Square Enix Archives

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January 9, 2026

Everwind devs are testing their ambitious Minecraft-like RPG on Steam Deck as it “makes sense for everyone to be this available”

Everwind is set to launch in late 2026 as an alternative to Minecraft and alongside Hytale. Players will explore floating islands and navigate the skies in airships. The development team is testing the game on Valve’s Steam Deck and other handheld devices, with early builds showing promising performance. They aim to support both handhelds and desktops, emphasizing the importance of PC handhelds in gaming. The team is also testing on the MSI Claw. The Steam Deck is becoming a benchmark for performance standards in the industry, with developers recognizing the benefits of optimizing for it.

AppWizard

January 8, 2026

Square Enix asks early access players not to spoil a remake of a 25-year-old game—on the one hand, there are changes to the main storyline, but on the other hand, are you kidding me

Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined has released a demo offering three hours of gameplay, allowing players to carry their progress into the full game. Square Enix has requested that players with early access from the Digital Deluxe edition refrain from sharing spoilers on streaming platforms. The game features enhancements to the original narrative, including streamlined pacing and new storylines, aimed at providing a fresh experience for both new and veteran players.

AppWizard

December 24, 2025

They survived the MMO massacre of 2025, but 2026 is going to be a tense year for WoW and FF14: And for completely different reasons

In 2025, the MMORPG landscape faced significant turmoil with the closure of New World, withdrawal of funding for Greg Street's MMO, cancellation of a ZeniMax title, and the demise of a Warhammer MMO. Despite this, World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy 14 have remained resilient. Final Fantasy 14 has struggled with design and content delivery, lagging behind competitors like World of Warcraft, which has benefited from Microsoft's acquisition. Creative Studio 3's rigid division between casual and hardcore content has hindered player engagement, while World of Warcraft has successfully implemented variable difficulty. Director Naoki Yoshida is addressing job design issues in an upcoming expansion expected in late 2026 or early 2027. World of Warcraft has seen a resurgence with recent expansions but faces challenges in eliminating combat mods that players rely on. Both games are at a critical juncture, with 2026 expected to be pivotal for their futures.

AppWizard

December 20, 2025

The 10 best PC games of 2025

PC gaming is experiencing a surge in popularity due to higher frame rates, ultra-wide monitor compatibility, modding capabilities, and robust backward compatibility. Players can upgrade individual components over time, enhancing long-term value. 1. Hades II - Metacritic score: 94; praised for its fast-paced action, character-driven storytelling, and expressive art. 2. Sektori - Metacritic score: 93; a minimalist PC shooter emphasizing precision and featuring twin-stick mechanics. 3. Blue Prince - Metacritic score: 92; combines puzzles and roguelike exploration with a unique structure. 4. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - Metacritic score: 91; an RPG with surreal fantasy elements and turn-based combat. 5. Hollow Knight: Silksong - Metacritic score: 90; focuses on agile gameplay and features a vertically expansive world. 6. Split Fiction - Metacritic score: 90; an experimental narrative adventure exploring parallel storylines. 7. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth - Metacritic score: 90; expands the world and character arcs with enhanced PC features. 8. Despelote - Metacritic score: 89; a narrative about soccer and childhood through a reflective lens. 9. The Talos Principle: Reawakened - Metacritic score: 89; refines puzzles and philosophical themes for modern audiences. 10. The Seance of Blake Manor - Metacritic score: 89; a detective horror game focused on atmosphere and environmental storytelling.

AppWizard

November 20, 2025

Final Fantasy 14 7.4’s tomestone changes have arrived, so make sure you spend them before they’re gone

Players in Final Fantasy 14 should prepare for the transition to the new Mnemonics tomestones with the release of patch 7.4 on December 16. The Aesthetics tomestones will be removed, and players are advised to exchange them for Heliometry tomestones at Auriana in Revenant's Toll. Heliometry tomestones will be convertible into Mathematics tomestones, which will replace Heliometry as rewards from certain duties. The weekly cap on Mathematics will be lifted, but players will still have a maximum inventory limit of 2,000. The new Mnemonics tomestones will be available to players at level 100, while Poetics tomestones will continue to allow exchanges for gear up to level 90. Players should clear out their Aesthetics tomestones before the update.

