We all know that Final Fantasy XIV has had a tremendous effect on Square Enix’s financial fortunes, but just how big was its impact on the entire fiscal year? Well, the Japanese company has released its earnings for said year (which ended on March 31st), and the results are pretty impressive. Relative to last year, they’re fantastic.
The report details an overall profit of $65 million in the past 12 months, compared to a $135 million loss the year prior. Net sales, by comparison, have increased by 4.8 percent, with notable titles such as Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, Thief, and Final Fantasy X / X-2 HD Remaster all contributing to the boost. Additionally, Square noted that Final Fantasy XIV has made “favorable progress”; an understatement perhaps meant to avoid attributing a successful year too much to a single title.
The company also noted that it is working on multiple “large-scale online titles developed by Western studios starting from the fiscal year ending March 2015.” There are no additional details currently, and to call something so cryptic “promising” is a probably a bit of stretch. Still, the potential for titles meeting such a description is fascinating, especially since they sound as if they might be Western-made MMOs. Whether or not one of the games will be Deus-Ex related is not yet clear.
Looking ahead, Square expects similar earning for the next 12 months, with online titles continuing to drive profits. It’s no surprise the company wants to develop more online games — let’s just hope they keep their dependence on them in check.
[Via: IGN]
