Square Enix is winding down several live-service and mobile titles, including Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis and Final Fantasy XIV Mobile, while pushing forward with new console releases, expansions, and collaborations across its major franchises.
Square Enix's recent output shows a company in transition, closing legacy live-service experiments while doubling down on its core console franchises. The shutdown of Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis in October 2026 and the cancellation of Final Fantasy XIV Mobile's global version, alongside the termination of the Tencent license, mark a retreat from the mobile gacha space. The producer's letter for Ever Crisis cited the difficulty of maintaining quality worthy of the Final Fantasy VII name, a rare public acknowledgment of the strain of live-service demands.
On the console side, Square Enix is actively expanding its presence on the Nintendo Switch 2, releasing Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster, Octopath Traveler and its sequel, and Star Ocean: The Second Story R on the new hardware. The Final Fantasy XIV Switch 2 version launched on August 4 with a free month, and the upcoming expansion Silver Wanderer, set for January 2027, introduces the new tank job Bastion and a crossover raid with Final Fantasy VII Remake. The company is also reviving dormant properties: Final Fantasy Resonance, an HD-2D adaptation of the defunct Brave Exvius, launches in October, and the president hinted at a possible Foamstars revival if fan demand is strong.
Square Enix is also consolidating its publishing operations. The EXTREME EDGES label, which brought Western games to Japan for 16 years, closed in July, with the company stating overseas titles are now widely accepted. Meanwhile, the manga division continues to expand, with new licenses and artbook releases, and collaborations with Google's Gemini and Drecom's Wizardry Variants Daphne show a willingness to partner across industries.
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At Google Cloud Next Tokyo 26, Square Enix programmer Takatomo Sakuma detailed the Gemini implementation behind Chatty Slime, the AI adventure companion in Dragon Quest X Online. The feature uses a multi-agent system with the Gemini Live API, a security layer, and Google Cloud's Agent Runtime and Agent Development Kit. A closed beta ran from April to May 2026, with full release planned for the latter half of version 8.
Square Enix will release Kingdom Hearts Collection [I-III] on October 8, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The collection bundles three packages: Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 Remix, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind, together containing seven games, three HD video works, and the Re Mind downloadable content. The price is 11,000 yen. The physical version is available for PS5 and Switch 2 and requires an internet connection to download additional data. Each title is also sold separately as a digital version, with prices of 5,280 yen for HD 1.5+2.5 Remix and III + Re Mind, and 4,180 yen for HD 2.8. The HD 1.5+2.5 Remix is also compatible with the original Nintendo Switch. To promote the release, Square Enix published six YouTube Shorts introducing Disney and Pixar worlds such as Toy Box, Timeless River, Wonderland, Deep Space, Monstropolis, and The Caribbean. Purchase bonuses include exclusive weapons for Kingdom Hearts III: Long Night on Switch 2, Midnight Blue on PS5, and Phantom Green on Xbox and Windows. Pre-orders include 48-hour early access.
Disney and Square Enix announced at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event 2026 that Kingdom Hearts IV will release in the latter half of 2027. The game is planned for PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, Microsoft Store on Windows), PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. The announcement ends a long silence that had stretched since the game was first revealed in April 2022. Director Tetsuya Nomura has stated there will be no delays and the game will arrive in 2027. The new entry begins the Lost Master arc, following the conclusion of the Dark Seeker saga in Kingdom Hearts III. The story opens with protagonist Sora waking up in Quadratum, a world similar to but different from modern-day Tokyo, while Donald and Goofy search the underworld for clues about him. In response to the concrete release window, players have been returning to older entries on Steam. Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind have all set new concurrent player records. The series is also on sale at 70 percent off until August 21, with the three-game bundle priced at 5,148 yen including tax.
Takara Tomy will release the board game Dragon Quest Life Game on October 24 for 7,150 yen. Preorders are open on Amazon. Players become adventurers, gather gold with companions, and the one with the most gold at the end wins. The game includes familiar monsters, job changes, and small medals.
