Former Square Enix business director Jacob Navok says the company missed a huge opportunity by not following the free-to-play live service model that made Genshin Impact a global success.
Navok said Square Enix “failed to capture a new generation of players” because it stayed focused on traditional full-price game releases while the industry moved toward free-to-play ecosystems built around long-term engagement.
He believes the company should create “modern ongoing free-to-play games” and explore bigger crossover ideas, including collaborations between Final Fantasy and K-Pop.
Navok also said “excessive internal bureaucracy” slowed the company and made it harder to adapt to changes in the gaming industry.