Square Enix donates US $1.2M to disaster relief

I posted this a bit earlier in the "Supporting Japan's rebuilding process" thread, but thought that maybe it is worth its own post.

A Yomiuri Shimbun article this morning mentioned that Square Enix is donating 100 million yen (approximately US $1.2 million) to aid in disaster relief.

Here's the press release (Japanese) on the Square Enix corporate site:
http://www.square-enix.com/jpn/news/2011/html/8ff6e79d3ba0894f50d2189db4fa0e67.html

In addition to the donation, the press release also says that they are collecting voluntary donations from employees, and will be setting up ways for people to contribute through their SE accounts and other online services.

I am so glad they did not write most of that in broke and un-translatable Japanese ^^. Good job to Square Enix.

Well hopefully all those "We should pay for XIV to supprt Japan" topics can stop once SE sets this up. I have already given a HUGE chunk of my personal spending money ($50 i was gonna buy a new game with) to Red Cross.

They mentioned something about donating using crysta purchased from SE accounts too I think. I will do that.

Great, i cant read japanese, nvm.
I got some crysta on my account, been there since release lol.
So sure i'd be game to donate it to help the Japaense / SE, atm its of no use for me.

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Originally Posted by Keith_Dragoon

Well hopefully all those "We should pay for XIV to supprt Japan" topics can stop once SE sets this up. I have already given a HUGE chunk of my personal spending money ($50 i was gonna buy a new game with) to Red Cross.

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You don't need a new game when XIV is back up, but good job! You made a noble choice!

Can't believe they can afford to do this after the massive financial loss the company took during last year.

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Originally Posted by PepperMint

You don't need a new game when XIV is back up, but good job! You made a noble choice!

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True but right now all I have to do is camp the XIV forums while listening to FF music. That new game could have kept me busy til servers are back but someone in Japan needed whatever that $50 goes towards to save/maintain their life so I made a noble sacrifice, my boredem to save a life or 2 totally worth it. And if I had another $50 i'd do it again!

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Originally Posted by Seif

Can't believe they can afford to do this after the massive financial loss the company took during last year.

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"Selfless Service"

Thanks Mikita! I took your message and posted it on the german forums as well, since some people there already suggested that SE should find a way that players can donate. Some suggested that FFXIV should be with costs right away, and the monthly fee should be taken as donations and go right into the disaster relief. But this works too, {Good Job!} SE! =)

I want to point out that other game developers are donating too!

{link} Japanische Videospiele Unternehmen reichen zahlreiche Spenden ein

I know most of you can't read german, but the list dosn't need a translation, since the company names are the same all around the world!

Also, if you're familar with flash-based browser games and App's and might have heard names like "Zynga" and/or "Playfish", those also offer donations again. Like they already did when the earthquake striked Haiti. Now again, you can purchase special InGame stuff and the value of those will go directly to the disaster relief. For some you've to play the games to donate, for some you can donate directly.

{link} Join Playfish in Helping Survivors of Japan’s Earthquake

{link} Make a difference. Help Japan!
{link} Donate to the Japan Earthquake Tsunami Children in Emergency Fund

Now, there should be enough ways to spend. Even if it's just 1$! But i'll probably wait for SE to open their donation-option. =)

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Originally Posted by Keith_Dragoon

True but right now all I have to do is camp the XIV forums while listening to FF music. That new game could have kept me busy til servers are back but someone in Japan needed whatever that $50 goes towards to save/maintain their life so I made a noble sacrifice, my boredem to save a life or 2 totally worth it. And if I had another $50 i'd do it again!

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Hi, Keith.

I like the name of your Linkshell. It's very fitting for you! ^^

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Originally Posted by Seif

Can't believe they can afford to do this after the massive financial loss the company took during last year.

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Originally Posted by Reika

"Selfless Service"

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I grew up in NA, but have spent most of my adult life in Japan. The pervading image in the west of business executives and corporations as "evil" and "greedy" doesn't really carry over to Japan much of the time.

- Japanese executives by and large are paid much less than western counterparts. Many say they would be ashamed to take too much because it means others would get less.

- The mindset of many Japanese business owners is that profit is not the #1 reason for operating a business. Profit is important to keep going, but culturally it definitely comes in behind providing for employees and social responsibility.

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Originally Posted by Mikita

Hi, Keith.

I like the name of your Linkshell. It's very fitting for you! ^^

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Thank you, it means alot to me as this guild was my first successful guild, our goal then was to set things right and protect those who were being "bullied" by other players (pvp oriented game) and keep things fair. Brought together the most powerful people on the server under that cause and we did great.

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Originally Posted by Mikita

I grew up in NA, but have spent most of my adult life in Japan. The pervading image in the west of business executives and corporations as "evil" and "greedy" doesn't really carry over to Japan much of the time.

- Japanese executives by and large are paid much less than western counterparts. Many say they would be ashamed to take too much because it means others would get less.

- The mindset of many Japanese business owners is that profit is not the #1 reason for operating a business. Profit is important to keep going, but culturally it definitely comes in behind providing for employees and social responsibility.

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This I did not know and it just adds to my respect for the Japanese people. Western culture paints them as arogant and selfish yet in reality its far from the truth, total opposite really. I've always been intrigued with Japanese culture, their sense of honor and pride is pretty nice.

Thanks for the news, good to know.

That's pretty amazing. Very tough 2010 fiscal year for them. Voluntarily removed XIV subscription fees. Earthquake forced removal of XI service, voluntarily removed XI subscription fees as a response. Then donated 100 million yen.

I've been thinking SE shareholders were about to mutiny but I guess this really isn't an American business model at all.

Really makes me want to see them regain their full glory of the late 90s and early 00s. Now they just need inspiring game development to match all this.