Square Enix released new Kingdom Hearts IV screenshots showing Riku, Mickey, Donald, Goofy, and Sora, along with the Remember Me world. The company also published the full Japanese dubbed version of the D23 2026 trailer, which includes a segment where players control Mickey and a battle scene with Donald and Goofy. The game is slated for release in late 2027.
Disney announced at D23 on August 15 that Kingdom Hearts is being adapted into an original anime series, titled Kingdom Hearts The Series, for Disney Channel and Disney+. The project is a co-production between Disney Kids & Family and Square Enix, with franchise creator Tetsuya Nomura and the Square Enix creative team involved. The series will feature a completely new story, not a direct adaptation of any game narrative, and will expand the Kingdom Hearts universe while bringing back established characters. The announcement did not reveal the animation studio, voice cast, or release date. A teaser visual shows a mysterious boy holding a Keyblade in a design that evokes Japanese animation. Disney Kids & Family president Ayo Davis said the series will be "unmistakably Kingdom Hearts" while allowing fans to experience the worlds they love in a new way. The announcement follows a previous attempt at a Kingdom Hearts animated series in the early 2000s, which was shelved. The game franchise has shipped over 39 million units worldwide since its 2002 debut.
Square Enix e-STORE began accepting reservations on August 13 for two new Final Fantasy XIV food items: Fat Chocobo Curry, a mild retort curry priced at 1,080 yen, and Gummies Energy Drink GG, canned gummies shaped like Giant Beavers with an energy drink flavor, priced at 1,900 yen. Both ship October 16, 2026.
Square Enix announced the official PvP tournament Crystal Conflict Region Championship 2026 Japan Powered by Logicool G will hold its qualifying rounds on August 22, 23, 29, and 30, with all matches streamed live on YouTube. Sixteen teams that advanced through preliminary blocks will compete, with winners moving to the finals at Fan Festival 2026 in Tokyo in October for a 3 million yen prize.
Square Enix will release a sightseeing guidebook for Final Fantasy XIV on October 16, 2026, priced at 1,980 yen including tax. Titled 'Final Fantasy XIV Eorzea Sightseeing Guide: La Noscea / The Black Shroud / Thanalan / Mor Dhona,' the book covers the game's setting of Eorzea across four regions. It introduces basic knowledge for sightseeing in each area, such as the sea, forest, and desert, along with recommended activities and local cuisine. The guide also includes themed tour proposals, including ruins, ghost tours, and scenic spot tours. A special feature titled 'Play to Your Heart's Content! The Complete Gold Saucer Guide' is included. Reservations are now being accepted at the Square Enix e-STORE. The book is part of a broader release of Final Fantasy XIV merchandise on the same date, including five apparel items from the Lit Bāff Apt. brand, such as kung-fu track jackets inspired by Doman mahjong and a Sugar Riot sweatshirt.
Yoko Umezu, the manga artist behind Vermeil in Gold, died on July 7 due to an ischemic stroke, according to an announcement from the editors of Square Enix's Monthly Shonen Gangan magazine on Wednesday. The editors stated that a private funeral was held, attended only by close relatives. The magazine also announced that Vermeil in Gold, which Umezu illustrated and Kouta Amana wrote, has ended with the chapter that ran in the June 12 issue. The editorial staff said they will announce details regarding the publication of the series' uncollected chapters at a later date. Amana and Umezu launched the manga in Monthly Shonen Gangan in August 2018. Square Enix published the manga's 11th compiled book volume on June 11. The manga's television anime adaptation premiered in July 2022, directed by Takashi Naoya at Staple Entertainment, with scripts by Tatsuya Takahashi and character design by Kiyoshi Tateishi. HIDIVE streamed the anime as it aired in Japan, and also streamed an English dub. Umezu also drew the Minidura spinoff manga of Ryohgo Narita's Durarara!! light novel series, which ran in Kadokawa's Dengeki Maoh magazine from 2013 to 2015.
Square Enix reported first-quarter results for the fiscal year ending March 2027, with net sales up 32.3% to 78.4 billion yen and operating income up 88.6% to 17 billion yen. HD game sales nearly doubled to 17.7 billion yen, and total game software units rose from 4.01 million to 7.38 million, with downloads accounting for about 90%.
