The board of directors of Japanese gaming giant Square Enix have proposed that long time president and representative director Yosuke Matsuda be replaced in the role by studio director Takashi Kiryu.
“Under the rapid change of business environment surrounding the entertainment industry, the proposed change is intended to reshape the management team with the goal of adopting ever-evolving technological innovations and maximising on the creativity of the company’s group in order to deliver even greater entertainment to its customers around the world,” wrote the company in its notification.
Square Enix has seen varying success over the past few years. While it’s seen great success with the likes of Final Fantasy XIV and Final Fantasy VII Remake, other games such as Marvel’s Avengers and Forspoken have been met with mixed reactions. Although the company seemingly has high hopes for 2023, with the release of both Final Fantasy XVI and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth scheduled, it appears that the company is eager to further its exploration in the world of Web3 technology.
The future of gaming?
Matsuda has made several statements indicating Square Enix’s support for blockchain technology, which seen the company face the ire of long-term fans. The appointment of Kiryu, who has a background in Web3, suggests that the company remains committed to exploring how emerging technologies can be utilised in its games, and is hoping to leverage the incoming president’s knowledge and experience to do so.
Kiryu’s appointment is expected to be confirmed in June, following the company’s annual shareholder’s meeting and the subsequent meeting of the board of directors.
Last month, Square Enix announced that it is shutting down Echoes of Mana less than a year after its release.