Square Enix Adds Deus Ex Delay, Signaling Low Profit Margins

Square Enix is undergoing harsh times at the Japanese headquarters. According to Gamasutra, the publisher has slashed its yearly profit forecast from 12 billion yen to 1 billion yen, a 90 percent reduction.

Making matters worse, the publisher has opted to delay Eidos Montreal’s Deus Ex: Human Revolution which was slated for release before March 2011. Now the game will launch sometime after April 2011. Previously, it was recognized that the PS3 release of Final Fantasy XIV would be delayed to address key developmental concerns stemming from the lackluster launch of the PC version. The lack of a review (we’ve had the review copy since September) and extension of its free trial period is indicative of the disaster. Delays are a factor, as the PS3 release of FFXIV, Deus Ex, and the long-awaited Tomb Raider reboot are heavily anticipated titles in 2011 for Square Enix.

2010 looked like a banner year for Square-Enix RPGs: Final Fantasy XIII, Dragon Quest IX, and Kingdom Hearts. Yet delays, underperforming titles, and the critical reception towards their key MMORPG franchise certainly doesn’t help.