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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

On February 7, Square Enix published its consolidated financial results for the first nine months of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. Revenue-making highlights were the Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail expansion and the higher-than-expected sales of Dragon Quest III 2D-HD Remake.

In Square Enix’s Digital Entertainment sector (video games), net sales declined 10.7% to 160,386 million yen and operating income fell 9.9% to 27,689 million yen. This decline was due to the weak performance of mobile and browser-based games, as well as new titles failing to achieve the same sales levels that Final Fantasy XVI, Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, and Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince did in the previous year.

However, unexpectedly high sales of November 2024 release Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake were credited as one of the main drivers of the sub-section’s operating income.

MMO profits increased year-on-year thanks mostly to the strong performance of Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail. Net Sales for MMOs increased by over 9 billion to 44 billion yen, and operating income was up 2.9 billion to 17.3 billion yen.

Square Enix’s publishing sector remained stable but saw a dip in profits. This was due to preparations for new releases and The Apothecary Diaries’ sales declining compared to last year, when the anime was hugely popular (it also worth noting that the mangaka was involved in a well-publicized tax evasion scandal in April 2024).

Sales and operating profit for Square Enix’s merchandise rose thanks to brisk sales of new products from popular series like Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and NieR.

Square Enix’s overall financial results for the first nine months of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 were as follows:

• Net sales: 248,519 million yen (down 3.5% year-on-year).
• Operating profit: 33,381 million yen (down 4.4% year-on-year).
• Recurring profit: 37,759 million yen (down 7.7% year-on-year).
• Net profit: 24,718 million yen (down 7.7% year-on-year)

The full-year forecast remains unchanged:

• Net sales: 310 million yen (down 13.0% year-on-year)
• Operating profit: 40 million yen (up 22.9% year-on-year)
• Recurring profit: 40 million yen (down 3.7% year-on-year)
• Net profit: 28 million yen (up 87.8% year-on-year)

Square Enix reports 9.9% drop in game sector operating profit despite strong sales of Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail and Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake - AUTOMATON WEST

Square Enix's results for the first 9 months of FY2025 revealed a decline in profits despite Dawntrail and Dragon Quest III success- here's why.

automaton-media.com

 

[TintoConCasera]

Good. Fuck 'em for censoring DQ3.

 

[pulicat]

Dragon Quest 3 Remake is more profitable than FFXVI and Rebirth.

 

[squidilix]

Dragon Quest 3 Remake is more profitable than FFXVI and Rebirth.

Not the same budget

 

[Sooner]

Good. Fuck 'em for censoring DQ3.

The body type thing is stupid, but really how much are they censoring and NES game? I still got my puff puff. Sure, I was tricked and the beautiful girl and her father swapped after the lights went out, but that's uncensored and same as original.

 

[TintoConCasera]

The body type thing is stupid, but really how much are they censoring and NES game? I still got my puff puff. Sure, I was tricked and the beautiful girl and her father swapped after the lights went out, but that's uncensored and same as original.

Look it up on Google, it's been posted many times already.

 

[StereoVsn]

Look it up on Google, it's been posted many times already.

The profit drop is not the issue with sales of DQ3. SE specifically mentioned that sales for this game were higher than expected.

The big problem is gatcha games failing. You know, those with all the Wifus.

 

[Metnut]

A lot of reading comprehension failure here from the anti-woke SJWs. Not surprised.

 

[Kacho]

as well as new titles failing to achieve the same sales levels that Final Fantasy XVI, Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, and Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince did in the previous year

So Visions of Mana and FF7Re underperformed? What else did they release?

 

[TintoConCasera]

The profit drop is not the issue with sales of DQ3.

Never said it was friend. I just like reminding people of what they've done to one of the most beloved (if not the most?) JRPG series.

 

[RoboFu]

FF 16 hurt their reputation so badly no one wants to give them another chance. You are only as good as your last game.

 

[Kokoloko85]

Nothing will save Square from its own expectations

 

[Zacfoldor]

Rebirth sold well on PC so they will make this up.

 

[Felessan]

SP games suddenly recovers in Q4 and overall not that bad compared to previous years
MMO as green as ever
Mobile losing battle very hard against chinese

 

[Kokoloko85]

Rebirth sold well on PC so they will make this up.

