In the company's annual financial briefing, Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda said the sales of Final Fantasy XV, Nier: Automata and the PlayStation 4 version of Rise of the Tomb Raider are responsible for the growth of their Digital Entertainment sector during the last fiscal year. The chart below also points toward the launch of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided as a contributing factor for Square Enix's big financial year.

Matsuda said that Final Fantasy XV reached 6 million global sales faster than any other entry in the series. Additionally, he said that Square Enix hopes the DLC episodes of FF XV will "help raise purchase intent and extend the lifecycle of the product."

Nier: Automata, which Matsuda classified as one of Square's "mid-sized" games, performed "significantly" above the company's expectations. When asked if Nier's success would make Square consider pursuing additional titles produced outside the company, Matsuda said that while they're primarily interested in developing in-house, they're also seeking out other developers that can "balance" their mix of games.

Also out of the earnings report came the news that Final Fantasy VII remake and Kingdom Hearts III will be releasing "in the next 3 years or so."

[Source: Square Enix]

Our Take

It's nice to see that a sleeper hit like Nier: Automata sold well and exceeded Square Enix's sales expectations. As for Final Fantasy XV, the title of "fastest entry to reach 6 million sales" may not be the most glamorous distinction, but it's interesting to know that Square finds the polarizing sequel financially successful.