Square Enix’s Mistake with Final Fantasy 16 Exclusive
A former JRPG series producer believes Square Enix made a mistake by exclusively releasing Final Fantasy 16 on the PlayStation 5, as it may have hurt sales. Jacob Navok, the CEO of Genvid and former head of Square Enix’s Shinra Technologies, suggests that the publisher should restore relations with Xbox and release games for the platform in the future. Navok’s interviention came after Bloomberg reported a 30% drop in Square Enix shares, wiping out $2 billion in market value following the game’s launch.
Navok’s Perspective on the Issue
Jacob Navok emphasizes the importance of promoting games on multiple platforms to ensure their success. While acknowledging that Final Fantasy series traditionally sells poorly on Xbox, he suggests that marketing and promoting the game across various platforms can expand its appeal to a wider audience. Navok believes that Square Enix’s decision to bring Final Fantasy 14 to the Xbox Series has helped repair the publisher’s relationship with Microsoft.
Looking beyond PlayStation Exclusivity
Navok also argues that Square Enix should not rely solely on PlayStation exclusivity but continue to develop new series alongside Final Fantasy. Despite some failures, he encourages the publisher to take risks in creating new high-quality games. He disagrees with the criticism SE producers have received and expresses his thoughts on Twitter.