Square Enix: Final Fantasy XVI profits did not meet our expectations

Yesterday Final Fantasy XVI was released on PC, giving a new multi-headed audience the chance to enjoy the acclaimed role-playing game. Previously only available for PlayStation 5, many have wondered how well it has sold, given Square Enix's recent announcement that they are moving away from exclusive games to a multi-format strategy.

Those who thought that things weren't going as well as they had hoped have apparently been on to something, because in the financial results briefing made in May (and only now made public), boss Takashi Kiryu writes:

"In the HD Games sub-segment, we released multiple new titles, including major titles such as Final Fantasy XVI and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, but profits unfortunately did not meet our expectations."

He also goes on to explain that "initial sales were not as strong as expected" for Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth.

In short, there seems to be a good reason why Square Enix is opting for a new strategy. Sales are simply not sufficient (at least not in relation to expenses) to release their biggest games exclusively.