Research Summary
The report discusses the financial challenges faced by Japanese publisher Square Enix, including a significant drop in stock price and operating income. The company’s CEO, Takashi Kiryu, is tasked with restructuring the organization and returning it to growth in a competitive market. The report also highlights the company’s shift from quantity to quality in its game development and its multiplatform strategy.
Key Takeaways
Financial Struggles and Leadership Challenges
- Declining Financial Performance: Square Enix’s stock price dropped nearly 16% following a 26.6% year-over-year decline in operating income. The company’s flagship titles failed to meet forecasts, contributing to investor concerns.
- Leadership Challenges: CEO Takashi Kiryu is tasked with restructuring the global organization, refilling the project pipeline, and returning the company to long-term growth in a competitive market.
Strategic Shifts and New Business Plan
- Shift from Quantity to Quality: Square Enix is focusing on improving the quality of its upcoming titles rather than the quantity. This is part of the company’s new medium-term business plan, which also includes restructuring its internal development and project management organizations.
- Multiplatform Strategy: The company plans to aggressively pursue multiplatform releases, which is expected to increase sales but also result in higher development costs and potential delays.
Challenges with Flagship IPs and Future Releases
- Underperformance of Flagship IPs: Titles like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Final Fantasy XVI failed to meet both revenue and profit targets. The company reported losses of about $141M in FY 2024 due to the cancellation of projects incompatible with its revised approach to HD game development.
- Future Releases: Future AAA releases will be available on Xbox, Nintendo platforms, and PC, in addition to PlayStation. However, the third and final installment of the Final Fantasy VII reboots will not be available on Xbox due to a previous agreement.
Revenue Challenges and the Need for a Reliable F2P Hit
- Declining Revenue: Revenue from the company’s MMO division was down 11% year-over-year, while the mobile portfolio has been on a steady decline for the past three years. The company needs a reliable F2P hit to provide recurring revenue.
Actionable Insights
- Monitor Square Enix’s Restructuring Efforts: The company’s restructuring efforts and new business plan could potentially lead to a turnaround in its financial performance. It would be beneficial to keep an eye on how these changes are implemented and their impact on the company’s bottom line.
- Assess the Impact of the Multiplatform Strategy: Square Enix’s shift to a multiplatform strategy could significantly increase its audience reach and sales. However, it’s important to consider the potential increase in development costs and delays.
- Consider the Potential of New Releases: Future AAA releases, especially those available on multiple platforms, could boost the company’s revenue. It would be worthwhile to assess the potential of these new releases and their impact on the company’s financial performance.
