameStop. That's how I got mine. I wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise.

]]> By: Helveshttp://www.siliconera.com/2009/05/21/what-square-enix-games-sold-well-last-year/comment-page-1/#comment-617563 Helves Thu, 21 May 2009 23:08:31 +0000 http://www.siliconera.com/?p=36713#comment-617563 Square Enix is now a big publisher, that means it has more games under its brand, but also more crap. Infinite Undiscovery and Star Ocean are tri-Ace-developed games, average, but not annoying. In my opinion. The Last Remnant is the worst of three, a new flag title developed in-house with a poor and incomplete final product.<br><br>I don't think it only has to do with the 360 switching, but with the change of strategy...the cheaper development and western-oriented games are not fitting too well. They're trying to win the western market, but as the chart shows, japan's still their best bet. <br><br>By the way, we love the old school SE games and they know well, why change? Square Enix is now a big publisher, that means it has more games under its brand, but also more crap. Infinite Undiscovery and Star Ocean are tri-Ace-developed games, average, but not annoying. In my opinion. The Last Remnant is the worst of three, a new flag title developed in-house with a poor and incomplete final product.

I don't think it only has to do with the 360 switching, but with the change of strategy…the cheaper development and western-oriented games are not fitting too well. They're trying to win the western market, but as the chart shows, japan's still their best bet.

By the way, we love the old school SE games and they know well, why change?

]]> By: Aoshi00http://www.siliconera.com/2009/05/21/what-square-enix-games-sold-well-last-year/comment-page-1/#comment-569842 Aoshi00 Thu, 21 May 2009 22:25:48 +0000 http://www.siliconera.com/?p=36713#comment-569842 I'm not as knowledgeable on this subject as the others here, correct me if I'm wrong, but could it be that JRPGs just don't have that much of a market in the US anymore, unlike the 90's on SNES & PSX? You have young gamers who think JRPGs are a thing of the past, then you have gamers who played RPGs before who have grown up and moved on to the more mature FPS and war games. People get jaded and keep dismissing any characters in JRPG as "emo".<br><br>FF still is a killer app because of the brand power. Million sellers now tend to be inFamous, Killzone2, Resistance, etc. MGS4 and RE4/5 have evolved more in the line of shooter. And Capcom making games like Dead Rising 2 and Lost Planet 2 for the West.. <br><br>I don't think recent JRPG have decreased in quality per se, if they stick to the tried formula, people say it's a PS2 game w/ HD graphics, if they experiment too much or have unconventional system it's rather niche. How did Valkyria Chronicles do on the PS3 anyway? <br><br>But yeah, TLR was an unfinished product and rushed out to consumers too soon. I'm not as knowledgeable on this subject as the others here, correct me if I'm wrong, but could it be that JRPGs just don't have that much of a market in the US anymore, unlike the 90's on SNES & PSX? You have young gamers who think JRPGs are a thing of the past, then you have gamers who played RPGs before who have grown up and moved on to the more mature FPS and war games. People get jaded and keep dismissing any characters in JRPG as “emo”.

FF still is a killer app because of the brand power. Million sellers now tend to be inFamous, Killzone2, Resistance, etc. MGS4 and RE4/5 have evolved more in the line of shooter. And Capcom making games like Dead Rising 2 and Lost Planet 2 for the West..

I don't think recent JRPG have decreased in quality per se, if they stick to the tried formula, people say it's a PS2 game w/ HD graphics, if they experiment too much or have unconventional system it's rather niche. How did Valkyria Chronicles do on the PS3 anyway?

But yeah, TLR was an unfinished product and rushed out to consumers too soon.

