Official Square Enix Survey/Poll

[Tanooki]

We could use a real Mario RPG 2, the Paper Mario series is just awful and insult to it in every way. The Mario & Luigi games aren't terrible, but they're still not at the level of quality Square put into that one title by any means.

I'm with the other comments though FF7 does not need nor deserve wasted resources on a remake -- it was the first in the downward spiral for the franchise. Up to that point there was this general level of quality you could look towards from the 3 of the 6 games we did receive in the day and it and especially 8 missed it. FF4-6 really hit the high bar with the series. They do have their moments with a game here or there, but that's about it, no consistency anymore.

[Hazerd]

We could use a real Mario RPG 2

Im a firm believer in if they wait too long in between sequels, the sequel will suck, the same applies to movies.

Also if they do make one, it should be a eshop title and have 16 bit graphics.

[Xeogred]

It symbolizes how Square has never improved since Final Fantasy 6.

Seiken Densetsu 3 came out in 1995.

[dunpeal2064]

And Vagrant Story came out in 2000

[dsheinem]

Here to rain on everyone's parade:

A quick glance at development histories suggests that Square(soft) released about 35-45 RPGs in North America in the ~20 years prior to the Enix merger in 2003. About half of these were Final Fantasy games, and there are maybe ~10 unique IPs across the rest (FF, Chrono, Front Mission, Mana, SaGa, Evermore, Xenogears, Threads, Vagrant Story, Kingdom Hearts, etc.).

In the ~10 years since the merger, SquareEnix has released about twice that number of new RPGs, a ton of remakes, re-releases, and spin-offs of games from the pre-merger years, and just about as many new IPs (Radiata Stories, Drakengard, Fullmetal Alchemist, The World Ends With You, Infinite Undiscovery, Last Remnant, Nier, Bravely Default, etc.).

Now clearly the quality of the new IPs is not (yet) as good as those of old, but nonetheless there are some excellent new franchises still coming out of SquareEnix and even more love shown for the stalwart franchises than we saw in the pre-merger years. I just don't see Square's present as that much divorced from its past...they are still making a ton of RPGs (many of which are still FF-related) and they are still clearly taking a lot of cues from tradition JRPG design principles.

Beyond all of that, it is worth noting a lot of old talent that was at Square prior to the merger has left to do some really cool stuff elsewhere, giving us even MORE games in the vein of older Square IPs. I feel like, from the pure perspective of choice, there's never been a larger slate of quality RPGs available than in the past 10 years or so. Many of those are still directly or indirectly tied to the Square name.

[Exhuminator]

And Vagrant Story came out in 2000

But Matsuno's still alive bro.

there's never been a larger slate of quality RPGs available than in the past 10 years or so. Many of those are still directly or indirectly tied to the Square name.

The 3rd Birthday was great I don't care what anybody says.

[Gunstar Green]

It symbolizes how Square has never improved since Final Fantasy 6.

Seiken Densetsu 3 came out in 1995.

And not to sound like a broken record but Front Mission 5 (2005) is the de facto best game in the series.

We didn't get it but still.

[Exhuminator]

We didn't get it but still.

Well sir, we eventually did.

[Gunstar Green]

We didn't get it but still.

Well sir, we eventually did.

I'm aware, I can still be disappointed about a lack of official release.

[pepharytheworm]

Here to rain on everyone's parade:

A quick glance at development histories suggests that Square(soft) released about 35-45 RPGs in North America in the ~20 years prior to the Enix merger in 2003. About half of these were Final Fantasy games, and there are maybe ~10 unique IPs across the rest (FF, Chrono, Front Mission, Mana, SaGa, Evermore, Xenogears, Threads, Vagrant Story, Kingdom Hearts, etc.).

In the ~10 years since the merger, SquareEnix has released about twice that number of new RPGs, a ton of remakes, re-releases, and spin-offs of games from the pre-merger years, and just about as many new IPs (Radiata Stories, Drakengard, Fullmetal Alchemist, The World Ends With You, Infinite Undiscovery, Last Remnant, Nier, Bravely Default, etc.).

Now clearly the quality of the new IPs is not (yet) as good as those of old, but nonetheless there are some excellent new franchises still coming out of SquareEnix and even more love shown for the stalwart franchises than we saw in the pre-merger years. I just don't see Square's present as that much divorced from its past...they are still making a ton of RPGs (many of which are still FF-related) and they are still clearly taking a lot of cues from tradition JRPG design principles.

Beyond all of that, it is worth noting a lot of old talent that was at Square prior to the merger has left to do some really cool stuff elsewhere, giving us even MORE games in the vein of older Square IPs. I feel like, from the pure perspective of choice, there's never been a larger slate of quality RPGs available than in the past 10 years or so. Many of those are still directly or indirectly tied to the Square name.

Here to rain on your parade:

Comparing just Square(soft) to a merger of two companies doesn't make much sense. You should be comparing Square + Enix to Square Enix. Unless you are speaking about games developed by Square since Enix didn't really develop games. If that's the case your modern list of new ips has several developed by other studios. Drakengard, Fullmetal Alchemist, Radiata Stories, Infinite Undiscovery, Bravely Default and Nier all developed by other studios. That leaves only two left you mentioned. If you compare in house games developed by Square to games developed by Square Enix they are quite divorced from their past in regards to games released in the US.

Not counting re-releases, ports and remakes Square developed over 30 rpgs that made it to NA and Square Enix developed under 20 rpgs that made it to NA.