Square Enix Holdings reported its consolidated results for the first quarter of fiscal year ending March 2027 on August 10, 2026, covering April 1 to June 30. The company recorded net sales of 78.423 billion yen, up 32.3 percent year on year, operating income of 17.008 billion yen, up 88.6 percent, and ordinary income of 18.766 billion yen, up 172.4 percent. This marks the first quarter with year-on-year revenue and profit growth since the third quarter of fiscal year ending March 2022, roughly four and a half years ago. The Digital Entertainment segment drove the gains, with sales up 51.8 percent to 49.96 billion yen and operating income up 91.8 percent to 15.583 billion yen. Within that segment, HD games saw sales rise by 8.8 billion yen to 17.7 billion yen and operating income increase by 5.1 billion yen to 6.1 billion yen. The company attributed the performance to new titles such as Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and Microsoft Store, and Adventure Elliot's Millennial Story, along with strong catalog sales. MMO revenue and profit also grew, though profit rose only slightly by about 30 million yen due to costs for the upcoming expansion 8.0, Silver Wanderer, set for early 2027. Smart device and PC browser segments also improved, supported by Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest Smash Glow. Full-year forecasts remained unchanged.
Square Enix released Final Fantasy XIV for Nintendo Switch 2 on August 4. The launch includes three package tiers and a free trial covering most of four expansions. GAME Watch took the game to Tottori Sand Dunes to test it in a real desert setting, covering setup, account linking, and cloud-based UI transfer.
Wizardry Variants Daphne will start a collaboration with Final Fantasy XI on July 30, its first with another company's IP. Drecom's Keisuke Kanayama and Square Enix's Yoji Fujito discussed the collaboration's origins in an interview, with a full article planned soon.
Square Enix released patch ver.0.9.5 for KILLER INN, its early access deception multiplayer game on Steam, on August 7. The update adds the Revival respawn function, which lets defeated players become ghosts and interfere with the match by sending hints to allies or causing confusion. After a set time in ghost form, a player can revive once while retaining XP and gold. The patch also introduces two new characters: the Psychometrist, who can track the killer by investigating corpses, and the Journalist, who can display all items and player locations on the map. Both are investigation-focused, adding new layers to the game's suspicion-driven play. KILLER INN is an asymmetric online multiplayer game supporting up to 24 players, set in a mysterious old castle where a small wolf team hunts a larger sheep team. It lacks discussion or voting elements, instead relying on fast-paced, skill-based PvP combat with firearms, melee weapons, armor, and traps. Sheep players can also win by collecting keys to escape on a ship. The patch also includes balance and UI adjustments. A 75% discount sale runs until August 21, dropping the price to 300 yen including tax.
Mash Style Lab released the second wave of the Dragon Quest x Gelato Pique loungewear collaboration on August 7. The collection features newly drawn original art of Slime, Watahou, Baby Satan, and other monsters across knit, cut and sewn, and goods items, sold at stores and online.
Nobuo Uematsu's three-night talk event on the Final Fantasy VII soundtrack used Square Enix-provided para data to explain the music track by track. He said the PS's 24-voice polyphony was split between music and sound effects, so he asked the sound effects team for 16 channels for music. He also discussed why BGM was not streamed from CD-ROM.
Square Enix will release Dragon Quest Monster Shogi Lets catch monsters! on December 18 for 2,420 yen. The mini shogi set uses a 3x4 board with eight monster pieces, each marked with slime symbols showing legal moves. It includes a carrying bag and targets players aged four and up.
gelato pique released a teaser video on X for its SPECIAL COLLECTION collaboration with Square Enix's Dragon Quest. The video shows two slimes and reads "7.28 tue 12:00 Coming soon..." New products inspired by the RPG are expected. The brands collaborated in 2025 on loungewear and nap cushions.
Square Enix announced at FINAL FANTASY XIV Fan Festival 2026 in Berlin that Mahiro Maeda will join the collaboration alliance raid Ghost of Desire, planned for Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail. Maeda, an animator affiliated with Khara, will handle numerous designs for the Neon Genesis Evangelion crossover.