]]> By: Joannahttp://www.siliconera.com/2009/05/21/what-square-enix-games-sold-well-last-year/comment-page-1/#comment-569841 Joanna Thu, 21 May 2009 22:17:36 +0000 http://www.siliconera.com/?p=36713#comment-569841 I think their major problem is price. Their games are still really fun, but I cannot spend 45 (50 with tax) CAN on day one releases of SE games, even though I know I will love them (few excepts like TWEWY, FFTA2, and CT which I purchased day one). I usually wait till the price slides a bit. I think if they lowered their price to nintendo standards (35-40 CAN), they would sell a bit more. I know I've said this before, but those 5-10 dollars do make a difference. Oh, and I am exclusively looking at DS games, because that's the system that I use the most. Or maybe Canadian prices are insanely inflated? whichever, the prices really need to be dealt with. I think their major problem is price. Their games are still really fun, but I cannot spend 45 (50 with tax) CAN on day one releases of SE games, even though I know I will love them (few excepts like TWEWY, FFTA2, and CT which I purchased day one). I usually wait till the price slides a bit. I think if they lowered their price to nintendo standards (35-40 CAN), they would sell a bit more. I know I've said this before, but those 5-10 dollars do make a difference. Oh, and I am exclusively looking at DS games, because that's the system that I use the most. Or maybe Canadian prices are insanely inflated? whichever, the prices really need to be dealt with.

]]> By: darthLegionhttp://www.siliconera.com/2009/05/21/what-square-enix-games-sold-well-last-year/comment-page-1/#comment-569821 darthLegion Thu, 21 May 2009 17:20:10 +0000 http://www.siliconera.com/?p=36713#comment-569821 If anyone has a DS and hasn't played FFTA2, go out and pick it up right now. I'll wait. You still may be able to find it for 50% off at GameStop. That's how I got mine. I wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise. If anyone has a DS and hasn't played FFTA2, go out and pick it up right now. I'll wait. You still may be able to find it for 50% off at GameStop. That's how I got mine. I wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise.

]]> By: Helveshttp://www.siliconera.com/2009/05/21/what-square-enix-games-sold-well-last-year/comment-page-1/#comment-569817 Helves Thu, 21 May 2009 16:08:31 +0000 http://www.siliconera.com/?p=36713#comment-569817 Square Enix is now a big publisher, that means it has more games under its brand, but also more crap. Infinite Undiscovery and Star Ocean are tri-Ace-developed games, average, but not annoying. In my opinion. The Last Remnant is the worst of three, a new flag title developed in-house with a poor and incomplete final product.<br><br>I don't think it only has to do with the 360 switching, but with the change of strategy...the cheaper development and western-oriented games are not fitting too well. They're trying to win the western market, but as the chart shows, japan's still their best bet. <br><br>By the way, we love the old school SE games and they know well, why change? Square Enix is now a big publisher, that means it has more games under its brand, but also more crap. Infinite Undiscovery and Star Ocean are tri-Ace-developed games, average, but not annoying. In my opinion. The Last Remnant is the worst of three, a new flag title developed in-house with a poor and incomplete final product.

I don't think it only has to do with the 360 switching, but with the change of strategy…the cheaper development and western-oriented games are not fitting too well. They're trying to win the western market, but as the chart shows, japan's still their best bet.

By the way, we love the old school SE games and they know well, why change?

]]> By: Spencerhttp://www.siliconera.com/2009/05/21/what-square-enix-games-sold-well-last-year/comment-page-1/#comment-569811 Spencer Thu, 21 May 2009 14:58:44 +0000 http://www.siliconera.com/?p=36713#comment-569811 Lots of games aren't on the chart which is why I was initially reluctant to post it, but as Celedin says those games may not have been considered key releases. Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon isn't on the list either. Lots of games aren't on the chart which is why I was initially reluctant to post it, but as Celedin says those games may not have been considered key releases. Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon isn't on the list either.

