In a discussion during their 46th Annual Shareholders’ Meeting on June 24, Square Enix, the creator of the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest franchises, spoke about their expanding collection of discontinued live-service games and outlined their approach to game archiving.
Although live-service games can generate significant revenue for gaming companies, their high maintenance costs and a crowded market (resulting in an average lifespan of roughly 2 to 3 years) make them a risky venture with potentially high rewards. Square Enix has made several attempts to establish a presence in the mobile gaming market over the past decade, leaving behind dozens of titles that were effectively discontinued after their service ended. Prominent examples include Dragon Quest of the Stars, Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, and NieR Re[in]carnation.
Addressing the recent debate over an unauthorized “offline” version of NieR Re[in]carnation created by fans, a shareholder inquired about Square Enix’s position, suggesting that the company should take the lead in preserving and continuing its intellectual properties.
The company clarified that how they allow players to experience a live-service game post-server shutdown depends on the IP: “For example, with the NieR series, we provide updates through official live streams. For other games, we keep cutscenes available on video streaming platforms.”
While the explanation was somewhat ambiguous, Square Enix reassured shareholders that they would “keep developing solutions appropriate for each title to ensure players can enjoy them even after the service concludes or the story reaches its finale.” It remains unclear whether the company is actively working on official ways to preserve NieR Re[in]carnation’s narrative.
Notably, the recently unveiled Final Fantasy Resonance stands out as one of Square Enix’s efforts to save a live-service game by adapting it into a console title. As producer Keisuke Nakashima mentioned in a recent conversation, “Final Fantasy Brave Exvius is packed with elements that scream ‘Final Fantasy.’ I felt it would be a shame for such an exceptional game to become unplayable on mobile, which inspired me to create Final Fantasy Resonance for consoles.” Although Final Fantasy Resonance is based on FFBE while overhauling much of its art and gameplay, it highlights Square Enix’s initiative to revive their discontinued mobile games.