DESTINY 8, the official band for Square Enix's SaGa series, will hold its first one-man live, DESTINY 8 THE FIRST LIVE, on September 21 at Shibuya WWW X in Tokyo. The band is led by composer Kenji Ito and includes five other musicians. Tickets with an autograph session cost 12,000 yen, general admission 8,200 yen, plus a 600 yen drink fee.
Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan magazine announced on July 24 that Ryuto's The Faceless Mercenary Wants to Settle Down light novel series is getting a manga adaptation, drawn by Daichi Matsuse, launching in the magazine's next issue on August 25. Seven Seas Entertainment will publish the first novel volume digitally on October 27.
Square Enix began service for the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Final Fantasy XIV on August 4, 2026, starting around 7:00 PM JST. To stabilize servers, the service usage fee is free for approximately one month from launch. After that, the 30-day free period included with the product begins, followed by standard service fees. Players who already play on other platforms must pay a separate service fee for the Switch 2 version, but if they have remaining playable days on another platform, the fee is half price. The game can be played without a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, but a Nintendo account and a Square Enix account are required. A free trial version is also available on the Nintendo Store, letting players experience content up to level 80, covering A Realm Reborn, Heavensward, Stormblood, and Shadowbringers. Character data from the trial carries over to the full version. To celebrate the launch, the Complete Pack is 30% off until August 12 at 23:59, dropping from 6,380 yen to 4,466 yen. The Collector's Edition is also discounted to 10,472 yen from 14,960 yen.
Square Enix held the FINAL FANTASY XIV Fan Festival 2026 in Berlin on July 25 and 26, where the keynote speech delivered a wave of new information for the MMORPG. The new tank job Bastion was unveiled, a main tank that fights with a weapon called Magakou, which combines a shield, melee weapon, and ranged weapon on both arms. Bastion will be implemented in the latest expansion Hakkin no Wanderer, scheduled for release in January 2027. The keynote also announced a new 8-person raid collaboration with the FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE series, titled BEYOND THE LIFESTREAM, with scenario by Motomu Toriyama, supervision by Kazushige Nojima, and design supervision by Tetsuya Nomura. The Nintendo Switch 2 version of FFXIV will release on August 4, with free service for about one month after release. Other details included a new battle difficulty between Normal and Savage, a rebuilt buddy chocobo system, and the Character Action Skins system. The Evangelion collaboration alliance raid Ghosts of Desire will feature Mahiro Maeda as a special guest artist and designer.
The manga Yang Can't Live Alone is ending its serialization on Square Enix's Manga UP! service, following a public breakdown in trust between creator sooncha and the publisher. sooncha announced the decision on X on Monday, August 3, stating that the series will conclude with the third part of Chapter 15 on August 13. The creator cited a "breakdown in the relationship of trust" with Manga UP! as the reason for the cancellation. sooncha is currently in talks with the editorial department to have the copyright reverted so the story can continue elsewhere. The third compiled volume remains scheduled for release on August 6, and sooncha noted that publication could not be halted in either print or digital format. The creator advised readers uncomfortable with the situation to cancel their pre-orders. Manga UP! issued its own statement on August 4, acknowledging shortcomings in how the assigned editor handled serialization and promotional work, and admitting that attempts to rebuild trust, including changing the editor, were unsuccessful. The publisher apologized to readers and the creator. The series launched on Manga UP! in December 2024, and the second volume shipped on November 7.
