Square Enix CEO Discusses Microtransactions; Claims Switch Is “Very Attractive and Important Platform”

In a recent interview with publication MCV, Square Enix CEO Yosuke Matsuda discussed various aspects of the industry as he and his company see it and provided good insight into what fans of the publisher can expect in the future.

Firstly, the man touched upon Square Enix’s own library of games and how the company feels new iterations of a series don’t have to necessarily play in the same way that predecessors did. Matsuda cited NieR: Automata and the upcoming Front Mission title Left Alive as examples, though went on to say that even in regards to Final Fantasy, each new entry is treated as “essentially all new IPs.” He argued that, “Everything about them is different each time.”

The Square Enix CEO went on to talk about microtransactions and the popularity of the “games as a service” model in today’s industry. Though it’s “important and very vital” to provide additional content to players should they be enjoying a particular game, not every title can use the model, as microtransactions have to be melded somewhat with design. This being said, the mobile game formula can’t be translated directly to consoles, as people perceive the two platforms very differently.

Lastly, Matsuda offered an enthusiastic outlook for the Nintendo Switch, having the following to say regarding the hybrid console: “The Switch is a very attractive and important platform for us. As a games company, having that breadth in our portfolio is very important, with the Switch being such a unique piece of hardware.”

The publisher currently has quite a few games on the Switch already, including Dragon Quest Heroes I and II, I Am Setsuna, and Spelunker Party, and has already announced titles like Romancing SaGa 2, Dragon Quest Builders, Fear Effect Sedna, Lost Sphear, and Project Octopath Traveler for release on the platform sometime next year.

It will be interesting to see whether or not Square Enix will consider porting some of its more popular games like Final Fantasy XV or Dragon Quest XI, but the future so far seems bright.

Check Out More

• Final Fantasy XV DLC Trailer Shows Ignis Coming up with a New Recipe During Mid-Battle
• Conan Exiles Officially Dated for Next Year With Collector’s Edition
• League of Legends Is Getting a New Competitive Mode Called ‘Clash’
• Bungie Apologizes for Locking Original Destiny 2 Activities Behind DLC, Fixes Coming in Update This Week