The Japanese company admits that there have been positive short-term effects, but thinks that the effects will be felt soon.
Video game development studios have not remained aloof from the impact of the coronavirus epidemic (Covid-19), a pandemic that has forced companies to reorganize and review their release calendars. There have been many projects that have had to be delayed, all in a context in which developers have had to adapt to working from home. Square Enix has shared its vision in the Financial Times newspaper, where it has expressed a negative opinion and has said that they have not been able to develop anything.
“There has been a considerable impact from a production point of view. It will be seen in the future, ”said Yosuke Matsuda, President and CEO of Square Enix. The Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and Tomb Raider company acknowledges that current sales “may” have benefited from “positives”, but the “downside” has been reflected in the production of upcoming projects. “We have not been able to develop anything, hence the negative impact” on the company’s finances. Recently, the next-gen version of Marvel’s Avengers was delayed to 2021.
Our first State of the Game update discusses what we’re currently focusing on along with what’s in store for the future of Marvel’s Avengers.
➡️ Read: https://t.co/I83RtRzRnE pic.twitter.com/NqQLcpCtfJ
– Marvel’s Avengers (@PlayAvengers) October 16, 2020
One-off delay in Final Fantasy XIV
Final Fantasy XIV, the popular MMORPG directed by Naoki Yoshida, suffered a delay in one of its most recent updates. However, the head of the project clarified that he did not believe it would happen again in the future. “When we compare productivity before and after the pandemic, I think we are about to reach 90 or 95% efficiency with our current setup,” he said in an interview with PC Gamer, which we collected in FreeGameTips. As he explained, “there is not much to worry about”, although there may still be delays in the quality departments.
Another of Square Enix’s most ambitious projects is Final Fantasy XVI, whose basic development has already concluded. The title, officially announced as a PlayStation 5 exclusive, has no release date yet.
Source | Financial Times (via ResetEra)
