Square Enix Unit Sales Down 74%

Japan - The seismic effects of market shifts and economic gloom in combination with a rather short release list have made a significant impact for Square Enix. In 2007, twenty-two releases spread across five systems (DS, PSP, PS2, Wii, 360) added up to a shockingly huge 6.4 million units sold.

In contrast, Square Enix's 2008 effort of ten releases across four systems (DS, PSP, Wii, 360) resulted in a far lesser 1.7 million units sold.* This is a 4.5 million unit difference and is a eye-popping 73.81% decline from 2007. 2007
[NDS] Dragon Quest IV - (1,201,771)
[PSP] Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII - (753,939)
[NDS] Final Fantasy IV - (612,044)
[NDS] Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings - (524,009)
[Wii] Dragon Quest Swords: The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors - (486,222)
[NDS] Itadaki Street DS - (413,537)
[NDS] Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fate - (389,845)
[PS2] Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+ - (337,091)
[PSP] Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions - (301,796)
[NDS] Final Fantasy Tactics A2: The Sealed Grimoire - (287,871)
[PSP] Star Ocean 1 First Departure - (204,996)
[NDS] Subarashiki Kono Sekai: It's a Wonderful World - (192,955)
[PS2] Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System - (137,040)
[PSP] Final Fantasy Anniversary Edition - (124,839)
[NDS] Heroes of Mana - (98,566)
[PS2] Final Fantasy XI: Wings of the Goddess expansion data disk - (95,576)
[PSP] Final Fantasy II Anniversary Edition - (78,057)
[Wii] Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon: The Labyrinth of Lost Time - (72,710)
[NDS] Front Mission - (57,153)
[PS2] Final Fantasy X International (ULTIMATE) - (47,676)
[360] Final Fantasy XI: Wings of the Goddess expansion data disk - (15,379)
[360] Final Fantasy XI: Vana'diel Collection - (3,212)
TOTAL - (6,436,284)



2008*
[NDS] Dragon Quest V - (1,152,229)
[PSP] Star Ocean: Second Evolution - (141,218)
[NDS] Valkyrie Profile: The Accused One - (118,374)
[360] Infinite Undiscovery - (96,197)
[NDS] Cid and Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon: The Labyrinth of Lost Time DS+ - (46,362)
[NDS] Sigma Harmonics - (42,552)
[NDS] Nanashi no Game (The Game with no Name) - (41,481)
[NDS] Front Mission 2089: Border of Madness - (32,917)
[Wii] Soul Eater: Monotone Princess - (8,198)
[NDS] DS Bookkeeping, Level 3 - (6,044)
TOTAL - (1,685,572) 

Analysis 

This isn't all doom and gloom though, unless you're a PS3 owner still waiting for a Square Enix product after two full years. Chart Get! correctly pointed out that 2008 would be a slow year for Square Enix but it wasn't yet apparent just how slow it would be.  Look at this chart from our recent past (right). One can observe a cyclical pattern emerging that this analyst believes is directly related to the age of the applicable generation. Another significant factor is the proximity of the first Final Fantasy main-line release for the generation.

This cycle should point to increased releases in 2009, and assuming FFXIII is one of them (hopefully not too large of an assumption at this point, right?), a significant increase in sales is due as well.

* It should be noted that Chrono Trigger DS and The Last Remnant have both just released and may change the scope of these results slightly, but not enough to significantly alter the analysis. 

Source  

Not a single game released on the Playstation 3... how sad. :?

wow, maybe they will start making good games again and actually sell copies. pretty obvious.

