Square Enix plans to create “story-focused” NFTs, it’s been reported.
According to the company’s 2022 Shareholders’ Meeting Report (as reported bymichsuzuki,) it plans to continue to integrate blockchain technology into game development.
As revealed in the report, the company’s medium-term goals include the “development of blockchain games and entertainment products”.
However, when discussing how the blockchain would impact the company’s biggest franchises,Square EnixPresidentYosuke Matsudasaid: “It’s still too early to consider making Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy blockchain games.”
Square Enix recently offloadedCrystal Dynamics, Eidos Montreal, Square Enix Montrealand a catalogue of IPs including Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Thief and Legacy of Kain for $300 million to theEmbracergroup.
When the acquisition was announced, Square Enix said that “the transaction enables the launch of new businesses by moving forward with investments in fieldsincluding blockchain, AI, and the cloud”.
However, during the Japanese publisher’s full-year financial results briefing on May 13, president Yosuke Matsuda instead said the money from the salewill be used to strengthen the company’s core games business.
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“Rather than using the proceeds from the divestiture in new investment domains such as NFT and blockchain, we intend to use them primarily to fund our efforts to foster solid IP and to enhance our development capabilities in our core Digital Entertainment segment,” he said.
In a New Year letter published during the holiday break last year, Matsudacommitted to making blockchain and NFT gamesa part of Square Enix’s games portfolio.
