Over the past two years, Final Fantasy fans have seen two major releases of the series to critical acclaim. But according to Square Enix, both Final Fantasy XVI and Final Fantasy VII Reborn failed to meet the company’s sales expectations.
Square Enix disclosed the disappointing results via IGN during its financial results conference in May, but the company did not release the information until today. The report did not provide sales figures for either game, nor did it say how far off Square Enix’s forecasts were.
Takashi Kiryu, president and representative director of Square Enix, said that “cannibalization of our own games” may have led to this result. Final Fantasy XVI was released in June 2023, while Final Fantasy VII Reborn was released just eight months later in February 2024. Ends March 2024.
It’s also possible that these two Final Fantasy games are at a disadvantage because they’re only playable on the PlayStation 5. exclusive.
There isn’t an easy solution to this problem, especially since fans and critics alike seem to be very receptive to both games. Without seeing actual sales numbers, it’s hard to determine just how serious the problem is. Kiryu said the company will “plan our product lines over the next three years,” presumably to prevent any future sales cannibalization. He also pledged to continue working to improve Square Enix’s profitability.