Wow, IU didn't even break 100,00, now that is sad, very sad indeed. Yup Square, you just keep putting exclusives on the 360 and look where it will get ya. Delsage

Wow, IU didn't even break 100,00, now that is sad, very sad indeed. Yup Square, you just keep putting exclusives on the 360 and look where it will get ya. Delsage

Wow, IU didn't even break 100,000 now that is sad, very sad indeed. Yup Square, you just keep putting exclusives on the 360 and look where it will get ya. Delsage

[QUOTE="jakarai"][QUOTE="FirstDiscovery"]No third-party haven this generation, the PS3 and the 360 arent doing well, SE has to change to the new climate of casuals otherwise they go bust Oh yeah, but this isnt Nintendos fault even though its the Wii that has pushed out the hardcore consoles:roll:FirstDiscovery

If this keeps up maybe Square Enix will start putting out good games like the past and maybe they will stop with this endless spinoff, remake, port crap. Look at your sales SE and realize the Spinoff, Remake, Port crap isn't going to work. Blackbond

Good Square-Enix need to learn. Lacklusterness doesn't sell.. In some cases. Well... Wish I could say the same for Nintendo but they've some how gotten by making money selling crap.

[QUOTE="FirstDiscovery"]No third-party haven this generation, the PS3 and the 360 arent doing well, SE has to change to the new climate of casuals otherwise they go bust Oh yeah, but this isnt Nintendos fault even though its the Wii that has pushed out the hardcore consoles:roll:jakarai

Actually no, it's Squares fault for excepting money from Microsoft to publish their titles as 360 exclusives, pure and simple. We all know that if they put games on the PS3 again, that not only would sales rise for Square Enix, but also to a greater degree for the PS3 in Japan, exclusives or not.

But they are losing money instead, and specifically begged their fans to buy their games, and are even trying to "please" their Sony fans by talking about how they are fair and balanced. Preferably, I don't care about them anymore, not since they took the Soft out, and wouldn't cry a single tear if they went under. So keep it up Square, your doing one heck of a job. 

[QUOTE="jakarai"][QUOTE="FirstDiscovery"]No third-party haven this generation, the PS3 and the 360 arent doing well, SE has to change to the new climate of casuals otherwise they go bust Oh yeah, but this isnt Nintendos fault even though its the Wii that has pushed out the hardcore consoles:roll:Delsage

Actually no, it's Squares fault for excepting money from Microsoft to publish their titles as 360 exclusives, pure and simple. We all know that if they put games on the PS3 again, that not only would sales rise for Square Enix, but also to a greater degree for the PS3 in Japan, exclusives or not.

But they are losing money instead, and specifically begged their fans to buy their games, and are even trying to "please" their Sony fans by talking about how they are fair and balanced. Preferably, I don't care about them anymore, not since they took the Soft out, and wouldn't cry a single tear if they went under. So keep it up Square, your doing one heck of a job. 

If this keeps up maybe Square Enix will start putting out good games like the past and maybe they will stop with this endless spinoff, remake, port crap. Look at your sales SE and realize the Spinoff, Remake, Port crap isn't going to work. Blackbond

[QUOTE="Delsage"]Wow, IU didn't even break 100,000 now that is sad, very sad indeed. Yup Square, you just keep putting exclusives on the 360 and look where it will get ya. AncientDozer

Wow, IU didn't even break 100,000 now that is sad, very sad indeed. Yup Square, you just keep putting exclusives on the 360 and look where it will get ya. Delsage

Yeah, cause we all know if it was on PS3 it would've sold better.

I mean look at the awesome sales of Valkria Chronicles for PS3.

A whopping 150k - :| 

[QUOTE="Blackbond"]If this keeps up maybe Square Enix will start putting out good games like the past and maybe they will stop with this endless spinoff, remake, port crap. Look at your sales SE and realize the Spinoff, Remake, Port crap isn't going to work. vashkey

[QUOTE="Delsage"]Wow, IU didn't even break 100,000 now that is sad, very sad indeed. Yup Square, you just keep putting exclusives on the 360 and look where it will get ya. Yellow_Rose

Yeah, cause we all know if it was on PS3 it would've sold better.

I mean look at the awesome sales of Valkria Chronicles for PS3.

