Home Gaming Square Enix: Gamers don’t like ‘games as a service’

Square Enix: Gamers don’t like ‘games as a service’

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nickleanddime

Are we headed for an always-online, microtransaction-driven, free-to-play future? That’s the sort of thing some publishers and developers are aiming to deliver. Square Enix is not one of those publishers. Maybe.

“There’s lots of talk in the industry about games becoming services – to be honest, as an expression this doesn’t always resonate with people, especially gamers,” said Western Squeenix CEO Phil Rogers. “For us online is a way to facilitate how we’re looking at the word service to build on a game. So we’re focusing on regular content updates, engaging gameplay mechanics, replayability and deep community.”

That may well smack of hypocrisy, given that Square Enix recently revealed plans in its financial to focus on online multiplayer and mobile games set within its owned franchises. One such example is Nosgoth, the free-to-play multiplayer focused game set in the Legacy of Kain universe.

“The emphasis in the financials was specifically to point out some new online games we’re working on, Nosgoth was called out and Heroes and Generals would be another worthy mention. Now these are very particular types of games being free-to-play and PC based, but there are core principles here which apply to all our games, whether we’re looking at our AAA console games which are a major part of our future strategy, smartphone and tablet games and PC games,” said Rogers.

Those same financials led many to believe that Square would focus less on actual single player games, particularly given the relative underperformance of Tomb Raider and Hitman: Absolution. So is that a thing that’ll be happening?

“You have to stand by what you believe in and we have to believe in quality and engagement as two key measurements to succeed, so we take comfort in the fact that we can develop critically acclaimed games which deliver a deep level of engagement,” was Rogers’ reply.

I honestly have very little idea what Rogers means; he speaks circumloquacious corporate PR, a language I refuse to learn. What’s your take on games as services? Me? I like my games are products, thank you very much. I buy it, I play it, it’s done.

Last Updated: November 11, 2013

60 Comments

  1. Umar Moe Moe

    November 11, 2013 at 14:05

    Every fucking time they mention Legacy of Kain MP game I die inside I swear this is one the biggest disappointments this gen for me….Sigh, Dumah is not pleased!!

    Thanx for the insight SE, I R Gamer and I like your games that are surprisingly close to being a service…

    Reply

  2. Alien Emperor Trevor

    November 11, 2013 at 14:06

    A. game. is. not. a. service.

    This normally makes me rage, but I want to be calm today – so I’ll go make a cup of tea instead.

    Reply

    • RinceandRepeat

      November 11, 2013 at 14:07

      I think you mean a game is a service. Fixed it for you.

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        November 11, 2013 at 14:09

        I see what you’re doing 😛

        Reply

        • RinceandRepeat

          November 11, 2013 at 14:09

          Tell me.

          Reply

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            November 11, 2013 at 14:10

          • RinceandRepeat

            November 11, 2013 at 14:10

            ^^

          • CodeName Tailgunner

            November 11, 2013 at 14:11

            As gamers we mostly have to service ourselves

          • RinceandRepeat

            November 11, 2013 at 14:12

            #foreverSP

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            November 11, 2013 at 14:12

            Depends on what games you’re playing I suppose.

          • Umar Moe Moe

            November 11, 2013 at 14:13

            Shooting games?

          • CodeName Tailgunner

            November 11, 2013 at 14:14

            True, my pit crew in F1 2012 is a well oiled machine

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            November 11, 2013 at 14:15

            In & out in under 3 seconds? 😀

          • RinceandRepeat

            November 11, 2013 at 14:15

            WOW

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            November 11, 2013 at 14:16

            What? It’s a pit crew, they’re supposed to be fast.

          • RinceandRepeat

            November 11, 2013 at 14:17

            mmm

          • CodeName Tailgunner

            November 11, 2013 at 14:17

            I never last that long

  3. CodeName Tailgunner

    November 11, 2013 at 14:07

    Gamers don’t like being serviced?

    They do, it just does not happen very often!

    Reply

  4. Admiral Chief in 1986

    November 11, 2013 at 14:08

    This is how they trick the average person these days:

    http://d24w6bsrhbeh9d.cloudfront.net/photo/aKz66P1_460sa.gif

    Reply

    • RinceandRepeat

      November 11, 2013 at 14:09

      HAHAHAH

      Reply

    • ToshZA

      November 11, 2013 at 14:25

      HAHAHA

      Reply

  5. Kromas

    November 11, 2013 at 14:08

    Diablo 3 AH …. need I say more?

    Reply

  6. Otto_ki

    November 11, 2013 at 14:09

    O for the love of….Square Enix! get in the damn corner right now mister! You already screwed up Final Fantasy for us! Stop looking at us like wallets without imagination!