I doubt it sold over 1 million even with the 30% off sale

 

[clem84]

Just came here to say DQ3 was fantastic! Glad to see it sold so well. They could remake 1-6 this way and I would play them all.

 

[Metnut]

Just came here to say DQ3 was fantastic! Glad to see it sold so well. They could remake 1-6 this way and I would play them all.

You know it was a huge hit when it exceeded Square’s expectations. When’s the last time they’ve said a game exceeded their expectations?

 

[adamsapple]

as well as new titles failing to achieve the same sales levels that Final Fantasy XVI, Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster, and Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince did in the previous year

So Visions of Mana and FF7Re underperformed? What else did they release?

The wording seems to imply that FFVII Rebirth did worse than FF16.

Interesting. First time that kind of comments have been made.

 

[Ozriel]

You know it was a huge hit when it exceeded Square’s expectations. When’s the last time they’ve said a game exceeded their expectations?

You think they had sky high expectations for the late PC port of Rebirth after FFXVI didn’t exactly hit high notes on PC?

 

[Kacho]

The wording seems to imply that FFVII Rebirth did worse than FF16.

Interesting. First time that kind of comments have been made.

Splitting Final Fantasy 7 into 3 parts was a terrible decision. It’s a huge commitment and with each game fewer people will bother.

 

[adamsapple]

Good. Fuck 'em for censoring DQ3.

Look it up on Google, it's been posted many times already.

My friend, did you actually read the article past the topic title?

They're crediting DQ3 as a success, off-setting the loss elsewhere.

However, unexpectedly high sales of November 2024 release Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake were credited as one of the main drivers of the sub-section’s operating income.

 

[pulicat]

Square Enix flops in 2024
1. FF7 Rebirth
2. Visions of mana
3. LIS Double Exposure
4. Foamstars
5. Saga Emerald Beyond

Square Enix success in 2024
1. Dragon Quest 3 Remake
2. Romancing Saga 2 Remake

 

[Walter Matthau]

Splitting Final Fantasy 7 into 3 parts was a terrible decision. It’s a huge commitment and with each game fewer people will bother.

They'll probably recoup some lost sales when the trilogy is inevitably bundled as "FF7 Complete"

 

[Horseganador]

Looking forward to Mochizuki's article.

 

[BbMajor7th]

Splitting Final Fantasy 7 into 3 parts was a terrible decision. It’s a huge commitment and with each game fewer people will bother.

Massive games as well. An eyewatering commitment of resources that was always going to be hard to recoup. I think it comes down to cynicism on the one hand - the sense that FFVII would sell no matter what - and a lack of discipline from the publisher. A two-part game, 30 hours a piece, with 15-20 hours additional content would have been the sweet spot for profitability and player engagement. The current strategy means a remake announced in 2016 won't be concluded until about 2030 and you're committed to that investment, even as sales begin to dwindle.

 

[Hookshot]

Ruining the sales of your biggest game with low stock can’t have helped

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

Stock price trending up. Not far of all time highs.

 

[Bernardougf]

Dragon Quest 3 Remake is more profitable than FFXVI and Rebirth.

It should be since is the only really good game

 

[StereoVsn]

Never said it was friend. I just like reminding people of what they've done to one of the most beloved (if not the most?) JRPG series.

That’s fair. Personally I found the changes unfortunate but not super impactful so got the game and really enjoyed it. Brought a lot of nostalgia.

But I can see how the modifications (totally unneeded) could upset folks.

 

[Fbh]

Never thought about it, but the Japanese mobile industry must be struggling against the massive success of all the Chinese waifu gacha games.

Splitting Final Fantasy 7 into 3 parts was a terrible decision. It’s a huge commitment and with each game fewer people will bother.

Yeah it's a shame too because in so many ways I find Rebirth to be one of the best AAA games they've made.
But it's held back by being a direct sequel to remake Part 1 and not being able to tell a complete story. A middle chapter in a series that launched last gen on a system with a bigger install base was always going to struggle to get strong sales.
There's a reason the industry has largely moved away from super connected trilogies like Mass Effect.

 

[Interfectum]

Square needs to get their main games back on Nintendo consoles.

 

[Woopah]

Not the same budget

Which is the point no?

So Visions of Mana and FF7Re underperformed? What else did they release?

The wording seems to imply that FFVII Rebirth did worse than FF16.

Interesting. First time that kind of comments have been made.

Vision of Mana bombed so hard the studio shut down.

