It is possible that you are familiar with the name Luminous Productions, the studio responsible for the action RPG Forspoken, which was recently released on PlayStation 5 and PC. In case you are interested, you can read our Forspoken Review that we published upon its release. At the time of its launch, the studio was a subsidiary of Square Enix, but recent news suggests that this will no longer be the case.
An announcement has been made by Square Enix which to sum it up means that Luminous Productions are actually soon no longer going to a subsidiary of Square Enix. As of 5/1/2023, they will in fact become part of Square Enix as the two companies will merge. This means the studio will no longer exist as its own independent studio. It was announced as a “reorganization within the Square Enix group”.
Luminous Productions Merger Details – The Future Of Forspoken
The official announcement from Square Enix reads as
Tokyo, Japan (February 28, 2023) – SQUARE ENIX HOLDINGS CO., LTD. (headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo; President and Representative Director Yosuke Matsuda; hereinafter the “Company”) announces that it will merge its wholly owned subsidiary Luminous Productions Co., Ltd. into its wholly owned subsidiary SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. effective Monday, May 1, 2023.
The merger is part of the Company’s efforts to further bolster the competitive prowess of the Group’s development studios, a goal set forth under its current medium-term business strategy. SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. has developed numerous AAA high-definition (HD) games and possesses a wealth of intellectual property (IP) and content. Luminous Productions Co., Ltd. is meanwhile equipped not only with AAA title development capabilities but also technical expertise in areas such as game engine development. Combining the two entities will further enhance the Group’s ability to develop HD games.
Could this affect Forspoken? The game was the studio’s initial release, but it wasn’t without its challenges. The development process was fraught with difficulties and several setbacks, and the full release received a mixed reception, with some players adoring it while others despised it. The PlayStation store has a demo available for people to try. Support for the game is still guaranteed, and there is a prequel DLC called “In Tanta We Trust” set to launch in the summer, which will be included in the deluxe edition for free.
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