    Reply

    • Umar Moe Moe

      November 11, 2013 at 14:11

      That’s all they see, You know how in cartoons when a character is starving and they see their friend as an illusion of a burger? Well SE just looks at us and see money…They need to F off now

      Reply

      • RinceandRepeat

        November 11, 2013 at 14:17

        Agreed.

        Reply

        • Umar Moe Moe

          November 11, 2013 at 14:20

          SE is like the opposite when it comes to listening to gamers because man…we really wanted FF 13- 3 lol

          Reply

          • RinceandRepeat

            November 11, 2013 at 14:21

            Ha! Bloody tragedy man!

          • Umar Moe Moe

            November 11, 2013 at 14:21

            At least we get to play dress up with Lightning now . Hooray

          • RinceandRepeat

            November 11, 2013 at 14:22

            Oi!

          • Sageville

            November 11, 2013 at 15:07

            WARNING!

            This image is now officially over-used by @RinceandRepeat . Subsequent repostings will result in ridicule above and beyond the normal ridicule package assigned to said user.

          • ToshZA

            November 11, 2013 at 15:12

            But he’s already on the Platinum package, where do you go from there?

          • RinceandRepeat

            November 11, 2013 at 15:18

            Oi! This is MY thang dog!

  7. Hammersteyn

    November 11, 2013 at 14:15

    A service is what I pay for a lady. That means I own her for only a hour or two. Please don’t do this to games.

    Reply

    • Sageville

      November 11, 2013 at 15:10

      Herpes, the gift that keeps on giving….

      Reply

      • Hammersteyn

        November 11, 2013 at 15:17

        Hahaha

        Reply

  8. RinceandRepeat

    November 11, 2013 at 14:20

    They won’t get a penny from me, no way.

    Reply

    • Alien Emperor Trevor

      November 11, 2013 at 14:22

      Need it for your thoughts? BOOM!

      Reply

      • RinceandRepeat

        November 11, 2013 at 14:24

        At least my thoughts are worth SOMETHING BOOM!

        Reply

        • Alien Emperor Trevor

          November 11, 2013 at 14:24

          And mine are priceless!

          Reply

          • RinceandRepeat

            November 11, 2013 at 14:26

            price less. *fixed

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            November 11, 2013 at 14:26

            If you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it.

          • RinceandRepeat

            November 11, 2013 at 14:28

            I’ve never had that issue with your mom! BOOM! *Runs

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            November 11, 2013 at 14:29

            There’s a reason it’s called CHARITY.

          • ToshZA

            November 11, 2013 at 14:30

            Cuz your mom really needs it. *RUNS*

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            November 11, 2013 at 14:31

            haha, okay I can’t answer that because it’ll lead to places I don’t want to go.

          • ToshZA

            November 11, 2013 at 14:33

            Nobody wants to go there mate. Except Rince, maybe. 😉

            Also, DOUBLE BOOM. *RUNS LIKE A KENYAN THIEF*

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            November 11, 2013 at 14:36

            2 seconds of pleasure & a lifetime of disappointment.

          • ToshZA

            November 11, 2013 at 14:29

          • RinceandRepeat

            November 11, 2013 at 14:30

            HAhAHAH!

  9. Umar Moe Moe

    November 11, 2013 at 14:22

    Whenever I think of Final Fantasy I think of this song don’t know why

    #FanboyingHARD

    Reply

  10. ToshZA

    November 11, 2013 at 14:24

    I’ll just leave this here.

    Reply

    • Sageville

      November 11, 2013 at 15:10

      Autoupvotefordeadpoolreference

      Reply

  11. Wayne

    November 11, 2013 at 14:27

    Ctrl , alt and del , that wil take care of the service

    Reply

  12. Umar Moe Moe

    November 11, 2013 at 14:29

    Square used to make games like this…WHAT HAPPENED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply

    • RinceandRepeat

      November 11, 2013 at 14:31

      That’s it, release the rage…

      Reply

    • CodeName Tailgunner

      November 11, 2013 at 14:35

      I loved Tomb Raider, although I only played it after it was a steam special which might be part of their problem

      Reply

      • Umar Moe Moe

        November 11, 2013 at 14:36

        Naa that was Eidos, I give no credit to SE

        Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        November 11, 2013 at 14:37

        Me too, I was surprised at how good it was.

        Reply

  13. Eric

    November 11, 2013 at 14:40

    “circumloquacious” – Put that in there because people were giving grief about your spelling lately huh.

    Reply

  14. vijay kumar

    November 12, 2013 at 15:50

    Get the best exclusive
    leather wallets from Linoperros; we deal with all kind of wallets and one of
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    Reply

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