Drecom opened the collaboration event between its 3D dungeon RPG Wizardry Variants Daphne and Square Enix's MMORPG Final Fantasy XI on July 30, 2026. The event, titled "Castle of the Deep Dark Fantasy," runs until September 10 at 12:59. It adds a collaboration-exclusive dungeon and story where a suspicious castle appears in Northern Hollow, the lord's sons go missing, and players must track the ghost castle to bring them back. Three Final Fantasy XI characters join as new adventurers: Prishe, the Cursed Child of Tavnazia, voiced by Aya Hirano; Iroha, the Singer of the Star's Song, voiced by Inori Minase; and Zeid, the Black Iron Whirlwind, voiced by Shin-ichiro Kamio. Players can obtain one of six recruitment items during the event, choosing among these three collaboration adventurers or three legendary adventurers: Red Beard, the Rebel Against God; Arboris, King of the Sea of Trees; and Avenius, the Flash. The collaboration also introduces Relic Weapons, special equipment obtainable with Gil and upgradeable through reforging, plus a Trade Broker in Northern Hollow Village for trading reforge materials. Special supplies and limited-time missions offer additional scrolls and Gil. A dedicated website includes a Collaboration Rank Test quiz and a promotional video.
Square Enix has opened pre-orders for a new line of mascot plush toys called Pocket Peoplets, featuring characters from Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Final Fantasy X. The lineup includes 11 characters total: Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, and Sephiroth from FF7R, and Tidus, Yuna, Wakka, Lulu, Kimahri, Auron, and Rikku from FF10. Each Pocket Peoplet is described as compact enough to fit in a pocket, with a soft, fluffy texture and large eyes designed for attaching to bags or displaying at home or in an office. Each mascot is priced at 2,090 yen (tax included). The release date is set for November 14, 2026. Pre-orders are available now through the Square Enix e-STORE, the company's official online shop. The product pages for each character are live on the store.
Drecom announced on July 24, 2026, that the 3D dungeon RPG "Wizardry Variants Daphne" (iOS, Android, PC) will begin a collaboration event with Square Enix's MMORPG "Final Fantasy XI" on July 30. The collaboration includes an item distribution within Final Fantasy XI: the equipment item "Mask of the Abyss," based on the player character "Masked Adventurer" from Wizardry Variants Daphne, will be given away during a distribution period scheduled for August. Further details of the event are to be announced in subsequent reports. To mark the collaboration, 4Gamer.net published a special conversation between Wizardry creator Robert Woodhead and former Square Enix developer Hiromichi Tanaka, who worked on the first three Final Fantasy titles. In the discussion, Tanaka noted that the ninja job in the original Final Fantasy was directly influenced by Wizardry, and that the medieval fantasy world brought to computers by Wizardry became a driving force for his work. Woodhead and Tanaka also reflected on the early days of computer game development, including packaging innovations and the experimental nature of titles like Wizardry IV.
Square Enix announced during the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2026 in Berlin on July 25 that the Nintendo Switch 2 version of the MMORPG will launch on August 4, 2026. Pre-orders began on the same day via the My Nintendo Store. As a stabilization period, service fees will be waived for approximately one month after launch. A free trial is also scheduled to begin at the same time. Existing players on other platforms will receive a 50% discount on service fees for the Switch 2 version. A Nintendo Switch Online subscription is not required to play. Various packages are available, including a Complete Pack at 30% off (4,466 yen) until August 12. The announcement was part of a broader keynote that also revealed details for the upcoming expansion Final Fantasy XIV: Silver Wanderer, scheduled for January 2027, including a new setting, two new jobs (with the tank role Bastion confirmed), and an eight-player raid series crossing over with Final Fantasy VII Remake.
Square Enix held the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2026 in Berlin on July 25, unveiling a wave of new details for the upcoming expansion pack Silver Wanderer, scheduled for release in January 2027. The keynote, led by producer and director Naoki Yoshida, introduced the new tank job Bastion, which wields a weapon called Magic Armor that functions as both a shield and a cannon, capable of switching between melee and ranged attacks. Bastion is an ancient martial art inherited by the royal family ruling Elsrend Island and starts at level 90, with its job quest beginning in Limsa Lominsa. The expansion is set in the Fourth World, an ice-bound realm where humanity lives on five giant airships called Continent Ships. Walkthrough videos showcased two of these ships: the Water Continent Ship Naglfar and the Fire Continent Ship Flinghorni. A new main quest system allows players to tackle branching areas in any order, with a Balance Adjust system automatically scaling monster levels in dungeons and FATEs to accommodate level differences. The main quest Part 2 arrives as Patch 7.56 on September 8, leading into the expansion. Post-launch, Patch 8.0 will introduce customizable teleport and job action animations, with further customization and expanded race-specific options like nose darkness for Lalafell and Viera and horn changes for Au Ra arriving in Patch 8.1.
