Square Enix eyes its own subscription service Company currently understanding the model via working with Xbox Game Pass

Christopher Dring Head of Games B2B Thursday 13th June 2019 Share this article Share

Companies in this article Square Enix

Square Enix is the latest AAA games studio that wants to launch its own subscription service.

The Final Fantasy publisher tells GamesIndustry.biz that it's only a consideration for now, as it's also working with Xbox on Game Pass, as well as other gaming subscription services.

"We are exploring at present both possibilities," Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda told GamesIndustry.biz at E3. "And we do already provide games for Microsoft's Game Pass. But at the end of the day, the direction that we're thinking about is having a channel of our own."

The bigger games publishers are increasingly launching their own subscription services, including Ubisoft and EA, primarily because the likes of Game Pass doesn't currently offer strong enough commercial upsides. Indeed, multiple AAA publishers - including Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick - have dismissed the business model for their biggest games.

"That's true," Matsuda continued. "But at the same time that would require significant preparations and investment. We'd also have to consider whether or not it will work well solely including our own catalogue titles. At present, as I say, we are offering our games on multiple subscription services, including Microsoft's. But eventually I do think that we need to get to the point where we have enough insight that we can build our own service."

Check out later for our full interview with Matsuda on expectations for Avengers, Final Fantasy VII and Google Stadia.