Square Enix Archives

AppWizard

August 20, 2025

After the series riffed on Pokemon Go and Minecraft, former Dragon Quest producer says he left Square Enix after growing frustrated with “safe” spinoff proposals that were “copying others”

Ichimura, a former producer of the Dragon Quest series, has left Square Enix due to frustrations with the company's direction, particularly its focus on creating "copycat" games. He proposed innovative ideas, such as a "Dragon Quest Maker," which were dismissed, leading to his departure. Ichimura has since founded a new studio, PinCool, under NetEase Games, where he is developing an asymmetrical multiplayer game called Pritto Prisoner. The Dragon Quest franchise continues to thrive, with the Switch version of the Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake achieving significant sales success in Japan. Anticipation for Dragon Quest 12 remains high, despite a lack of updates over the past four years.

AppWizard

August 20, 2025

Final Fantasy 14’s Monster Hunter collab has two very easy steps: buy the game, spend 500 hours beating the game

Players must create a character by purchasing Final Fantasy XIV and then navigate through the base game, four expansions, and approximately 500 hours of story content to reach the Arkveld. Engaging in side quests and leveling up other classes may increase this time commitment. The collaboration will incorporate mechanics from both Final Fantasy XIV and Monster Hunter, requiring players to use potions for healing instead of Cure spells and allowing them to sever tails during combat. There is also hope for Arkveld-themed armor to be introduced for players.

AppWizard

August 19, 2025

Here’s all things Xbox and PC from Gamescom 2025

The Opening Night Live showcase at Gamescom 2025 took place on August 19, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. PT / 2:00 p.m. ET, streamed on YouTube and Twitch. Key announcements included: - Call of Duty: Black Ops 7: First gameplay footage revealed, launching on November 14, 2025, available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4, and included in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. - Lords of the Fallen 2: Announced for Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PlayStation 5, expected to launch in 2026. - LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight: New game inspired by the Batman Arkham series, releasing on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2 next year. - Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4: Announced for PC, featuring four factions, including Blood Ravens and Orks, set to release next year. - Monster Hunter Wilds x Final Fantasy 14: Collaboration announced, allowing players to ride Chocobos and face Omega. - Onimusha: Way of the Sword: New trailer showcased, launching next year on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PlayStation 5. - Daemon x Machina: Titanic Scion: Set to launch on September 5 across Xbox, PC, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch 2. - VOID/BREAKER: First-person shooter now available on PC, featured in PC Game Pass.

AppWizard

August 14, 2025

These 7 PC Game Intros Hook You Instantly with Captivating Cinematics — Grabbing You by the Collar and Sucking You In

Final Fantasy XVI opens with themes of brotherly bond, betrayal, violence, and features a fiery Phoenix, captivating players with its intricate narrative. Fallout 4 thrusts players into a heart-wrenching scenario before a nuclear apocalypse, setting the stage for a quest to find a lost child. Marvel's Spider-Man series allows players to jump straight into action as Peter Parker battles Fisk shortly after donning his suit. Skyrim's opening features a near-execution scenario that quickly escalates with a dragon's arrival, immersing players in the game's mechanics. God of War (2018) starts with a poignant moment of mourning for Kratos's wife, leading to an intense confrontation with a Norse god. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 introduces a mysterious figure, the Paintress, and a friend's disappearance, igniting a quest filled with grotesque creatures. BioShock begins with a plane crash, leading players into the underwater city of Rapture, creating an atmosphere of curiosity and dread.

AppWizard

August 13, 2025

Net sales down 15.2% at Square Enix

Square Enix reported a 15.2 percent decline in net sales for the quarter ending June 2025, with revenue at Y59.3 billion (approximately 2 million). The digital entertainment segment saw net sales drop to Y32.9 billion (3.6 million), a 25 percent year-on-year decline, while the HD games sector experienced a 27.6 percent decrease to Y8.9 billion (.4 million). Despite the sales challenges, operating profit surged to Y1 billion (.7 million), a 1,900 percent increase from last year's Y50 million (approximately 0,000). The MMO segment also faced a 23.2 percent decline in net sales, totaling Y9.6 billion (.2 million). Square Enix noted a lack of comparable new releases this year to stimulate sales growth.

AppWizard

August 7, 2025

Legally distinct Final Fantasy 15, better known as the PlayStation-published anime action RPG Lost Soul Aside, has gone gold ahead of its PS5 and PC launch this month

Lost Soul Aside is an anime action RPG inspired by Final Fantasy 15, announced in early 2021 and has gone gold ahead of its launch on August 29. The game will be available on PS5 and PC, featuring an action-packed adventure set in beautifully crafted environments. Players will experience fast-paced combat with the ability to switch weapons, dodge and parry attacks, and customize their character with a magical dragon companion named Arena. The game includes a skill tree for unlocking new combos and skills. The recently released "Weapons Trailer" highlights the game's visual quality using Unreal Engine VFX, showcasing the protagonist's combat style with a massive metal glaive.

AppWizard

August 6, 2025

Colossal Order and Square Enix vets form new studio Day Off Interactive

A new gaming studio named Day Off Interactive has been established by former employees from Colossal Order and Square Enix, led by Karoliina Korppoo. The team includes Des Gayle as head of production, Colman Humphrey as Technical Director, Jayne Robinson as Marketing Veteran, Ethan Grant as Studio Director, and Karl Rabbitt as Deputy Studio Director. The studio is based in Ireland with a global team of 14 staff members. Day Off Interactive emphasizes innovation through simulation, sustainable business growth, and community connection, operating remotely with a four-day work week.

Winsage

August 2, 2025

Nvidia extends Game Ready driver support for Windows 10 users through 2026

Nvidia will continue to provide Game Ready drivers for Windows 10 users for one year after its end-of-life date of October 14, 2025. Users with Maxwell, Volta, and Pascal graphics cards will receive security updates for three years, with the final drivers for these GPUs being released in October 2025 and quarterly security updates continuing until October 2028. Gamers with RTX cards will receive day-one optimizations for games launching in 2026, even if they remain on Windows 10. Nvidia's recent 580.88 driver includes Game Ready optimizations for the upcoming game Mafia: The Old Country and features DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

AppWizard

August 2, 2025

I embarked on a mission to answer the most important question in PC gaming: How tall is Garrett from Thief?

Garrett, the protagonist from the Thief series, is confirmed to be 6 feet tall in the original Thief game, according to Romain Barrilliot, a level designer at Arkane Studios. The 5'5" measurement refers to Garrett from Eidos Montreal's 2014 reboot. Barrilliot also noted that the Garrett model from Thief 2 appears to be approximately 6'5.3". The discrepancies in height perception arise from the game's design and character comparisons with other games.

AppWizard

July 25, 2025

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 devs are the new popular kids on the RPG block, visiting both Hideo Kojima and Final Fantasy creators Square Enix for ‘a creatively rich exchange of visions and ideas’

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a video game developed by Sandfall Interactive, created by a team of over 30 individuals. The game's director, Guillaume Broche, along with lead programmer Tom Guillermin and co-founder Francois Meurisse, visited Square Enix to exchange ideas with notable figures such as Naoki Hamaguchi and Yoshinori Kitase. This collaboration reflects a constructive dialogue in the gaming industry, emphasizing admiration for established franchises. Additionally, Hideo Kojima has also engaged with the Sandfall team, showcasing a collaborative spirit in the industry.