Square Enix has revealed that Luminous Productions, the developer behind Forspoken, is being merged into the company. The announcement is being regarded by many as a strange development, being that the developer behind the new fantasy RPG is already a studio under Square Enix, having operated as one of the Final Fantasy publisher’s chief subsidiaries. A press release that Square Enix posted to its corporate website today would suggest that Luminous Productions is still in good graces with the company, although critics of Forspoken are insisting that this is probably just PR spin, alluding to growing disfavor that was prompted by the polarizing and/or controversial reception of the game.
From a Square Enix press release:
SQUARE ENIX HOLDINGS CO., LTD. (headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo; President and Representative Director Yosuke Matsuda; hereinafter the “Company”) announces that it will merge its wholly owned subsidiary Luminous Productions Co., Ltd. into its wholly owned subsidiary SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. effective Monday, May 1, 2023.
The merger 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. 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.