Square Enix is one of the rare publishers that didn’t bulk layoff staff in 2024, but they did announce a whole lot of changes coming to their company over the next few years.

The plans are much broader than I will talk about, you can read all about them here. The basics however are as follows:

1. Shift from quantity to quality

   1. Square Enix will be aiming to shift focus from quantity to quality as part of its long-term for the Digital Entertainment segment. To achieve this, the company will work on creating an optimal portfolio that balances a "product-out" approach, which showcases the creativity of its employees, with a "-in approach, that uses customer feedback and data to guide development.

2. Shift to a multiplatform strategy

   1. For HD titles, the Group will aggressively pursue a multiplatform strategy that includes Nintendo platforms, PlayStation, Xbox, and PCs. Especially, in regards to major franchises and AAA titles including catalog titles, it will build an environment where more customers can enjoy their titles.

   2. Devise a platform strategy for SD titles that includes not only iOS and Android, but also the possibility of PC launches. Furthermore, the Group will strive to maximize the acquisition of new users when launching a title and that of recurring users after starting management of game operation.

3. Rebuild overseas business divisions from the ground up

   1. The Group has begun optimising costs at its European and American offices via structural reforms. It will also promote intra-Group collaboration in Japan and abroad and strengthen the functions of its London development site. For example, the Group intends to work to strengthen the close collaboration between its divisions in Japan (creative studios and publishing) and to enable greater mobility of talent between them and the Group’s publishing functions overseas.

4. Allocate capital giving consideration to the balance between growth investments and shareholder returns

   1. Basically, ensure they don’t spend more than they need to, in order to make sure investors earn more money.

Those plans will take effect on April 1st, which could have a big impact on the number of games released by the company. The studio was involved with more than 20 releases last year, most of them they did themselves and some where done with publishing/development agreements. Some of them were ports to more platforms, actually a lot of them were, they did make a number of original titles.

There was a studio closure in 2024, but not really. At the end of January 2024, it was revealed that Tokyo RPG Factory, the folks who did I Am Setsuna, Lost Sphear and Oninaki, would be absorbed back into the main studio structure. So while the brand has closed down, the staff remained with the company, much like how Luminous did the year before.

These are the games that were published by Square Enix, or associated with them, that released in 2024. Titles that are bolded are original releases:

• Foamstars

• Dragon Quest Builders

• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

• Final Fantasy XVI The Rising Tide

• Final Fantasy XIV

• SaGa: Emerald Beyond

• Parasol Stars*

• Front Mission 2: Remake*

• Octopath Traveler

• Octopath Traveler II

• Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail

• Visions of Mana

• Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince

• Final Fantasy XVI

• Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster

• Trials of Mana

• Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven**

• Life Is Strange: Double Exposure

• Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake**

• Emberstoria

• TAITO Milestones 3*

• Fantasian Neo Dimension

Those marked with * are IP owned by Square Enix, but the studio was not directly involved in their 2024 release.

Those marked with ** are complete remakes.

So that was the 2024 line up, with the planned leaner approach, how does 2025 stack up? Let’s take a look.

CREATIVE BUSINESS UNIT I

Last Game Released: Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven | Series: Final Fantasy series, Kingdom Hearts series, SaGa series

2024 was a big year for this group, as they oversee mainline Final Fantasy games along with the SaGa series, they had three games release last year, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, SaGa: Emerald Beyond and the remake of Romancing SaGa 2.

As for 2025, there is not a lot that we know about this group. We know that they are already working on the final chapter of the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy and just a week after this is published the studio will bring Final Fantasy VII Rebirth to PC. Given that we just got a new SaGa game and a remake last year, it is unlikely the studio will do more for that series in 2025. But the one game we need to know about is Kingdom Hearts 4, it has been almost 3 years since it was announced in April 2022 and we have not see anything on that game since.

CREATIVE BUSINESS UNIT II

Last Game Released: Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake | Series: Dragon Quest series, Nier series, Bravely series, Octopath Traveler series

This group had a much quieter year, as most of their work was porting a few older games to other platforms. Octopath Traveler I and II both came to Xbox and PlayStation in 2024. Dragon Quest Monsters got a port to PC in September and Foamstars was managed by this group, though it has since wrapped up its new content. Of course, their biggest release of the year was Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake, which brought a lot of charm and updates to a very old, yet beloved game.

