Square Enix has released two-back-to-back titles for the Final Fantasy franchise that have received widespread critical acclaim in the form of Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, but it seems neither of them has managed to sell well enough to reflect that critical success.
The company recently published official documents for a financial briefing that was originally held in May, shortly after Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s February release, where it confirmed that “profits” generated from Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth “unfortunately did not meet our expectations”. The company also added that despite the latter’s February release, initial sales during that quarter “were not as strong as expected.”
Since Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s release, Square Enix hasn’t provided any sales figures for the title. Reports had claimed that the title was underperforming, selling at roughly half the pace of 2020’s Final Fantasy 7 Remake.
Final Fantasy 16, meanwhile, sold over 3 million units in less than week of its launch. Initially, Square Enix said it considered the action title’s sales to be “extremely strong”, but later added that the game had failed to meet “the high end” of the company’s expectations where sales were concerned.
Amidst disappointing sales for major releases, Square Enix has confirmed that it is pivoting to a multiplatform model. Read more on that through here.