DEAR SQUARE ENIX

March 8, 2013

Bravely Demand

Dear Square Enix,

Recently you posted a couple of tweets on your Bravely Default: Flying Fairy official Twitter account saying; “I accessed Twitter after a long absence. A voice of the foreign one arrives properly!” and “There is very much comment from overseas one! I do my best to have all of you play!”

While I’m glad to hear that you acknowledge the demand for this game, I can’t approve of the way the game may have reached the decision to get released worldwide.

If we are to go strictly by your words published on Twitter, BDFF will be localized because fans expressed demand. As it is, it sounds fine and perfectly reasonable. However, in reality, there is a big issue there; you did not request for a display of demand. People acted out of worry that the game will not be released internationally. That is not how you should gauge interest in a product or a service, because you will not get enough feedback.

Leaving everything in the hands of people who make groups that rally up and call for localizations is unreliable and it creates unnecessary tension and pressure on your public relations.

If you want consumers to express demand or provide feedback, please ask them to do so.

January 21, 2013

All The Worst

Dear Square Enix,

Final Fantasy All The Bravest is in its concept a wonderful idea. Unfortunately, you took that concept and implemented it into a typical, dumbed-down mobile game. Why did you go for the shallow gameplay and greedy in-app purchases when you could have made much more out of it? Just because the market is flooded with these types of games it doesn’t mean it’s a good practice. It’s not, and the market is heavily saturated. The pretty much only reason such a product can be successful is because it’s carried by either the company’s or intellectual property’s name.

The reviews are condemning, and rightfully so. Do you really want to head in that direction? Sure, it’s easy money, but at what cost?

It’s been mentioned many times before,  higher price for a complete game is better than low or no price and microtransactions. I would be glad if you did the former with Final Fantasy All The Bravest. I will hope for an update that will at least rectify the heavily criticized elements of the game.

January 21, 2013

Versus XV

Dear Square Enix,

It would probably be a good idea to rename Final Fantasy Versus XIII into Final Fantasy XV. An ambitious project such as Final Fantasy Versus XIII would serve better as a mainline title.

The development of Versus XIII is taking a long time. The developments of Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy XIII took a long time too, and the development of FFXV will most probably take long as well. If you rebranded Final Fantasy Versus XIII into Final Fantasy XV, it would somewhat solve this issue, to a degree — you will still have to produce Final Fantasy XVI sooner than three years following the release of FFXV!

Versus XIII takes a rather big step away from the main branch of games in the gameplay element. The battle system is action-based, so it would be a notable change. However, Final Fantasy is about change, is it not? Final Fantasy Versus XIII is regarded as one of the most anticipated, most ambitious Final Fantasy titles of all time. For this reason I don’t think the game should be a mere spin-off, but rather a full-fledged Final Fantasy.

January 2, 2013

Finis is Approaching

Dear Square Enix,

Please go forward with Final Fantasy Type-0 and announce it for the West before it’s too late. Things are starting to look bad for the game with each passing day. People are acting correspondingly to your neglect of Final Fantasy Type-0; they are translating the game themselves, which will result in potentially weaker market performance the game would otherwise have.

This is not in my interest as is not in yours. I want this game to succeed in its fullest potential, providing an opportunity for the series to realize as planned. Announce Final Fantasy Type-0 as soon as possible.

December 21, 2012

Mobile Revolution

Dear Square Enix,

With the advent of the Final Fantasy V port announcement, we can be expecting you will largely populate the mobile gaming market with whatever Final Fantasy titles you can. While that’s generally frowned upon, I don’t see it as a particularly negative production plan, though not everything should be ported to mobile devices.

Personally, I’d be fine with porting anything that’s not an action game. I like playing old(er) Final Fantasy games all the time and the problem is that backward compatibility drops as generations come and go. Platforms like iOS, as evidented so far, have no such problem and you already showed you’re willing to port to them. I’m all for making backward compatibility as permanent as possible, even if it takes mobile gaming to do it (though tablet computers make it more than bearable).

December 13, 2012

iTheatrhythm

Dear Square Enix,

Thank your for porting Theatrhythm Final Fantasy to iOS! Like The World Ends With You, this game should play great on mobile devices.

What’s next? The 4 Heroes of Light? (Pssst; that’s a hint!)

December 12, 2012

Too High Expectations

Dear Square Enix,

It’s not just Sleeping Dogs’ sales you’re overestimating. Understand that the global economy is on the low right now and everything’s affected. It’s irrational to expect unreasonable numbers in these times. Please be more humble with forecasts and expectations and don’t let performances discourage you. Globalize your products more — you have very dedicated fans all over the world who are interested in everything you publish and develop.

Focus on putting out high quality products that are not flawed with catering or specific industry practices. Work on regaining trust of your longtime fans who have since moved on.

November 30, 2012

Final Philosophy

Dear Square Enix,

I read a rumor saying you’re making Agni’s Philosophy a new intellectual property. Whether true or not, I must say that I’m impressed with the approach so far.

You made it look Final Fantasy, but you only masked it as such. That is the best presentation it could get, because the audience already have “Final Fantasy” in their minds about it, and the only thing you need to do is make it a high quality product so that it can branch out into a franchise of its own.

The only thing about the concept of Agni’s Philosophy I object to are the terrorists with AK-47s. They are one of the real world’s biggest problems. They look too real for a fantasy world and they are unappealing, even as villains. Please consider changing them into something else.

September 21, 2012

Why-0?

Dear Square Enix,

In a little more than a month from now, it will be one year since Final Fantasy Type-0 has been released in Japan. Since then, the western release of it has been mentioned only once; in an Ultimania interview.

When asked about the localization of Type-0, you haven’t given a single approval regarding the western release of this game. Why? Why didn’t you say anything? Why can’t you say anything?

You have a dedicated fanbase. Your fans, customers, deserve this information, don’t you think? Why can’t you let them (us) know what is wrong with the english release of this game?

I honestly can’t believe you would not release this game in the West, but with the way you’re approaching this issue, it seems very concerning. Please disprove this sentiment.

September 5, 2012

Chocobo Racing U

Dear Square Enix,

I believe Wii U would be a very good choice to release Chocobo Racing 3D for. Like Wii, it will be a family console, perfectly suitable for a game like Chocobo Racing 3D.

Please consider it.

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