So what does 2025 bring for this group, honestly it could be a smash hit year for them. Dragon Quest XII has been in development since May 2021, at least publicly. So we are coming up on 4 years now and traditionally they have had 4-5 years between releases, at least the recent ones. Given that Dragon Quest XI released back in 2017, we are now at 8 years and counting, so even if its not released this year, a full reveal would be nice. But that is not all as the studio is also overseeing, they also have the creation of Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake, the only roadblock for this release is that it is a different studio working on the game. III was developed by Artdink, but Team Asano are handling I & II, I am not expecting anything to bump this one, but given how long it took Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake to release, I won’t get excited for the next one until they get an actual date. As for Nier, a sequel could be in the works, or at least the series creator Yoko Taro hopes for one, but there has been nothing announced for that series, so who knows.

CREATIVE BUSINESS UNIT III

Last Game Released: Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail | Series: Final Fantasy MMOs, Dragon Quest Builders series

In 2024 this group kicked things off slowly by bringing Dragon Quest Builders to PC, then just a few months later The Rising Tide released as an expansion for Final Fantasy XVI, with the game itself coming to PC in September 2024, roughly 15 months after its PlayStation 5 release. However the biggest release of the year was the Dawntrail expansion for Final Fantasy XIV, which was the sixth major expansion for the game and the first one since 2021’s Endwalker.

So what does 2025 hold for this group? The easy answer more content for Final Fantasy XIV, but there could also be major content for Final Fantasy XI released as well, as the last expansion for that was back in 2020. A survey was done in 2024 to players of the game and the results are in, what it does is show the points people like and those they don’t. Nothing in that is confirmed to be changing of course, but it gives you an idea where things could go, if the team want to pick up all that feedback. Myself personally, I am hoping that Dragon Quest Builders returns with a new game in 2025, there is nothing to say there is, but hope is important to have.

CREATIVE BUSINESS UNIT VI

Last Game Released: Visions of Mana | Series: Mana series

2024 saw this group release Visions of Mana, but as they are also the home of mobile games and remasters or remakes of older titles, they were likely involved with the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters as well. Emberstoria is a new mobile and PC game that released in 2024, but only in Japan and while development was done by another studio, these guys were likely involved with it.

As for 2025, there is honestly nothing that I could see them doing, at least on the console side of things. A port of Visions of Mana to Nintendo’s new console, or even another collection of games could be possible, but there is nothing supporting that.

TAITO CORPORATION

Last Game Released: Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! | Series: Bubble Bobble series, Gunslinger Stratos series, Space Invaders series

It has been a few years since Taito produced their own original game, with 2023’s Puzzle Bobble Everybubble! being the game in question. But the studio has not been quiet at all, as they have partnered with ININ Games to bring two entries in their TAITO Milestones collection to Switch, with TAITO Milestones 2 in 2023 and then TAITO Milestones 3 in 2024.

So what does 2025 hold for the group? Honestly, there is no way of knowing. Their recruitment site which is only for Japan shows no open roles for game development, their games page shows the titles we expected to see. Given that the group brings other games to arcades, like Street Fighter 6 for Capcom, odds are good that they have other projects like that in the works. There is almost no chance that we don’t get Milestones 4 in 2025, the first 3 have done fairly well and it is not as if Taito is hurting for games. Until they announce whatever is next, we are just going to be stuck wondering.

Square Enix Europe

Last Game Released: Little Goody Two Shoes | Series: Many

The European branch of Square Enix is an odd duck, because they sometimes help develop games, but other times they just publish them. 2023 was the last time they helped develop a game, but they assisted with last years Life is Strange: Double Exposure.

As for 2025, the only confirmed project they are involved with is the Gex Trilogy, but the bulk of that is being done by Limited Run Games. The studio is still supporting FuturLab on PowerWash Simulator, it has the Wallace & Gromit DLC launching soon. The group is also working with People Can Fly on Project Gemini, a new game that is expected in 2026, though in early 2024, PCF let go around 20 staff from that project. There is no word on if that has impacted the development timeline of the game either, so we will have to wait and see.

With Square Enix changing up their approach, more multiplatform and quality over quantity, 2025 could be a leaner year for the studio, but it could also just be the start. With a few games already in development for quite a while, one would hope they get some news out for them. But what are you hoping to see from the RPG powerhouse in 2025?