Rebuttal to "Square Getting a Big Head"

by Daniel Lopez

One-system loyalty is an idea as outmoded as the standard RPG itself. It borders on insanity, especially if there is more than one popular system out on the market. Squaresoft is in the business of making money, and if there's more than one popular system in Japan, there is no reason for Square to not make games for that system.

Square has not "made" anyone choose a video game system. Hironobu Sakaguchi never forced anyone to buy a PlayStation, or an SNES before it. What might have made people buy game systems in the past is desire, specifically the desire to have game experiences as enjoyable as the ones they've had before. If those experiences came primarily from one company's games, then people follow that company-no matter where it goes. By that token, then, it shouldn't matter what system Square is developing for. A Square fan will find his or her way to the games somehow, even if it means not buying the games as soon as they come out. A fan can wait until the time is right, or until sufficient funds are available to procure such luxuries as a second system and such.

On Square losing its mystique, the company never really had any mystique to begin with. It was a Role-Playing game company, plain and simple. That ended with its first PlayStation game, of course, as Tobal No. 1 was anything but a Role-Playing Game. Square has put out a great number of non-RPG games on the PlayStation, and no doubt they will continue this cross-genre trend in its future. More power to Square if it does, as a company that is a simple one-trick pony can become rather bland after time.

Finally, as far as Square having respect for its fans...No respect for fans should be given from creators, or rather, little consideration. Fans are fans because they liked what the creators created. The creators didn't ask for the fan's input for their work, and because it came from the minds of the creators, the fans like it. If Square to every request from their fans, their games wouldn't much be theirs anymore. While it is important to listen to the fans, it is more important to maintain the holy "artistic intent" or creative intent that is behind a new work in the first place.

Squaresoft can do whatever it bloody well wants to. If the fans don't like it, they can stop being fans at any time, and more importantly, they can stop buying Square's games as well. Should Square decide to develop for more than one system, there will be people complaining about the multiple-system development, but there will be far more people that just like the variety that can come from a company doing business on more than one system.

Original Editorial: Square Getting A Big Head