Square Enix has begun its 2023 year by reiterating its commitment to the volatile and contentious blockchain gaming industry. The publisher’s annual New Year’s letter, as noted by Eurogamer, features president Yosuke Matsuda reiterating the publisher’s intention to release multiple blockchain-based games in the future.
“Our Group has multiple blockchain games based on original IPs under development, some of which we announced last year, and we are undertaking preparations that will enable us to unveil even more titles this year,” writes Matsuda. “We are also engaged in global sourcing from an investment perspective and will continue to take stakes in promising businesses whether we find them in Japan or abroad.”
Matsuda suggests that all the negative publicity not only did not faze his company’s plans but may actually be beneficial for the future of the cryptocurrency market, despite the fact that the blockchain and NFT market was extremely turbulent over the course of the past year, resulting in enormous losses for investors and constant criticism from gamers.
“Blockchain has been an object of exhilaration and a source of turmoil, but with that in the rearview mirror, we hope that blockchain games will transition to a new stage of growth in 2023,” continues Matsuda. “If this [controversy] proves to have been a step in a process that leads to the creation of rules and a more transparent business environment, it will definitely have been for the good of the growth of blockchain entertainment.”
“As I said in last year’s New Year’s letter, if we consider traditional gaming to have been centralized, then blockchain gaming must operate based on a self-sustaining decentralized model. It is that concept, that philosophy that I see to be key.”
Somewhere else in the letter, Matsuda repeats intends to close down titles Last Dream VII: The First Soldier, released on January 11, as well as Bravely Default: Bright Lights (28 February) Additionally, Chocobo Racing GP will not receive any additional significant updates; the fifth season will be the title’s last updated one.
“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our customers for their patronage and sincerely apologize for this announcement.” says Matsuda of these game closures.
Still, you can look forward to all those delightful blockchain games.
