Square Enix’s New President Plans To Review The Entire Company - ARR incert future?

[Reynhart]

InB4 "Just do a remake of FFVII, it's that simple!" lol

But in all seriousness, if anything I've learned about the ups and downs of working in and/or running a game developing/publishing company is any indication, the words "really easy" should not come into play here. It's a lot more complicated than some people may think. What you think might sell very well could bomb.

After all the remakes they made, they can't claim that it's a risky strategy to do one.

The good point is : Making a game cost money, that's for sure. But spending millions on FFVII remake (Asked frequently by a lots of fans) is a lot less risky that teasing them with a game in developpement since 2006 that could bomb just because expectations are over the top.

[SkyeWindbinder]

After all the remakes they made, they can't claim that it's a risky strategy to do one.

The good point is : Making a game cost money, that's for sure. But spending millions on FFVII remake (Asked frequently by a lots of fans) is a lot less risky that teasing them with a game in developpement since 2006 that could bomb just because expectations are over the top.

Actually, a FFVII remake could very well be more risky than coming up with a new game. You're talking about remaking a tried and true cult classic. Love it or hate it, FFVII is arguably the definitive game of the entire franchise. Someone says the words "Final Fantasy", it's hard not to think the names "Cloud", "Sephiroth", and Aeris". Likely the most iconic and successful single-player game in the franchise. So... remaking it could just as easily break Squeenix as the failure of ARR, since anything seen as a deviation from the classic hit title could be seen as "sacriligious" in the eyes of fans, while at the same time following the formula extremely close could make the game seem "archaic" or "outdated" to others. In other words, too many changes to bring it up to date will make a lot of fans cry in outrage, while keeping it too much the same will make others go "Meh, why bother? I already have this game anyway." In the end, why remake it, since the original game still sells to this very day? Why take that risk? And why stay there in the past when they could be working on new games? If people want to play FFVII, it's out there. It's been out there since the 90s. Have at it. If Squeenix is going to take a big risk, I'd rather it be on something new, not a remake of a decades-old game. Nostalgia is all well and good, but it's not powerful enough to keep Squeenix afloat. Just my $0.02.

[Reynhart]

Likely the most iconic and successful single-player game in the franchise. So... remaking it could just as easily break Squeenix as the failure of ARR, since anything seen as a deviation from the classic hit title could be seen as "sacriligious" in the eyes of fans, while at the same time following the formula extremely close could make the game seem "archaic" or "outdated" to others

FFIV had a shit tons of remake, changing the graphics, altering the combat sytem, allowing character swap, etc...and each time the game sold pretty nice.

FF VII has sold more than all FF "new gen" combined, only couting the PSOne version.

And even the Dragon Quest remakes on DS sold pretty well, despite being the pinnacle of archaism.

[SkyeWindbinder]

FFIV had a shit tons of remake, changing the graphics, altering the combat sytem, allowing character swap, etc...and each time the game sold pretty nice.

FF VII has sold more than all FF "new gen" combined, only couting the PSOne version.

And even the Dragon Quest remakes on DS sold pretty well, despite being the pinnacle of archaism.

True. But did FFIV ever reach the cult status of FFVII?

I'll answer that question for you. NO. As I said before, FFVII is practically the definitive game of it's franchise. Some might even call it the representative of Final Fantasy. Although FFVI has also reached a high pedestal of it's own within the franchise, it's still not reached the status of FFVII as far as fans.

Which is a HUGE reason why remaking it could be the final nail in Squeenix's coffin, as well as the stake that is driven through Squeenix's heart. You do NOT mess with something that has reached that status. You can make sequels, prequels, even a fan service that doubles as a good game (cough, Kingdom Hearts, cough). But messing with the original formula is beyond risky, it borders on being just a plain stupid move.

Let me give you an example: Star Wars: A New Hope. More specifically: Greedo shoots first. To this very day, George Lucas swears up and down that it was always meant for Greedo to have shot first. The fans of Star Wars beg to differ. THEY know it was Han Solo who shot first. Geroge pouted and stuck his lip out, called his fans stupid for saying that, and ultimately yelled "But it's my movie! If I say Greedo shot first, then he did. So THERE!" The fans hated him for it. They also hated him for all the extra effects crap he put into the original trilogy, and the way he "rewrote" certain scenes, to make it more dramatic or up to date or whatever he was trying to do. (Darth Vader "Noooooooo!", anyone?) It got so bad between Lucas ans fans of the franchise that he actually quit making the movies, saying in no certain words that the fans were just mean. Now we have Disney taking a crack at it.

My point is, when something reaches a certain cult level, it becomes an instant classic. You don't mess with the classics. Because you are taking a risk that shouldn't be taken. And really doesn't need to be taken in this case, since the original FFVII is still so well received. Squeenix needs to focus on moving forward, not doing the stupid mistake of updating and remaking a game that is just fine as it is.