Square Enix released the download version of Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster for Nintendo Switch2 on July 23, featuring a Game Boost Function that lets players adjust game speed, character enhancement, and encounter rates. The package version follows on August 27 with a limited 25th anniversary sleeve.
On July 20, 2026, numerous anime, manga, and game franchises posted Marine Day greetings on social media. The Japanese national holiday, which honors the ocean and marks the end of the rainy season, prompted official accounts and creators to share beach-themed illustrations, character birthday messages, and promotional content. Among the posts, the official Kaiju No. 8 account promoted an upcoming original short anime titled "Narumi's Weekday" with a pun on the character's name and the kanji for sea. The MAPPA studio released a new illustration by Rie Nishimura for the soccer series DAYS, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026. The Sound! Euphonium account reminded followers that the film Sound! Euphonium: The Final Part 2 opens on September 11. Classroom of the Elite noted that July 20 is also the birthday of character Honami Ichinose. The That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime account promoted the streaming of its movie Tears of the Azure Sea on U-NEXT. The Chiikawa movie account promoted the July 24 release of Eiga Chiikawa: Ningyo no Shima no Himitsu. Voice actor Yuki Kaji posted a personal greeting, and the band Orange Range shared a summer song. The roundup, compiled by Anime News Network, spanned three articles covering dozens of entries.
Google and Square Enix announced a real-world collaboration event called Gemini Quest, running from July 30 to August 9 at five locations in Tokyo's Shibuya and Harajuku districts. The event lets participants use the Gemini generative AI app to take photos with giant monster statues, including Slimes, and then generate an image of themselves casting a Dragon Quest spell such as Merazoma or Ionazun. After completing the quest, participants receive a Small Medal as a reward, while supplies last. The monster encounter points include SHIBUYA109, MAGNET by SHIBUYA109, Tokyu Plaza Harajuku Harakado, and Takeshita-dori Park. Some locations require advance reservations. For those who cannot attend in person, a social activation via the Gemini app will run simultaneously. The collaboration follows a previous partnership between Square Enix and Google that produced the Chatty Slime conversational AI buddy for Dragon Quest X.
Square Enix and Tencent announced that Final Fantasy XIV Mobile will end service in mainland China on September 30, 2026. New user registrations and in-game purchases were suspended immediately. The companies also apologized for canceling the planned global version, citing business adjustments and market changes. The mobile game launched in China in June 2025 and was developed by Lightspeed Studios.
Square Enix released a second trailer for Final Fantasy Resonance on July 16 and opened pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch download versions. The game, an HD-2D offline adaptation of the first story arc of the defunct mobile title Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, launches on October 22 for Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and Microsoft Store. The Steam version releases a day later on October 23. The standard edition costs 7,678 yen, the Digital Deluxe Edition 9,878 yen, and the Collector's Edition 25,500 yen. The trailer shows the opening story, featuring protagonists Rain and Lasswell as they investigate the Earth Shrine and encounter the armored Veritas of the Dark. The game uses HD-2D graphics for the first time in a Final Fantasy title, with cutscenes rendered in a technique called Cinematic Pixel that converts 3D CG into pixel art. The turn-based battle system includes a job system and Visions that summon past Final Fantasy heroes. Pre-orders for the Switch 2 and Switch versions are available on the Nintendo eShop. The Japanese version of Final Fantasy Brave Exvius ended service in October 2025, and the English version in October 2024.
Square Enix and Tencent announced on July 17 that the Chinese version of Final Fantasy XIV Mobile will end service on September 30, about a year after its launch. The license agreement between the two companies is being terminated, and the planned global expansion is now uncertain.
