Square Enix has just released the company’s annual report (via NeoGAF). While there’s a lot of chest-thumping, and acknowledgement that Final Fantasy XV did very, very well financially (as did Nier: Automata), the future for the publisher might be veering in a direction most people aren’t familiar with.
In Square Enix report, the publisher mentions that multiplayer games have taken the "lead" over single-player games, and that the company will "endeavor" to develop titles that won’t be played just once.
“Games as a Service” is a concept that is often mentioned recently in HD game contexts. Gone are the days in which single-player games were of primary status and multiplayer games secondary. Lately, multiplayer games have taken the lead, and it is standard for games to be designed for long-term play. The terms “multiplayer” and “Games as a Service” themselves have existed for some time, but they are now being used in reference to game designs that place a strong emphasis on longer-term user engagement. We will also endeavor to develop games designed not to be played once after launch but that customers can enjoy more and play longer. In so doing, we will increase customer satisfaction and enhance the lifetime value of the games themselves."
Additionally, Square Enix also mentioned that its targeting gameplay streaming, and intend to "proactively work to turn it into an actual business."
One wonders if this "multiplayer-centric" approach is effective immediately. If so, then one can surmise that Left Alive, which is due out sometime in 2018, will have a multiplayer component.
Are you happy with Square Enix’s new approach or should it stick to single-player RPGs, action games and the like? Or is there no reason why a game can’t have the best of both?