A whopping 150k - :| 

[QUOTE="AncientDozer"][QUOTE="Delsage"]Wow, IU didn't even break 100,000 now that is sad, very sad indeed. Yup Square, you just keep putting exclusives on the 360 and look where it will get ya. Delsage

[QUOTE="Delsage"]Wow, IU didn't even break 100,000 now that is sad, very sad indeed. Yup Square, you just keep putting exclusives on the 360 and look where it will get ya. Yellow_Rose

Yeah, cause we all know if it was on PS3 it would've sold better.

I mean look at the awesome sales of Valkria Chronicles for PS3.

A whopping 150k - :| 

[QUOTE="Blackbond"]If this keeps up maybe Square Enix will start putting out good games like the past and maybe they will stop with this endless spinoff, remake, port crap. Look at your sales SE and realize the Spinoff, Remake, Port crap isn't going to work. jakarai

Well what do you expect to happen when you created an environment that only cators to the spinoff/remakes/ports. I'll be honest with you that last Square Enix game I can remember buying was TWEWY. Square Enix has just lost their luster as a premier developer as of late. They created the market situation that they are in now so while the remakes/ports/spinoffs now sell the best they are still down overall. They need to find a way get fresh games like TWEWY on top.

I never once saw any adds for that game. Pretty sad that such a gem had no backing what so ever. 

Actually no, it's Squares fault for excepting money from Microsoft to publish their titles as 360 exclusives, pure and simple. We all know that if they put games on the PS3 again, that not only would sales rise for Square Enix, but also to a greater degree for the PS3 in Japan, exclusives or not.

But they are losing money instead, and specifically begged their fans to buy their games, and are even trying to "please" their Sony fans by talking about how they are fair and balanced. Preferably, I don't care about them anymore, not since they took the Soft out, and wouldn't cry a single tear if they went under. So keep it up Square, your doing one heck of a job.

Delsage

Like I said, the funniest part of FFXIII coming to 360 is that the more Sony fanboys try to spin it, the more pissed off they get.

yea, kind of expected.

I hope this wakes them up

[QUOTE="Yellow_Rose"]

[QUOTE="Delsage"]Wow, IU didn't even break 100,000 now that is sad, very sad indeed. Yup Square, you just keep putting exclusives on the 360 and look where it will get ya. JLF1

Yeah, cause we all know if it was on PS3 it would've sold better.

I mean look at the awesome sales of Valkria Chronicles for PS3.

A whopping 150k - :|

What are you talking about? 

[QUOTE="Delsage"]

[QUOTE="jakarai"] Yeah blame Nintendo for reaching out to new gamers and exspanded their strong hold in the gaming industry. Shame on Nintendo for trying to make money. :roll:FirstDiscovery

Actually no, it's Squares fault for excepting money from Microsoft to publish their titles as 360 exclusives, pure and simple. We all know that if they put games on the PS3 again, that not only would sales rise for Square Enix, but also to a greater degree for the PS3 in Japan, exclusives or not.

But they are losing money instead, and specifically begged their fans to buy their games, and are even trying to "please" their Sony fans by talking about how they are fair and balanced. Preferably, I don't care about them anymore, not since they took the Soft out, and wouldn't cry a single tear if they went under. So keep it up Square, your doing one heck of a job.

Hey! Is TLR even out on the PS3 right now? Didn't think so. We can't tell how well that will do until it's out for at least a couple of months, but judging on how Bad it is I doubt it will do well at all, on any console. However IU was decent, and it didn't even break 100,000.

Also I am not a "fanboy" I would even own a 360 by now if I wasn't afraid of getting the RRoD. But face facts, JRPG's would sell more on the PS3 and everyone knows it, lemmings included even though they won't admit it. But it's true, guaranteed if White Knight Chronicles gets the same score as IU it will sell hundreds of thousands in Japan. 

[QUOTE="Yellow_Rose"]

[QUOTE="Delsage"]Wow, IU didn't even break 100,000 now that is sad, very sad indeed. Yup Square, you just keep putting exclusives on the 360 and look where it will get ya. jakarai

Yeah, cause we all know if it was on PS3 it would've sold better.

I mean look at the awesome sales of Valkria Chronicles for PS3.

