Square Enix Isn't Really Interested In Game Preservation

With the announcement that PlayStation will no longer support physical releases from 2028 onward, game preservation has once again become a hot topic in the gaming community.

The topic of original versions of games being unavailable to play on modern systems was raised at a recent Square Enix shareholder meeting, and the company's response wasn't promising.

Square Enix's Approach To Preservation Is Weak

This is especially relevant for Square Enix because the company has a massive catalogue of spin-offs, mobile games and decades-old software that could become very hard to preserve without company support.

"How we enable customers to enjoy a game after service depends on the nature of the title," Square Enix answered. "For instance, for the Nier series, we share information through official livestreams. For other titles, we preserve cutscenes on video streaming platforms."

"We will continue to create pathways befitting each title to ensure that players are able to enjoy them even after service has ended or the story has reached its end," the answer ends.

No disrespect to Square Enix, but acknowledging the existence of older titles and leaving cutscenes on YouTube isn't exactly tantamount to proper game preservation.

There are several instances within Square Enix's own back catalogue where the original version of a game is unavailable, with only remasters available to purchase.

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Everyone loves the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, but what happens when the original Final Fantasy 7 is no longer available? We've seen companies like Koei Tecmo delist base versions of games to upsell consumers on soft remasters or 'upgraded' versions.

In a world where physical media is becoming extinct, and without legal protections, we are at the mercy of publishers. A publisher can deactivate and delist a game at its own discretion, potentially depriving everyone of a piece of gaming history.

Unfortunately, preservation is seen as superfluous to publishers because it doesn't generate revenue. The elimination of physical media will only exacerbate this issue, which is why the backlash to Sony's decision has been so fierce.

However, without specific consumer legislation, such as that advocated for by Stop Killing Games, we are beholden to the whims of corporations.

Square Enix