How is it only...

[BlisteringFrost]

What does Square Enix firing staff in the US and Europe have to do with the quality of FFXIV?

I have no obligation to explain why the news when you can just go find the news for yourself.

[Hyperia]

I have no obligation to explain why the news when you can just go find the news for yourself.

What I could find out about what has been happening, this answer is from an AI:

The company announced layoffs on November 6, 2025, affecting an unknown number of employees in its North American (US) offices—along with Europe and the UK—as part of a "fundamental restructuring" of its overseas publishing operations to cut costs (aiming for ¥3 billion/$19.6 million in annual savings) and centralize control in Japan.

These cuts target support roles like IT, marketing, publishing, sales, QA, and business planning to create a "leaner and more agile" structure with a "globally integrated marketing strategy," building on similar 2024 layoffs that "didn't achieve desired results."

Instead of hiring replacements, Square Enix is consolidating development and resources in Japan (where most games are already made) and plans to automate 70% of QA/debugging with AI by 2027 via tools like generative AI research with the University of Tokyo. No sources mention new NA hires, rehiring, or outsourcing to new Western staff—it's explicitly about downsizing and efficiency.

This fits Square Enix's shift away from Western studios (many sold off previously) toward Japan-focused operations.

[BlisteringFrost]

What I could find out about what has been happening, this answer is from an AI:

The company announced layoffs on November 6, 2025, affecting an unknown number of employees in its North American (US) offices—along with Europe and the UK—as part of a "fundamental restructuring" of its overseas publishing operations to cut costs (aiming for ¥3 billion/$19.6 million in annual savings) and centralize control in Japan.

These cuts target support roles like IT, marketing, publishing, sales, QA, and business planning to create a "leaner and more agile" structure with a "globally integrated marketing strategy," building on similar 2024 layoffs that "didn't achieve desired results."

Instead of hiring replacements, Square Enix is consolidating development and resources in Japan (where most games are already made) and plans to automate 70% of QA/debugging with AI by 2027 via tools like generative AI research with the University of Tokyo. No sources mention new NA hires, rehiring, or outsourcing to new Western staff—it's explicitly about downsizing and efficiency.

This fits Square Enix's shift away from Western studios (many sold off previously) toward Japan-focused operations.

There's also some restructuring (see: new lead) in the localization team SE has on payroll.