A whopping 150k - :|

Not good when you have 360 JRPGS that are selling more then that in Japan alone. I mean for the people that think that JRPGS on 360 aren't selling um they are selling better then a good deal of the JRPGS on the PS2.

Blue Dragon and Lost Oddessey have done much better then any title in the Persona series. JRPGS in Japan are sellig better on 360 then PS3 atm as well. So for anyone to say if they put it on PS3 instead of 360 it would sell better I'm not so sure. I don't expect a JRPG boom in Japan until FFXIII. Hopefully WKC though.

[QUOTE="FirstDiscovery"][QUOTE="Delsage"]

 

Actually no, it's Squares fault for excepting money from Microsoft to publish their titles as 360 exclusives, pure and simple. We all know that if they put games on the PS3 again, that not only would sales rise for Square Enix, but also to a greater degree for the PS3 in Japan, exclusives or not.

But they are losing money instead, and specifically begged their fans to buy their games, and are even trying to "please" their Sony fans by talking about how they are fair and balanced. Preferably, I don't care about them anymore, not since they took the Soft out, and wouldn't cry a single tear if they went under. So keep it up Square, your doing one heck of a job.

Delsage

Hey! Is TLR even out on the PS3 right now? Didn't think so. We can't tell how well that will do until it's out for at least a couple of months, but judging on how Bad it is I doubt it will do well at all, on any console. However IU was decent, and it didn't even break 100,000.

Also I am not a "fanboy" I would even own a 360 by now if I wasn't afraid of getting the RRoD. But face facts, JRPG's would sell more on the PS3 and everyone knows it, lemmings included even though they won't admit it. But it's true, guaranteed if White Knight Chronicles gets the same score as IU it will sell hundreds of thousands in Japan. 

[QUOTE="Yellow_Rose"]

[QUOTE="Delsage"]Wow, IU didn't even break 100,000 now that is sad, very sad indeed. Yup Square, you just keep putting exclusives on the 360 and look where it will get ya. jakarai

Yeah, cause we all know if it was on PS3 it would've sold better.

I mean look at the awesome sales of Valkria Chronicles for PS3.

A whopping 150k - :|

Not so good when you remember.

1) Vakyria Chronicles is critically a better game than IU.

2) PS3 has over 3 times the userbase in Japan than 360.

3) Blue Dragon has sold more than VC. 

[QUOTE="jakarai"][QUOTE="Yellow_Rose"]

 

Yeah, cause we all know if it was on PS3 it would've sold better.

I mean look at the awesome sales of Valkria Chronicles for PS3.

A whopping 150k - :|

Yellow_Rose

Not so good when you remember.

1) Vakyria Chronicles is critically a better game than IU.

2) PS3 has over 3 times the userbase in Japan than 360.

3) Blue Dragon has sold more than VC. 

[QUOTE="JLF1"][QUOTE="Yellow_Rose"]

 

Yeah, cause we all know if it was on PS3 it would've sold better.

I mean look at the awesome sales of Valkria Chronicles for PS3.

A whopping 150k - :|

Yellow_Rose

What are you talking about? 

[QUOTE="FirstDiscovery"][QUOTE="Delsage"]

 

Actually no, it's Squares fault for excepting money from Microsoft to publish their titles as 360 exclusives, pure and simple. We all know that if they put games on the PS3 again, that not only would sales rise for Square Enix, but also to a greater degree for the PS3 in Japan, exclusives or not.

But they are losing money instead, and specifically begged their fans to buy their games, and are even trying to "please" their Sony fans by talking about how they are fair and balanced. Preferably, I don't care about them anymore, not since they took the Soft out, and wouldn't cry a single tear if they went under. So keep it up Square, your doing one heck of a job.

Delsage

Hey! Is TLR even out on the PS3 right now? Didn't think so. We can't tell how well that will do until it's out for at least a couple of months, but judging on how Bad it is I doubt it will do well at all, on any console. However IU was decent, and it didn't even break 100,000.

