As critics and fans continue to sing the praises of mesmerizing RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Final Fantasy studio Square Enix is taking note.
In a recent Square Enix shareholder meeting, one investor cited Expedition 33‘s success and its well-executed turn-based combat as a reason its own titles — namely Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest — should return to those mechanics.
An automated translation of the shareholder’s post on X (formerly Twitter) details dialogue shared with Square Enix execs:
“I explained by citing the example of former President Wada, under whom Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest titles were not released for a long time due to an obsession with quality, and the example of the previous President Matsuda, who released too many low-quality games as a result of prioritizing quantity. I mentioned that prolonged development makes it difficult to attract fans, and if development costs become too heavy due to extended timelines, even new Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy titles may fail to generate profits. Therefore, a balance between quality and quantity is essential.
“Above all, I emphasized the need to release the flagship titles, Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy, every year. Additionally, I expressed the desire for new Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy titles to be command-based RPGs, explaining this by referencing the shift in direction from FF16 and the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which gained attention in 2025.
The shareholder post closes with their retelling of Square Enix’s response. ” … the next three years of the medium-term plan will focus on delivering truly interesting games to users. However, beyond that, they plan to deliver many titles, including mid-tier ones, and are preparing for this, so they asked us to wait for announcements. Regarding command-based RPGs, they are aware of Expedition 33 and consider command-based RPGs to be Square Enix’s origin and foundation. They value the command-based RPG genre and plan to continue delivering games in this style in the future.”
Square Enix’s flagship releases have historically relied on turn-based mechanics. Among the studio’s most notable recent releases, however, is 2023’s Final Fantasy XVI, an entry that traded its trademark turn-based mechanics for more high-octane real-time combat. While the IP’s sixteenth release fared well with franchise fans and critics, it ultimately failed to meet sales expectations.
Meanwhile, Sandfall-developed Expedition 33 is already an early Game of the Year frontrunner. The dreamy JRPG, initially released in late April, has spent the better part of the last 60 days defying expected sales metrics. As previously reported, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is expected to get some new content soon, although the game’s team has yet to tease a tentative date.
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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