]]> By: Spencerhttp://www.siliconera.com/2009/05/21/what-square-enix-games-sold-well-last-year/comment-page-1/#comment-569808 Spencer Thu, 21 May 2009 14:57:31 +0000 http://www.siliconera.com/?p=36713#comment-569808 If you mean the column all the way on the right with 14.41 million those are last year's sales numbers for the same period (i.e. last fiscal year). <br><br>Also, don't take it as TWEWY sold badly. Sales data for that Sigma Harmonics and other games in the first half of the year were previously posted:<br><br><a href="http://www.siliconera.com/2008/11/07/square-enix-sequels-remakes-sell-well/" rel="nofollow">http://www.siliconera.com/2008/11/07/square-eni...</a><br><br>The game sold 120,000 copies in the US, but only 20,000 in Europe. If you mean the column all the way on the right with 14.41 million those are last year's sales numbers for the same period (i.e. last fiscal year).

Also, don't take it as TWEWY sold badly. Sales data for that Sigma Harmonics and other games in the first half of the year were previously posted:

http://www.siliconera.com/2008/11/07/square-eni…

The game sold 120,000 copies in the US, but only 20,000 in Europe.

]]> By: ReturnOfSomeDudehttp://www.siliconera.com/2009/05/21/what-square-enix-games-sold-well-last-year/comment-page-1/#comment-569807 ReturnOfSomeDude Thu, 21 May 2009 14:40:55 +0000 http://www.siliconera.com/?p=36713#comment-569807 The column with the parentheses is saying the total number of units sold for each region. Japanese count large numbers in 10,000s instead of 1,000s so tack 4 zeros onto the end to get the counts. The column with the parentheses is saying the total number of units sold for each region. Japanese count large numbers in 10,000s instead of 1,000s so tack 4 zeros onto the end to get the counts.

]]> By: Celedinhttp://www.siliconera.com/2009/05/21/what-square-enix-games-sold-well-last-year/comment-page-1/#comment-569804 Celedin Thu, 21 May 2009 14:07:36 +0000 http://www.siliconera.com/?p=36713#comment-569804 I'd assume since they weren't as big releases as the others on the list they were heaped into that big "others" section. I'd assume since they weren't as big releases as the others on the list they were heaped into that big “others” section.

]]> By: chastyhttp://www.siliconera.com/2009/05/21/what-square-enix-games-sold-well-last-year/comment-page-1/#comment-569803 chasty Thu, 21 May 2009 13:46:01 +0000 http://www.siliconera.com/?p=36713#comment-569803 squarenix is failing miserabily in this gen.the've made wrong choices and decisions.good sales are referred only to PSP and NDS.very low the sales on xbox360.the last remnant,unfinite discovery and star ocean 4 are average and annoying games.Square enix has lost his magical touch jumping on Microsoft bandwagon. I bet that the sales can't cover development's costs of these games. this mean that the majority of JRPG fans aren't xbox360 owners.Sony's WKC and star ocean 4 sold the same worlwide but WKC hasn't been release outside of Japan. maybe Jrpg genre is dead or maybe Squarenix today is an epic fail. squarenix is failing miserabily in this gen.the've made wrong choices and decisions.good sales are referred only to PSP and NDS.very low the sales on xbox360.the last remnant,unfinite discovery and star ocean 4 are average and annoying games.Square enix has lost his magical touch jumping on Microsoft bandwagon. I bet that the sales can't cover development's costs of these games. this mean that the majority of JRPG fans aren't xbox360 owners.Sony's WKC and star ocean 4 sold the same worlwide but WKC hasn't been release outside of Japan. maybe Jrpg genre is dead or maybe Squarenix today is an epic fail.

]]> By: Kevinhttp://www.siliconera.com/2009/05/21/what-square-enix-games-sold-well-last-year/comment-page-1/#comment-569802 Kevin Thu, 21 May 2009 13:29:47 +0000 http://www.siliconera.com/?p=36713#comment-569802 Go Last Remnant! I want a sequel Go Last Remnant! I want a sequel

]]> By: nectarsishttp://www.siliconera.com/2009/05/21/what-square-enix-games-sold-well-last-year/comment-page-1/#comment-569801 nectarsis Thu, 21 May 2009 13:18:39 +0000 http://www.siliconera.com/?p=36713#comment-569801 I wonder why the Star Ocean psp games were ignored...hmmmm I wonder why the Star Ocean psp games were ignored…hmmmm

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