Square Enix Interview

Siliconera has conjured up a quick four-question Q&A with Square Enix’s director of business development, David Hoffman, about their recent collaboration with Western developers like Obsidian Entertainment and Gas Powered Games, their plans to localize more Eastern RPGs, and more.

Beyond Dungeon Siege III and Supreme Commander 2, what are your other goals for the East meets West part of Square Enix? Where do you think an open market or even a blue ocean lies?

Dave Hoffman, Director of Business Development: I think there has been a lot of titles done, especially out of Western studios, that focus on first person shooters, and third person action games. There are a lot of genres that are tried and true. You know, when you buy a game a lot of times you are buying an upgrade almost to an existing game.

I think a lot of what our industry and Square America is still diligently looking at is the online space and whether that means you know online is a big word. It’s a big vague word that could mean a lot of things. To some people that means social games on Facebook. Online could mean free to play or how we are working with other companies for digital distribution. It could mean many things, right? It seems like the rest of the industry it seems like, a lot of times I watch these companies, read about them, and talk to individuals in them that are kind of racing towards it and they don’t have plotted course of action. They’re trying to throw stuff to the wall and see what sticks.

Whereas we’re taking a much more strategic and analytical view. What we’re trying to do at Square is we’re trying to figure out what would really be a true gaming experience to the consumers on a broad scale that interfaces in the online community and truly delivers something that has not only success written on it from how many people experience it, but we want to make sure they have a quality experience. We want to make sure they feel something, they are immersed in our worlds, and that they are attached to our stories. We’re excited about the future and I think that is what Square America is taking a magnifying glass to.