In the "medium to long term", Square Enix "will accelerate our efforts to strengthen our internal development capabilities by further expanding our internal talent pool, while also more quickly concentrating our resources on the development of titles that are competitive globally." In other words, it wants to commit to its own projects while expanding its portfolio.
When you consider how many new games Square Enix released in 2022, this all makes sense. Indeed, the company also wants to refocus its publishing efforts, as Matsuda notes the importance of "end-to-end global publishing". Previously, the company's Japanese and Western publishing arms operated somewhat independently. Matsuda goes on to clarify that the goal is to become "One Square Enix".
But of course, evident consolidation can only mean one thing in this current gaming climate: Square Enix is preparing itself for a big sale. Or at least, that's what people on forums and social media would have you believe. Rumours of Sony snapping up Square Enix have been doing the rounds for ages now, and they've been fairly relentless. The whispers have started up again following this letter from Matsuda, as consolidation has long been equated to new management, and transforming a business into something that's more attractive to potential buyers.
We'll take more convincing, though. For as long as these rumours have been doing the rounds, there's been no concrete evidence to suggest that Square Enix wants to be bought. And with Microsoft's acquisition of Activison Blizzard still facing opposition from competition watchdogs, we can't imagine that Sony would make a similar move anytime soon.