Square Enix will implement Patch 7.55 for FINAL FANTASY XIV: Dawntrail on July 28. The update adds the Northern Expedition area for Mirage Island Crescent Isle, the final stage of the Phantom Weapon enhancement, a sequel to the Hildibrand Gold Chapter, and an Allied Tribe Extra Story. The patch wraps up several side storylines from the expansion.
Square Enix released the Nintendo Switch 2 version of STAR OCEAN THE SECOND STORY R on July 16, 2026. The remake of the 1998 original Star Ocean 2 now runs at 1080p resolution in both handheld and docked modes and targets 60 frames per second, up from 30fps on the original Switch release. Texture resolution, object density, and shadow quality have also been improved. Alongside the Switch 2 launch, Square Enix revised the price of the game across all existing platforms-PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch-from 6,578 yen to 5,478 yen, matching the new version's price. The game was originally released in November 2023. To mark the series' 30th anniversary, a Square Enix official livestream is scheduled for July 19 at 20:00 JST on YouTube. The program will review the series history, share development stories, and host a speedrun of the Switch 2 version. The live broadcast explicitly states that no announcements regarding new games will be made.
Square Enix announced on July 15, 2026, that the Final Fantasy XIV Hikari no Nouryousai 2026 in Shibuya Sakura Stage will be held on August 1 and 2. The event at the Shibuya Sakura Stage complex in Tokyo includes a traveling Eorzea Cafe offering takeout-only menu items, with laminated cards given as a novelty to early customers. A Final Fantasy XIV Pop-Up Shop will sell collaboration products from various brands and creators, previously available at a pop-up inside JR Kyoto Station in March. Customers who spend 3,000 yen or more at the shop receive an original clear card. On August 1, a public live broadcast commemorating the release of the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Final Fantasy XIV will take place. Participants include production manager Shoichi Matsuzawa, lead item designer Yosuke Hayashi, and community manager Kazuyoshi Mochizuki. The broadcast will feature product information and live gameplay on actual hardware. Additional activities include the cooperative game Ancient Allagan Control Panel, the Dance with Dancing Green beta test, and the real puzzle game Bridge Between Two Worlds encore. The official goods shop Square Enix Garden on the 3rd floor will sell new FFXIV merchandise in advance, and Square Enix Capsule Garden will offer new capsule toys. Participating restaurants in Shibuya Sakura Stage will distribute special stickers during the event period.
Square Enix released the Nintendo Switch 2 download versions of Octopath Traveler and Octopath Traveler II on July 14, 2026. Each game is priced at 5,478 yen, a reduction from the previous 7,480 yen price on other platforms. A digital bundle containing both titles is available for 6,820 yen, saving 4,136 yen over separate purchases. The release coincides with the series' 8th anniversary, which was celebrated with a program on July 13. The physical bundle of both games for Switch 2 is scheduled for October 1, 2026, also priced at 6,820 yen. Pre-orders for the physical edition are open, with purchase bonuses including digital wallpapers at the Square Enix e-STORE and original stickers at Amazon.co.jp. The Octopath Traveler series, developed by Acquire, uses the HD-2D visual style that blends pixel art with 3DCG. The series has sold over 7 million copies worldwide. No upgrade path from the existing Nintendo Switch versions is available.
Square Enix has launched the second part of its Summer Sale on PlayStation Store, Nintendo Store, and Nintendo eShop, running until July 29. Discounts include Star Ocean 6 at 65% off and other anniversary titles like FINAL FANTASY IV at 40% off. The sale also features first-time discounts for Life is Strange: Reunion Deluxe Edition.
The Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun manga will resume in the September issue of Square Enix's G Fantasy magazine on August 18. The series entered hiatus in the December 2025 issue, published on November 18, 2025, due to creator Iro Aida's medical treatment for an unspecified illness. The manga has been running since 2014 and has multiple anime adaptations. Yen Press publishes the English version.
Square Enix launched the SQEX Summer Sale Part 2 on PlayStation Store and Nintendo eShop on July 10, running until July 29. The sale offers discounts on anniversary titles including the Star Ocean series (30th anniversary), Final Fantasy IV (35th anniversary), and Dragon Quest series (40th anniversary). It also includes first-time sales for Life is Strange: Reunion Deluxe Edition and Twin Pack. PlayStation Plus subscribers get early access until July 14.