Also I am not a "fanboy" I would even own a 360 by now if I wasn't afraid of getting the RRoD. But face facts, JRPG's would sell more on the PS3 and everyone knows it, lemmings included even though they won't admit it. But it's true, guaranteed if White Knight Chronicles gets the same score as IU it will sell hundreds of thousands in Japan.

Explain why Blue Dragon and Tales of Vesperia (360) has sold more than Valkria Chronicles (PS3) in Japan.

Not good when you have 360 JRPGS that are selling more then that in Japan alone. I mean for the people that think that JRPGS on 360 aren't selling um they are selling better then a good deal of the JRPGS on the PS2.

Blue Dragon and Lost Oddessey have done much better then any title in the Persona series. JRPGS in Japan are sellig better on 360 then PS3 atm as well. So for anyone to say if they put it on PS3 instead of 360 it would sell better I'm not so sure. I don't expect a JRPG boom in Japan until FFXIII. Hopefully WKC though.

Blackbond

[QUOTE="Delsage"][QUOTE="FirstDiscovery"] How is it Squares fault? Their business has always been DS centred so what you talking about, TWO games have ruined everything for them? IU is a Microsoft owned, tri-Ace developed game that SE published. TLR is a FRIGGIN multiplat, seriously what dont fanboys get this?Yellow_Rose

Hey! Is TLR even out on the PS3 right now? Didn't think so. We can't tell how well that will do until it's out for at least a couple of months, but judging on how Bad it is I doubt it will do well at all, on any console. However IU was decent, and it didn't even break 100,000.

Also I am not a "fanboy" I would even own a 360 by now if I wasn't afraid of getting the RRoD. But face facts, JRPG's would sell more on the PS3 and everyone knows it, lemmings included even though they won't admit it. But it's true, guaranteed if White Knight Chronicles gets the same score as IU it will sell hundreds of thousands in Japan.

Explain why Blue Dragon and Tales of Vesperia (360) has sold more than Valkria Chronicles (PS3) in Japan.

[QUOTE="Yellow_Rose"][QUOTE="jakarai"] Damn good if you ask me for a strategy RPG.FirstDiscovery

Not so good when you remember.

1) Vakyria Chronicles is critically a better game than IU.

2) PS3 has over 3 times the userbase in Japan than 360.

3) Blue Dragon has sold more than VC.

If we use gamerankings, then its

VC = 86%
IU = 68%

If we use just GS

VC = 8.5
IU = 6.5

[QUOTE="vashkey"]I hope you guys realise that Square Enix had no part in the decision of Infinite Undiscovery's platform. Microsoft owns the IP and was the original publisher. But Square decided to publish it instead. If it were Square's decision Im sure they'd have made it mutliplatform. According to Square the sales tailed off in Japan, although they remain steady in the US.Delsage

[QUOTE="Delsage"][QUOTE="vashkey"]I hope you guys realise that Square Enix had no part in the decision of Infinite Undiscovery's platform. Microsoft owns the IP and was the original publisher. But Square decided to publish it instead. If it were Square's decision Im sure they'd have made it mutliplatform. According to Square the sales tailed off in Japan, although they remain steady in the US.FirstDiscovery

You obviously missed the point. Vashkey said that IU would be on the PS3 if it wasn't published by Microsoft, however SO4 isn't published by Microsoft and has yet to be announced for the PS3.

Good job at reading into things on your part though. ;)

[QUOTE="Blackbond"]

Not good when you have 360 JRPGS that are selling more then that in Japan alone. I mean for the people that think that JRPGS on 360 aren't selling um they are selling better then a good deal of the JRPGS on the PS2.

Blue Dragon and Lost Oddessey have done much better then any title in the Persona series. JRPGS in Japan are sellig better on 360 then PS3 atm as well. So for anyone to say if they put it on PS3 instead of 360 it would sell better I'm not so sure. I don't expect a JRPG boom in Japan until FFXIII. Hopefully WKC though.

JLF1

Blue Dragon for 500,000 as well I believe.