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Square Enix President Says Nintendo Switch Is Ideal For Retro Reboots

Looks like Switch owners can look forward to a number of retro-flavored remakes and reboots.

Kevin Tucker

November 21, 2017 5:20 PM

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For many game fans, the names Square, Squaresoft, and Square Enix are synonymous with old-school action and top-tier RPG experiences. Final Fantasy, the company's longstanding flagship series, has paved the way for Square Enix to become a powerhouse studio in the RPG scene. And, especially considering that modern Square Enix fans were weaned on Squaresoft and Enix's 8- and 16-bit games, the company has emerged as one of the top developers creating retro-minded games, such as I Am Setsuna, upcoming title Lost Sphear, and the delightfully-old-school Project Octopath Traveler that got a demo earlier this year.

This clasically-styled outlook is clearly working out for the company, and apparently the success of the aforementioned titles means that Square Enix has started thinking of the Nintendo Switch as an ideal machine for bringing previous-gen experiences into the modern fold. Speaking to Gematsu, Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda mirrored this notion, stating a belief that the Switch is ideally-suited for retro gaming experiences.

"We base our development resource allocations on the unique attributes of each platform," Matsuda said. "In particular, Nintendo Switch makes it easier for us to leverage our back catalog of assets and expertise, so we want to be proactive in creating new IP and rebooting past titles for that platform.

While it's not immediately clear which franchises the company is considering remaking or rebooting for the Nintendo Switch, it's fair to say that any big-name series could make a return. If the current progress on Project Octopath Traveler is any indication, it seems this plan has a solid foundation. Let's just hope the new portable incarnations aren't as bad as the modern ports of games like Final Fantasy VI.

Kevin Tucker

Guides Editor

Kevin Tucker is a core component of Shacknews' powerful guide development team. For questions, concerns, tips, or to share constructive criticism, he can be reached on Twitter @dukeofgnar or through e-mail at kevin.tucker@shacknews.com.