Square Enix has announced that the development team Luminous Productions, the studio behind Forspoken, will be merged into Square Enix as of May 1, 2023.
A short press release provided by Square Enix states that the decision to absorb the team is part of “the Company’s efforts to further bolster the competitive prowess of the Group’s development studios, a goal set forth under its current medium-term business strategy.”
The statement goes on to explain the company’s expectations for this merger, saying that “SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. has developed numerous AAA high-definition (HD) games and possesses a wealth of intellectual property (IP) and content. Luminous Productions Co., Ltd. is meanwhile equipped not only with AAA title development capabilities but also technical expertise in areas such as game engine development. Combining the two entities will further enhance the Group’s ability to develop HD games.”
Meanwhile, a Tweet from Luminous Productions takes time to thank fans and outline the studio’s movements during its final few months. “Between now and [May 1] we remain entirely focused on Forspoken. We are currently working on the previously announced patch to address overall game performance (we will deliver an update soon) and the DLC, In Tanta We Trust, is on track for release this summer.”
https://twitter.com/LumiPro_EN/status/1630449903385329665?s=20
While Forspoken received a lukewarm critical reception, the game did show a lot of promise that may have been realised in future projects.
We gave Forspoken a 6.5, saying that “Despite some moments of genuine enjoyment, with a combat system that does its best to entertain, Forspoken never makes the most of its potential. Ultimately, there are bigger, bolder and more inventive action games both already out there and soon to be upon us in an already stacked 2023 release schedule.”
Are you surprised by this merger? Have you played Forspoken? Let us know in the comments or on our social media.
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