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The Final Fantasy series is a gaming institution, but that doesn’t mean it’s immune from disappointing returns. While not outright failures, some recent games in the series have underperformed financially, calling the future of the series into question. However, just because the games aren’t selling as well as expected, that doesn’t mean they aren’t still good. In fact, some of the games struggling financially also have some of the highest review scores in the series, which is saying something, as the series in general is largely well-received.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, for example, has a lot of high review scores, including one from me. This tells me that the Final Fantasy series’ issue isn’t a matter of gameplay, but likely something else. I would argue that the series’ major issue right now is much more about its branding than its actual gameplay. I think Square Enix should take some time to think about how approachable the series is from an outside perspective and reevaluate their current strategy for how they present their games.
Recent Final Fantasy Games Have Underperformed Despite Their Triumphs In Gameplay
FF7 Rebirth And FF16 Both Underperformed Despite Good Reviews
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a treat to play. Its combat is the perfect blend of modern action and classic Final Fantasy mechanics like the ATB gauge and Summons. The story is emotionally rich and thematically relevant while also managing to be downright absurd at times. It’s also one of the nicest-looking games I’ve played in a long time, both in cutscenes and during actual gameplay. Despite all of this, and being one of the best-reviewed games in the series, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth didn’t meet Square Enix’s financial expectations.
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Although it earned slightly lower reviews than FF7 Rebirth, Final Fantasy 16 is another game that offers a lot of great gameplay. Its combat is much more action-oriented, reminding me more of hack and slash games than other Final Fantasy titles, but it wasn’t bad. Hot swapping between Eikon powers was fun and opened up a lot of possibilities during fights. The game’s more grounded story also scratched my Game of Thrones itch, and gave it a unique identity within the larger series.
However, Final Fantasy 16 was another disappointment in terms of sales. It seems strange that two games, both well-received, and both part of an established franchise wouldn’t be immediate hits. If gameplay isn’t to blame, then we have to look at other factors, and I’m pretty sure I know what the main problem with the series is. Despite being so well known, Final Fantasy may have a serious branding issue.
Final Fantasy Has A Branding Issue
Final Fantasy’s Titling Conventions Can Cause Confusion Or Intimidation
When I say Final Fantasy has a branding issue, I don’t mean that they have an issue with brand recognition. Even if you’ve never played a Final Fantasy game, you’ve likely at least heard about the series if you’re a fan of gaming. I remember a time when people I knew would describe JRPGs simply as “like Final Fantasy.” However, I do think that the brand in general could probably use some help to attract players who either have never played, or feel like they’ve experienced everything the franchise has to offer.
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I think one issue could be the titling convention used for the series’ mainline games. While there is something charmingly quaint about simply slapping another number at the end of the word Final Fantasy, it doesn’t do a good job conveying just how different each game is. Final Fantasy 6 is a fundamentally different experience than Final Fantasy 10, but you might not immediately realize that just based on the title. If you aren’t already a fan who follows trailers or gameplay previews of new games, you might just think each new Final Fantasy is identical to the last.
Titling conventions in general for Final Fantasy games could also use a bit of work. If you’re following the series as it releases, you know that Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a sequel to Final Fantasy 7 Remake, but if you’re picking up one of the games for the first time, you may not know that, and the issue will likely only be compounded by the last game in the trilogy if its subtitle is similarly synonymous. And that’s to say nothing of games with even more unclear titles, like Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7.
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The Final Fantasy series may also feel a bit inaccessible to an outsider. If you don’t realize that most Final Fantasy titles are standalone affairs, you might see Final Fantasy 16 and think you’ve missed too much of the series to hop in now. This isn’t helped by the fact that some people find Final Fantasy stories hard to follow, as an outsider may think the series has earned that reputation due to the number of installments, not realizing that they aren’t all connected. To help combat this, I think Final Fantasy should look to other media series for guidance.
Final Fantasy Could Take Cues From Other Series To Ensure Its Success
Final Fantasy Could Follow The Hollywood Model For Titling New Projects
One possible solution for Final Fantasy‘s presentation issues could be to lean more into subtitles and away from numbering their new games the way recent movie franchises like Marvel have. This can help communicate that each game is a standalone experience, while also using the subtitle to hint at the style of game it is. For instance, Final Fantasy XIV could just have been Final Fantasy Online. With this method, Square Enix could also avoid having to confusingly put additional numbers at the end of sequels to a game, like with Final Fantasy 10-2 and the under-appreciated Final Fantasy 13-2.
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Now, I’m not saying this is a perfect solution, or that I have all the answers. However, I do think Square Enix should do something to address the gap between their games being good and how many copies they sell. Of course, the company shouldn’t stop innovating Final Fantasy gameplay. The games obviously need to continue being good if they’re going to sell. However, these recent examples prove that just because a game is good doesn’t mean it’s going to sell. Square Enix needs to consider the other aspects of Final Fantasy that aren’t working as well as the games.
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