Square Enix Talks Innovation, Hardware Possibilities

In a continuation of a recent interview by Japanese newspaper Nikkei Business, Square Enix and Taito CEO Yoichi Wada has commented broadly on game industry innovation, as well as the possibility of new collaborative hardware developed by Square Enix and Taito. Taito itself was acquired by the esteemed publisher and developer in late 2005. In the interview, which was partially translated by consumer website GameSpot, Wada commented that more innovation is needed within the industry, and went so far as to say that “if we don't see some [next-generation] titles that differ from traditional games, the industry is in trouble.” He added that the Nintendo DS, which features a library that includes several titles that deviate from traditional games offered by other platforms, offers “an idea of the potential” for creating the sorts of new games and experiences “demanded” by users. He added: “Entertainment is not a necessity, so the users don't know what they should demand. It's up to the creators to think about this.” The outspoken executive also iterated that the current system of game design and development must change in order to meet the demand of users. However, he conceed that this change cannot be forced, and that “if we change all at once, the system will collapse, and since our profits are built on that system, it's a difficult question.” Finally, and undoubtedly most surprisingly, Wada revealed that after witnessing the success had by hardware such as the Nintendo DS and the iPod – both of which he noted created “a new environment based on hardware” - Square Enix is collaborating with Taito to create a new, presumably physical product in the future. However, no other details were released regarding this new project.