Overview

• At a June 25 shareholders meeting, president Takashi Kiryu affirmed Square Enix’s recognition of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s success and the importance of turn-based RPGs to its identity.
• Since its April debut, Sandfall Interactive’s Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has sold over 3 million copies, underscoring renewed consumer appetite for command-based gameplay.
• Action-focused entries such as Final Fantasy 16 and Rebirth underperformed against expectations, prompting the publisher to reevaluate its strategic direction.
• Square Enix says it plans to deliver new turn-based projects and isn’t ruling out another Final Fantasy Tactics-style game if its remaster performs well.
• The company is releasing HD-2D remakes of Dragon Quest and Star Ocean with turn-based combat, reflecting a broader genre resurgence inspired by Clair Obscur’s acclaim.