Since the moment Microsoft decided to take over Bethesda, you can see that both that company and Sony are in the process of acquiring more companies. For example, Bungie, the developer of Destiny, is now part of the PlayStation family. And it seems that Square Enix is also on Sony’s wish list.
At least that’s what Forbes is reporting based on a statement from game journalist Greg Miller. Now that’s not entirely new. There have been rumors for some time that Sony wants to bring Square Enix into the PlayStation family. But is that a good idea? We have five reasons why Sony should or shouldn’t do it.
Five reasons why PlayStation should (not) buy Square Enix
Big names do well
In the world of games, we see that big franchises generally do well. A new part in a long-running series often sells better than a completely new franchise. In that area, Square Enix has a lot to offer. Yes. it has now sold off some of its Western studios, so Tomb Raider, for example, is no longer part of any deal. Despite that, there are still many great franchises that the company raises. These include Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Life is Strange and Kingdom Hearts. New games in these series are often good for a lot of sold copies. Taking over these games will therefore immediately generate income.
Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (Image: Square Enix)
More love for forgotten IPs
In addition to these great games, Square Enix also has a large number of series that nothing has been done with for a very long time. The acquisition by Sony could ensure that those games are brought back to life on the PlayStation 5. Sony has shown in recent years that it is willing to release games that are not intended for a multi-million dollar audience. On that note, I’d like to see a new Parasite Eve game. Or a really big new Front Mission. And what about a new Tactics Ogre game? All of these could be done when the studio is acquired.
Developers can blossom from more freedom
The Japanese gaming world struggled during the period of the PlayStation 3. Fortunately, it has gotten a little better in recent years. Still, you can see that Japanese studios are somewhat old-fashioned in terms of their work. It’s all very bureaucratic, with little room for new developers to come up with ideas. By becoming part of the PlayStation family, it could be that something will change in that area. More freedom can only be a good thing for the developer as far as I’m concerned.
Square Enix is a bit Japanese now
But there are also certainly some reasons why Sony should not incorporate Square Enix into the PlayStation family. For one thing, Square Enix’s portfolio is pretty much Japanese right now. Especially with the sale of its Western studios, you can see that it has become primarily a Final Fantasy publisher. Is that what you want Sony to have? Sure, a game like Dragon Quest sells well in Japan, but in the West the series never does that much. That’s while Sony wants to reach a large audience above all else.
Dragon Quest XI (Image: Square Enix)
Many games are already coming out exclusively on the PlayStation
In addition, you have to ask yourself what the direct value is. If you look at Square Enix’s games, many games already come out exclusively on Sony’s consoles. A game like Final Fantasy VII Remake only came out on PlayStation 4, 5 and PC. So in that respect, you’re not going to sell more consoles with it. The only advantage is that you can write the income from the games in your financial reports.
Already coming exclusively (Image: Square Enix)
In short, it remains to be seen whether Square Enix will be part of the PlayStation family in the future. We’ll keep an eye on it. Want to read more about gaming? Then visit our overview page here.