We can't tell anything about Rebirth as its launch is not included in quarters being compared here (Q1 - Q3).

 

[Kacho]

We can't tell anything about Rebirth as its launch is not included in quarters being compared here (Q1 - Q3).

We can tell it didn't have legs, no?

 

[Scrawnton]

Not the same budget

Thats part of the point / problem.

 

[Woopah]

We can tell it didn't have legs, no?

Not really as it's specifically referring to "new titles" that were launched in the current fiscal year.

 

[Kacho]

Not really as it's specifically referring to "new titles" that were launched in the current fiscal year.

I see what you mean. I looked at the slides.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

Never thought about it, but the Japanese mobile industry must be struggling against the massive success of all the Chinese waifu gacha games.



Yeah it's a shame too because in so many ways I find Rebirth to be one of the best AAA games they've made.
But it's held back by being a direct sequel to remake Part 1 and not being able to tell a complete story. A middle chapter in a series that launched last gen on a system with a bigger install base was always going to struggle to get strong sales.
There's a reason the industry has largely moved away from super connected trilogies like Mass Effect.

I think it’ll see a lot of success on PS6 as the entire trilogy in one.

 

[Nickolaidas]

Square.

Get rid of your DEI departments and your 'consultants'.
Skip PS exclusivity
Embrace fanservice
Hire based on meritocracy
Trim your fat

And you'll do great.

 

[Hudo]

Has Square Enix ever reported a net profit growth?

 

[Hyet]

Has Square Enix ever reported a net profit growth?

1998

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Guess PC sales for XVI and Rebirth were a dud :/

Skip PS exclusivity

PS exclusivity is doing pretty well for games like Astro Bot

Truth is either one or the other is valid:

1: Steam users don't buy as many AAA games as people want to admit, or​

​

2: Many of those Steam users already bought the game on console (i.e PS5) meaning that the two platforms are in fact competitors to some notable degree (invalidates stuff SIE have said in the past about PC)​

Otherwise most Steam or PC gamers in general aren't petty enough to skip a release that's new to their platform, just because it came out exclusively on another platform earlier. Or, the other possibility is that FF XVI and Rebirth simply weren't appealing enough to net the sales they were projecting, regardless of platform.

Shouldn't have to say that what I just mentioned about Steam/PC users would apply even more so to Xbox owners, as a lot of them have a PS and/or PC. So being petty enough to skip a game when it finally comes to your platform just because it was a timed exclusive elsewhere is some fake gamer shit IMHO.

 

[Woopah]

Guess PC sales for XVI and Rebirth were a dud :/

PC Rebirth isn't counted in this period.

 

[poodaddy]

Square.

Get rid of your DEI departments and your 'consultants'.
Skip PS exclusivity
Embrace fanservice
Hire based on meritocracy
Trim your fat

And you'll do great.

Nah, that makes far too much sense.

Let's throw a huge budget at an activist studio making a great new SBI consulted exclusive for Sony that'll come to PC about two years after console release.

Trust me bro, this time it's gonna work.

 

[Hudo]

1998

A good year.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

PC Rebirth isn't counted in this period.

Oh alright. Well, here's hoping it's doing well. Seems like XVI did not have too much an impact.

 

[Woopah]

Oh alright. Well, here's hoping it's doing well. Seems like XVI did not have too much an impact.

Seens to have done well for a late port I believe.

 

[FeralEcho]

Nah, that makes far too much sense.

Let's throw a huge budget at an activist studio making a great new SBI consulted exclusive for Sony that'll come to PC about two years after console release.

Trust me bro, this time it's gonna work.

Square: Well I've been burned enough times for my hands to turn to charcoal but what the hell I have a good feeling about this one,this time around.

 

[HeWhoWalks]

FF 16 hurt their reputation so badly no one wants to give them another chance. You are only as good as your last game.

Their last Final Fantasy was Rebirth. Thus, that shit excuse doesn’t work.

 

[RoboFu]

Their last Final Fantasy was Rebirth. Thus, that shit excuse doesn’t work.

Which had lower than predicted sales because of FF16 being a turd.

 

[HeWhoWalks]

Which had lower than predicted sales because of FF16 being a turd.

What were the predicted sales? How much worse did it sell vs 16? Why did it just sell good on PC? Why would it be a multimillion seller at all if “no one wants to give them another chance”?