Square Enix announced on July 9, 2026, that it is closing its overseas game label, SQUARE ENIX EXTREME EDGES. The label, launched in 2010, specialized in bringing Western-developed titles to the Japanese market. Over its 16-year history, it handled releases including the Call of Duty series, Life is Strange, Hitman, Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Just Cause, Diablo III, PowerWash Simulator, and earlier titles like Kane & Lynch 2 and Supreme Commander 2. In a statement on the label's official blog and X account, the company explained that overseas titles have become widely accepted in Japan, making it no longer necessary to specifically market them as "western games." The label's blog and X account will be closed sequentially. Square Enix first established the label in April 2010 to strengthen sales of overseas games domestically, particularly after the company acquired Eidos in 2009. The announcement marks the end of a dedicated branding effort that bridged Japanese players to international releases for over a decade and a half.
Square Enix announced the end of service for FINAL FANTASY VII EVER CRISIS on October 7, 2026. The producer letter cited difficulty in providing quality that satisfies as a title bearing the FF7 name, particularly balancing production workload and demand for character weapons and gear graphics. The game launched on smartphone in September 2023 and on Steam in December 2023.
Anime News Network published a five-part roundup of Tanabata greetings from across the anime, manga, and video game industries on July 7, 2026. The collection includes wishes and illustrations from official accounts for series such as Bungo Stray Dogs, Detective Conan, My Hero Academia, Sakamoto Days, Doraemon, Chibi Maruko-chan, Hell's Paradise, and Dragon Quest. Video game franchises like Final Fantasy, Monster Hunter, and Like a Dragon also participated, alongside creators including Hideo Kojima, Yuki Kaji, and Shoko Nakagawa. Several series tied their posts to new releases: the second season of Yoroi Shin Den Samurai Troopers premiered on July 7, My Happy Marriage released a special Tanabata illustration and announced a three-episode special for 2026, and My Stepmother and Stepsisters Aren't Wicked began airing on July 8. The roundup also features greetings from manga titles like Chiikawa, MARRIAGETOXIN, and Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You, as well as from studios Tatsunoko Production and Square Enix.
Square Enix announced on July 8 that the free-to-play RPG Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis will end service on October 7, 2026 at 15:00 JST. The game, developed with Applibot, launched on iOS and Android in September 2023 and on PC via Steam in December 2023. It was billed as another possibility of the Final Fantasy VII remake and featured stories from across the compilation series, including original content like the Young Sephiroth arc. In a producer letter, Shoichi Ichikawa stated that it became difficult to balance production costs with player demand for character weapons and costumes, and that providing quality worthy of the Final Fantasy VII name was no longer feasible. Sales of the paid currency Red Crystals have stopped as of July 8 at 11:00. Refunds for unused paid currency will be issued later, with details to be announced in-game and on the official website. Players are advised not to delete the app or change devices until the refund process is complete. The game will have run for approximately three years. A roadmap for the remaining service period has been released, and a PV for a new chapter is scheduled for July 8 at 17:00.
Yostar announced a livestream on July 11 at 20:00 JST to commemorate the Azur Lane and NieR:Automata collaboration. The program will feature MC Mafia Kajita, special guest Ayaka Suwa (voice of A2), and Yostar staff Dai Miki. Details on the collaboration will be revealed, and an SNS campaign offering autographed colored paper will run during the broadcast.
At Square Enix's 46th Annual Shareholder Meeting on June 24, 2026, a shareholder asked about the future of the PlayStation party shooter Foamstars, which ended season updates in January 2025. President Takashi Kiryu responded that while he cannot make promises, the possibility of future developments is not zero if significant customer voices gather, and he will convey the opinions to the development team.
Square Enix Manga & Books announced eight new manga licenses and two Final Fantasy books during its Anime Expo panel on Thursday. The manga slate includes titles like Not Quite Love, My Classmate James, Inuta: My Canine Classmate, Daughter of the Dragon God, and Supervillain Boy, with releases starting January 2027.