Final Fantasy 14 still keeping Square Enix afloat amid declining financial results

[Lium]

Sorry to all the prophets of doom who (laughably) think the game is somehow in decline, but FFXIV subscriptions continue to grow.

From Eurogamer (bold is mine for emphasis):

“However, while net sales of HD games has declined year on year, sales of MMO games have conversely risen year on year.

In fact, the proportion of sales from MMO games was higher than that of HD games for the first time, despite the MMO category only consisting of three games: Final Fantasy 14, Dragon Quest 10, and Final Fantasy 11.

Square Enix states that "paying subscribers for Final Fantasy 14 rose YoY", while for HD games "sales did not reach the level of the previous year despite the release of multiple new titles".

Congrats, Yoshi-P!

[TheMightyMollusk]

To be fair, a lot of their other recent HD games have been pretty bad.

[SentioftheHoukai]

Welp, this is definitely blowing up the GCBTW today. Which is a damn shame, really since it's literally just Eurogamer. You'd think Jesus himself (or any such similar prophetic figure, take your pick!) rose from the very dead to give FFXIV a stunning endorsement directly from the divine.

So, the consensus is that because Eurogamer said it is so, it must therefore be so?

Aaaaah, never change Forumites. Never change.

[Axxion]

and who said the game was dying other than a known hrothgar troll on the forums ?

[TheMightyMollusk]

Two posts means blowing up now? Wow, used to take at least five or six before the hyperbole storm hit.

[Theodric]

(laughably)

Ah, I'm getting flashbacks to the days of World of Warcraft where any and all expressed concerns and feedback towards the game that wasn't glowing praise was described as 'laughable'.

Lumping everyone together like that simply doesn't suggest good faith to me. Each to their own, though, I guess.

[Lauront]

According to the article, the figures are comparing net sales now to the year prior (two years in the graph) for the same time period (hence, year on year.) Is it surprising that the figures for the quarter in question would be elevated after one of their competitors shot themselves in the foot and subsequent to that, an expansion releasing, in the YoY it relates to? Especially with the pausing of sales, meaning you have further new starters with active subs as they work to max level and beyond.

Note:

Square Enix states that "paying subscribers for Final Fantasy 14 rose YoY"

= they rose within that period measured relative to the prior year.

What it does not mean: subscriptions continue to grow. It may well be the case but the two statements aren't equivalent.

AFAIK, the better sourced claims on decline relate to more recent metrics (i.e. the July LB survey and post 6.1 steam figures), and so you'd expect those to show in later quarters - said claims also tend to relate to its ability to retain customers longer term rather than its ability to attract new customers, a topic about which you can consult the breakdown of the July (and prior April) LB surveys.

Two posts means blowing up now? Wow, used to take at least five or six before the hyperbole storm hit.

She probably means reddit - there was a big thread on it.

[SturmChurro]

I'd like to see quality go up and the game get the attention it deserves from SE then.

[Padudu]

Two posts means blowing up now? Wow, used to take at least five or six before the hyperbole storm hit.

Hahahaha, what in the hell is this even? I guess acknowledging that XIV is SE's big money maker is.. bad? Especially when SE's current releases have been either hot garbage or just average. Babylon, Strangers of Paradise, Outriders, Marvel.. You could go on and on about SE's small streak mediocrity lol. It shouldn't surprise anyone that XIV is keeping them afloat?? Still despite all the issues, good job Yoshi and devs, sure there are issues but I'd like to think they are, at the very least, trying a little.. maybe. Maybe not.

I don't think anyone is "blowing up" over this, the OP said congrats with nothing else, goddamn you guys smh*

(edit: I have totally missed that doomsayer comment lol I'll retract that statement. I should learn how to read )*

She probably means reddit - there was a big thread on it.

Oh I missed this (I was writing this post for a bit, whoops). This makes way more sense lol. But a little obvious when you think about - the game is still well received so yeah people will think of it as good news and thank the Yosh.

I'd like to see quality go up and the game get the attention it deserves from SE then.

100% this. EW has felt like they had dropped the ball.

[Midareyukki]

You'd think Jesus himself (or any such similar prophetic figure, take your pick!) rose from the very dead to give FFXIV a stunning endorsement directly from the divine.

The community just calls their messiah "YoshiP", though the gospels really mostly mention ARR :P

Still, yeah no, the game isn't dying (not even WoW's dying, and that's not anywhere near in solid footing), and SE most certainly has other stuff keeping it afloat than just FF14.

14 does factor in a lot of money. But SE has other stuff going for it. They make other games, they publish games for other people, they even publish manga.

Though idk how the Eidos sale factors in. They sold it to go for NFTs, but it didn't work out bc market crashed (also fans saying it was a bad idea, but lol SE didn't care about what people said), so their Eidos sale money's still around I presume?