Final Fantasy Maker Square Enix Reaffirms Focusing On Blockchain Games
Has the bear market impacted the gaming market ? Not according to Square Enix, planning to launch multiple blockchain-powered games ahead.
Over the past few years, Square Enix, the famous Japanese creator of major franchises like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, has gradually increased its investment and presence in the Web3 space.
In his annual new year’s letter for 2023, President Yosuke Matsuda has explained that Square Enix is “most focused” on blockchain-powered gaming amid its new business development efforts.
“We will continue to take stakes in promising businesses whether we find them in Japan or abroad […] We hope that blockchain games will transition to a new stage of growth in 2023.”
Square Enix is developing “multiple blockchain games” based on original IP, rather than its existing franchises, Matsuda wrote. The firm plans to announce further games this year and is still considering investment opportunities around blockchain.
- In November 2022, Square Enix announced its first original game built around Ethereum NFTs, called Symbiogenesis.
- Square Enix has announced that it will be a strategic advisor to Cross the Ages, a digital trading card game built on Polygon.
- The company has invested in Bitcoin gaming startup ZEBEDEE.
- The company has also invested in Metaverse game and in-game experience in The Sandbox
- Square Enix has launched NFTs based on the popular game Final Fantasy VII, tied to physical trading cards and toys that will be released this year.
Just like Ubisoft has partnered with with numerous crypto and gaming studios to release its first NFT game, Square Enix is emphasizing its willingness to use the blockchain technology
“Web3 has become a firmly established buzzword among businesspeople.”
Despite gamers being generally reticent when it comes to crypto and NFTs, Matsuda believes that NFTs can offer gamers a range of benefits, rather than just being a way to monetize.