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Originally Posted by Peregrine

That's pretty amazing. Very tough 2010 fiscal year for them. Voluntarily removed XIV subscription fees. Earthquake forced removal of XI service, voluntarily removed XI subscription fees as a response. Then donated 100 million yen.

I've been thinking SE shareholders were about to mutiny but I guess this really isn't an American business model at all.

Really makes me want to see them regain their full glory of the late 90s and early 00s. Now they just need inspiring game development to match all this.

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Totally agree, we need more 2D character's to choose from !!!

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Originally Posted by Keith_Dragoon

Thank you, it means alot to me as this guild was my first successful guild, our goal then was to set things right and protect those who were being "bullied" by other players (pvp oriented game) and keep things fair. Brought together the most powerful people on the server under that cause and we did great.



This I did not know and it just adds to my respect for the Japanese people. Western culture paints them as arogant and selfish yet in reality its far from the truth, total opposite really. I've always been intrigued with Japanese culture, their sense of honor and pride is pretty nice.

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I think the picture NA have is because of the old days but i do have to say i never though SE would give that much. It does show you how much sense of honor they have over just making $. I wish SE best of luck and everyone in japan i hope you all make it out of this issue.

Bravo to SE for donating like this, especially when it's going through some tough times itself. I donated what I could already, and am hoping to be able to donate more soon.

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Originally Posted by Reika

They mentioned something about donating using crysta purchased from SE accounts too I think. I will do that.

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I have a full 20dollar ulitmate time card that I can transfer to crysta and then donate.

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Originally Posted by Seif

Can't believe they can afford to do this after the massive financial loss the company took during last year.

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SE isn't a small nor barely managing company -- they make 10x more than on FFXI monthly.

Way to get the job done Square Enix!

Regards,
Llan Hana.

Square had no financial loss this year at least based off the most recent financial statements I seen, even after a 91% reduction in the NI estimate it was still net income not loss. So the company is still profitable. The stock price falling was a result of them being off by 91% (The stockholder earned 91% less then they where told to expect). Them having a massive loss is a rumor started by people not understanding what was said. Just want to sorta clear that up some.

More on topic, I glad to see them donate even after taking such a big hit. Shows the company is does have a heart something you do not see much in Western Business especially after a hit like that to NI and having a huge loss from shutting down a profitable game for a month.

This shows exactly why I am loyal to SE and the FF series as a whole. They actually care, I've always known I was attracted to them for some reason. Perhaps this global event will even help them get back to the best they can be, that we all know they are.

yeah SE made like 2 billion off other things before any MMO profits really they are not hurting, not to mention with XIIIVS due out later this year plus subscription service most likely starting before the 1 year point on XIV SE is in great financial shape.

Hurray! I would like to donate! :D

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Originally Posted by Mikita

In addition to the donation, the press release also says that they are collecting voluntary donations from employees, and will be setting up ways for people to contribute through their SE accounts and other online services.

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You mean I will finally have a use to use my Crysta for something? lawl!

I'll look into this when they allow it :D Sqenix is a very upstanding company!

A lot of people are not aware of how big SE is.
Kinda bugs me when people think just coz FFXIV is f2p that SE is gonna go bankrupt.
I guess a lot of people are used to playing/hearing of MMOs built by smaller companies that borrow all of their development money.
Of course Yoichi Wada and the top crew can pull the plug at any time but thats up to them.
They recently bought Eidos (Tomb Raider) a year or two ago and are setting up new development studios in Canada.

Here is a list of what they release between the launch of FFXIV and now:

- Front Mission Evolved (X360) (PS3) (PC)
- Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light (X360) (PS3) (PC)
- Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light (DS)
- Knights of the Crystals (Facebook)
- Chocobo's Crystal Tower (Facebook)
- SaGa 3 (DS)
- Kingdom Hearts Re:coded (DS)
- Mindjack (X360) (PS3)
- Final Fanstasy V (Wii)
- Lord of Arcana (PSP)
- Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together (PSP)
- Final Fantasy III (Wii)
- The Tomb Raider Trilogy (PS3)

Im probably missing a few. Meh, my 2 cents.

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Originally Posted by Seif

Can't believe they can afford to do this after the massive financial loss the company took during last year.

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They experienced a loss in profit, but they are still turning a sizable profit (unlike many devs/publishers in the industry that have their numbers costantly in the red). The media (especially some extremely biasesed media that seems to have an interest or agenda in continuously bashing SE, like Kotaku. If you read Kotaku you can be sure you don't have a realistic account of SE's operations or anything related to them) just spinned the news a lot to try and make it look like they were on the verge of bankrupcy. That couldn't be more false.

Nonetheless, it's great to see corporations scrambling to support the ones hit by the disaster. Shows that they aren't quite as "heartless" as many make them out to be.

As usual, makes me feel proud of supporting this game and other games from this company.

Respect to SE! And a big appreciation for continuing the work on FFXIV (see the latest Letter from Yoshi).

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Originally Posted by Abriael

They experienced a loss in profit, but they are still turning a sizable profit (unlike many devs/publishers in the industry that have their numbers costantly in the red). The media (especially some extremely biasesed media that seems to have an interest or agenda in continuously bashing SE, like Kotaku. If you read Kotaku you can be sure you don't have a realistic account of SE's operations or anything related to them) just spinned the news a lot to try and make it look like they were on the verge of bankrupcy. That couldn't be more false.

Nonetheless, it's great to see corporations scrambling to support the ones hit by the disaster. Shows that they aren't quite as "heartless" as many make them out to be.

As usual, makes me feel proud of supporting this game and other games from this company.

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This -- The bitterness surrounding SE is pretty astonishing.

I have a big smile reading this post, way to go SE =D

Good job SE!