[TJR]

Originally Posted by Westlo

2/ A subscription based MMO isn't exactly the same as selling a single player game, Square should know that after FF11 and FF14. The later one being an embarrassing flop for SquareEnix.

It depends on Square Enix's userbase and life cycle expectations. The business goal is stable earnings, so DQX could be extremely successful even with a fraction of the fanbase playing.

Obviously, Nintendo, Square Enix, and Armor Project want DQX to reach millions of gamers. However, I think they've also considered FFXI's (Square originally aimed for millions of players too. It didn't happen, but the semi-sizable fanbase and insane longevity made it a money making machine regardless) ability to co-exist with offline installments at no cost to franchise popularity.

In short, they probably don't see any long term risk even if the game doesn't perform as well as they hope. If they hit expectations half way (decent sized userbase that gets hooked on the game across several years), they can still call it big hit while preparing to roll out the next single-player installment.

It's still going to sell a lot, heck the name alone means a lot of people will buy this without even knowing it's an MMO... but it's not going to be the killer app the Wii U needed in Japan

I think Wii U support is just being shoehorned in given the bad timing (Wii lost steam unexpectedly fast, Wii U is just launching). When the project first started, Wii was probably all anyone had in mind.

Square Enix/Nintendo either expected the Wii life-cycle to last longer or are confident in their ability to make the game popular across succeeding platforms.

Also this is going to be the first DQ game devolved internally by SquareEnix

To be more accurate, it's the first 100% SE development. DQIX was sort of a transition in which an internal team (which included some long-time Dragon Quest and Square designers) collaborated with Level-5 and Armor Project to make the game.

Makes me think that they were already building the team and plans for DQX while they created IX.

and it's not going to do shit outside of Japan either.

Yep. I doubt the western market is a primary consideration.

In theory, FFXIV was supposed to be the MMORPG that handled the overseas side of things.