Square Enix Is A Fool For Giving Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal Away For Pocket Change

thegamer.com:

Square Enix continues to showcase how laughably out of touch with the world it truly is. Instead of seeking to build upon the talent and portfolio of studios like Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Montreal it has decided to sell them off for a paltry $300 million as it doubles down on the metaverse and blockchain technology. Acquisitions in recent months have often been a cause of excitement and speculation, but this instance just feels depressing.

Back in January we saw Square Enix CEO Yosuke Matsuda release a statement of intent for the coming year that sang the praises of the blockchain, pay-to-earn technology, and how the company on a wider scale doesn’t seem at all interested in games being fun. It’s a miserable vision of the future, and one that seems all the more plausible as the publisher distances itself permanently from a slew of high profile western studios. Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, and more now have a new home, and I can’t tell if that’s a good thing.

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All of the above are now owned by Embracer Group, which has the likes of Gearbox, 3D Realms, and Aspyr Media under its umbrella. For such a reasonable price it would be silly not to scoop up this generous selection of IP, especially since the last Tomb Raider game cost roughly $110-135 million alone to develop. It feels like a shortsighted sum of cash for Square Enix to capitalise upon, when in reality it could confront its own dated business practices when it comes to western development studios and strive for something better.

Instead it will become the company that trades in Final Fantasy, underwhelming remasters, and blockchain bullshit as its focus on the industry grows increasingly fixed on profits over