AppWizard

November 18, 2025

Arrowhead boss calls for middle ground in AI debate

Shams Jorjani, head of Arrowhead Studios, discussed the polarized opinions on artificial intelligence in game development during an interview with The Game Business. He highlighted the significant debate surrounding AI's role in the industry, particularly following controversies related to Embark Studios' use of generative AI in their games. Jorjani noted that opinions on AI range from executives advocating for automation to developers fearing for their jobs. He suggested that a more balanced perspective might be necessary, questioning whether the reality of AI's impact could lie somewhere in between the extremes of the debate.

AppWizard

November 16, 2025

League of Legends TCG Riftbound is the best thing Riot’s done since Arcane, but I’m not convinced it has MTG’s staying power

Riftbound is a card game set in the League of Legends universe, inspired by traditional trading card games like Magic: The Gathering. Players choose a Champion Legend, a Chosen Champion for buffs, and a Battlefield with unique traits to win by reaching eight points through unit placement and skirmishes called 'Showdowns.' The Proving Grounds set features four decks—Annie, Garen, Lux, and Master Yi—with varying complexity. Decks are designed to reflect the champions' characteristics, such as Lux's burst spells and Garen's tank role. Gameplay can be lengthy, especially with larger player counts, with matches lasting from 30 minutes to nearly two hours. Riftbound Set 1, Origins, is currently sold out online and in most local game stores, with cards available on the second-hand market.

AppWizard

November 12, 2025

Every PC and Xbox game shown during Sony’s PlayStation State of Play Japan November 2025

The PlayStation State of Play occurred on November 11, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. ET, with the full show available on YouTube for over 40 minutes. Games and updates featured include: - Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, launching on February 5, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2. - BrokenLore: Unfollow, releasing on January 16, 2026, and BrokenLore: Ascend, both available on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation. - Coffee Talk Tokyo, launching on March 5, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. - DAMON and Baby, expected on PlayStation and PC in early 2026. - DLC for Digimon Story Time Stranger, PAC-MAN WORLD 2 Re-PAC, and Super Robot Wars Y. - Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake, set for March 12, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2. - Dynasty Warriors Origins DLC, launching on January 22, 2026. - Fate Trigger entering early access in Q1 2026 for Windows PC and PlayStation 5. - Monster Hunter Wilds Update 4 on December 16, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5. - Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse, launching on March 5, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2. - A demo for Octopath Traveler 0 is available now, with the full game releasing on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2. - Elden Ring Nightreign DLC titled The Forsaken Hollows, launching on December 4, 2025, for Xbox, PC, and PlayStation.

AppWizard

November 11, 2025

PC Gamer’s highest review scores of 2025

This year's PC Gamer rankings highlight the absence of several anticipated titles from the Game of the Year conversation, including Elden Ring Nightreign, Battlefield 6 (82%), Europa Universalis 5, Arc Raiders (86%), and Clair Obscur (70%). To be considered exceptional, a game must score 89% or higher. Notable games that received high praise include Halls of Torment, Thank Goodness You're Here, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Keep Driving, The Alters, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Silent Hill f, Keeper, Nine Sols (91%), Blue Prince (92%), Abiotic Factor (92%), and Promise Mascot Agency (94%).

AppWizard

November 10, 2025

Square Enix making layoffs in UK and US businesses

Square Enix has announced layoffs in its UK and US operations as part of a restructuring initiative to reorganize its overseas business. The company is shifting focus to consolidate operations within Japan and will implement a "globally integrated" approach to managing intellectual properties (IPs), with overseas studios no longer responsible for this. As part of this transition, Square Enix has sold its Western studios—Crystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal, and Square Enix Montreal—to Embracer Group. Employees in the US and UK have been informed of impending redundancies, and a company representative expressed gratitude to those affected while emphasizing the difficulty of the decision, which was made after careful consideration. Square Enix is committed to supporting departing team members during this transition.