Square Enix Collective
Company typeDivision
IndustryVideo games
Founded2014[1]
FoundersPhil Elliott
HeadquartersBlackfriars, London, United Kingdom
Number of employees
4
ParentSquare Enix Limited
Websitecollective.square-enix.com

Square Enix Collective is an indie games division of Square Enix Limited.[2] Created by Phil Elliott in 2014, it is a self-titled "service provider for Indie developers", which helps get a developer's game published while they maintain their creative control.[1][3]

History

First announced by former journalist Phil Elliott in November 2013 at Game Developers Conference Next, former Eidos Interactive intellectual properties (IPs) were potentially available for developers.[4][5] In February 2015, Fear Effect, Gex and Anachronox were available to pitch.[6] Originally Collective partnered with Indiegogo for crowdfunding.[7][8]

In 2016, developers would submit a pitch to the company on a rolling basis. The pitches would then be presented to the public through the Collective's website, and a polling process would take place once a week, with anyone welcome to vote on the projects that excited them. While the polling process was not the sole determinate for which developers the Collective would assist, it played a pivotal role.[9] Square Enix took five percent of the games' revenue after fees.[10]

According to Square Enix, it helped with Kickstarter fundraising campaigns raising $1.2m in total.[2] Notable games which had campaigns include Moonlighter, Ultimate Chicken Horse and Moon Hunters. In October 2018, the company announced they would be closing their platform for campaign curation, instead focusing on larger and specific products without the element of public polling.[11] In August 2022, Bulkhead Interactive ended its relationship with Collective and said it was disappointed Battalion 1944 did not release on consoles.[12] In February 2023, Elliott left Square Enix and became CEO of publisher Modern Wolf.[13]

Games published

Main article: List of Square Enix Europe games
Release Title Developer(s) Platform(s) Ref(s).
2016 Goetia Sushee Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux [14]
The Turing Test Bulkhead Interactive PS4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch [15]
2017 Tokyo Dark Cherrymochi Microsoft Windows [16]
Children of Zodiarcs Cardboard Utopia Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Mac [17]
Black the Fall Sand Sailor Studio Microsoft Windows, PS4, Xbox One [18]
Deadbeat Heroes Deadbeat Productions Microsoft Windows [18]
Oh My Godheads Titutitech Microsoft Windows [18]
2018 Octahedron: Transfixed Edition Demimonde Nintendo Switch [19]
Fear Effect Sedna Sushee Microsoft Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Switch [20]
Forgotton Anne ThroughLine Games macOS, Microsoft Windows, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, iOS, Android [21]
Boundless Wonderstruck Games Microsoft Windows [22]
2019 Battalion 1944 Bulkhead Interactive Microsoft Windows [23]
2021 Circuit Superstars Original Fire Games PS4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Switch [24]
2022 PowerWash Simulator FuturLab Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5 [25]
2023 Little Goody Two Shoes AstralShift Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch [26]

References

  1. ^ a b Heaney, Duncan. "What is Square Enix Collective?". Square Enix. Archived from the original on 31 July 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  2. ^ a b "SQUARE ENIX | Collective - About". collective.square-enix-games.com.
  3. ^ Greene, Gavin (16 June 2015). "Square Enix Collective is Square Enix's effort to support indies". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  4. ^ Ligman, Kris (2013-11-07). "Square Enix shares its publishing vision for Collective". Game Developer. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  5. ^ "Square Enix's Collective program now open to developers". MCV/Develop. 2014-04-04. ISSN 1469-4832. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  6. ^ Wawro, Alex (2015-02-17). "Devs, you can now pitch your own Gex game to Square Enix". Game Developer. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  7. ^ "Details for developers - how Collective works | Square Enix Collective". Square Enix. 26 June 2014. Archived from the original on 26 June 2014.
  8. ^ Rose, Mike (8 October 2013). "Square Enix adopts crowdfunding model for new program". Gamasutra.
  9. ^ Couture, Joel (7 April 2016). "What Square Enix Collective looks for in indie games it assists". Game Developer. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  10. ^ Dring, Christopher (March 9, 2017). ""People will be cynical about our intentions" - Square Enix Collective". GamesIndustry.biz. Archived from the original on August 24, 2017. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
  11. ^ "Closing Submissions for 2018". Square Enix Collective. Slyrebirth. Archived from the original on 31 July 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  12. ^ Marie, Dealessandri (2022-08-10). "Bulkhead ends relationship with Square Enix". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  13. ^ Marie, Dealessandri (21 February 2023). "Phil Elliott to become CEO of Modern Wolf". GamesIndustry.biz.
  14. ^ "Goetia will be the first game to be published by Collective!". square-enix-games.com. Retrieved 2023-08-20.
  15. ^ Craddock, Ryan (January 24, 2020). "Square Enix Collective Reveals First-Person Puzzle-Shooter The Turing Test For Nintendo Switch". Nintendo Life. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  16. ^ "Tokyo Dark". Tokyo Dark. Cherrymochi. Archived from the original on 16 July 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  17. ^ Knezevic, Kevin (18 July 2017). "Classic-Style PS4/PC Tactical RPG Children Of Zodiarcs Out Now". GameSpot.
  18. ^ a b c Smith, Adam (16 March 2017). "Square Enix Collective bringing seven games to Rezzed". Rock, Paper, Shotgun.
  19. ^ "Review: Octahedron: Transfixed Edition - Twitch Platforming In Yet Another Definitive Switch Port". Nintendo Life. 14 January 2019.
  20. ^ Saed, Sherif (2016-04-07). "There's a new Fear Effect coming, and it's not what you think". VG247. Retrieved 2023-05-19.
  21. ^ "Forgotton Anne". Forgotton Anne. Archived from the original on 22 July 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  22. ^ Pereira, Bryant (2018-09-11). "Square Enix Collective MMO Boundless Launches Today on PS4 and PC". GameSkinny. Retrieved 2023-05-19.
  23. ^ "Square Enix acquires stake in Bulkhead Interactive". Square Enix. 2018-11-06.
  24. ^ "Circuit Superstars". Square Enix. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  25. ^ "PowerWash Simulator launches July 14th on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows 10 & Steam!". Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  26. ^ Romano, Sal (17 August 2022). "Square Enix Collective to publish fairytale horror RPG Little Goody Two Shoes from Pocket Mirror developer AstralShift". Gematsu.

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