Tag: Circana

The director of Final Fantasy VII Remake is clear: young people do not connect with Final Fantasy

At Square Enix, they have a problem: Final Fantasy no longer connects with young people. A franchise historically known for connecting with teenagers and young adults is having trouble reaching its target audience. This is evidenced by the latest data from Circana, which states that 70% of players who bought Final Fantasy VII Rebirth in the United States were over 30 years old. Naoki Hamaguchi, the game’s director, claims to be “very aware of the need to consider how we can expand the potential of the Final Fantasy franchise as a whole for the next generation” and that at Square […]

At Square Enix, they have a problem: Final Fantasy no longer connects with young people. A franchise historically known for connecting with teenagers and young adults is struggling to reach its target audience.

Something that is demonstrated by the latest data from Circana, which states that 70% of players who bought Final Fantasy VII Rebirth in the United States were over 30 years old.

Naoki Hamaguchi, the game director, claims to be “very aware of the need to consider how we can expand the potential of the Final Fantasy franchise as a whole for the next generation” and that at Square Enix, when they finish the trilogy of Final Fantasy VII remakes, they want to “think about that expansion towards new audiences“.

On the other hand, this is not a new occurrence among the important leaders in the company. The director of Final Fantasy XIV and producer of Final Fantasy XVI, Naoki Yoshida, has also said something similar in the past. Stating that “the release intervals have stretched so much that some players simply have not had the chance to connect with the series as veteran fans did,” he believes that one of the reasons younger audiences connected with Final Fantasy was its fast release pace.

The numbers fit and do not add up

The data holds up. Between Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy X, the peak of the franchise’s popularity, seven years passed. Between Final Fantasy XII, XIII, XV, and XVI, seventeen years have passed. A whole lifetime for any child, teenager, or young adult.

For this reason, while it is impossible to prove that this is the cause of the franchise’s lack of popularity among young people, it seems to be a likely cause. Whether Square Enix will intervene on this, making more games faster or in another way, remains to be seen. Especially when Final Fantasy XVI, the latest game in the franchise, is from 2023 and a new installment has not yet been announced.

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Nintendo Switch 2 has been a launch success, but analysts believe it could fail due to a key aspect

The Switch 2, the highly anticipated Nintendo console, was launched in early June and achieved an impressive milestone by selling 1.6 million units in its first month, thus becoming the fastest-selling console in U.S. history. This outstanding start has generated both excitement and skepticism among industry analysts. Mat Piscatella, an analyst at Circana, warns that initial sales are not always a reliable indicator of long-term success. There have been cases where systems with extraordinary initial sales later disappointed, while others started with a performance […]

The Switch 2, the highly anticipated console from Nintendo, was launched in early June and achieved an impressive milestone by selling 1.6 million units in its first month, thus becoming the fastest-selling console in U.S. history. This outstanding start has generated both excitement and skepticism among industry analysts.

Mat Piscatella, Circana analyst, warns that initial sales are not always a reliable indicator of long-term success. There have been cases where systems with extraordinary initial sales later disappointed, while others started with slow performance but achieved great success later on. “It’s difficult to draw solid conclusions about long-term performance based solely on these initial data,” Piscatella commented.

Perhaps the audience that is not within Nintendo will not spend that money

In his projections, Piscatella estimates that the Switch 2 could sell around 4.3 million units in its first year. However, he invites us to consider that the margin of error in these projections is greater due to the current economic instability in the U.S. On the other hand, the launch of the Switch 2 has contributed to hardware spending reaching a new record of $978 million in June 2025, significantly surpassing the figure of $608 million recorded 17 years ago.

The Switch 2 has a price of $450, approximately $60 more than the original Switch, an increase that has not been an obstacle for enthusiasts who purchased the console since its launch. However, Piscatella warns that this price could affect sales among mass-market buyers during the upcoming holiday season. “Enthusiasts flocked to the store from day one. Now we need to see if they can attract mass-market gift buyers,” he concluded.

Nintendo’s expectations for the Switch 2 are high, and the company is expected to announce more sales figures in its upcoming earnings report on August 1. In the meantime, the industry will be watching how the console performs in the coming months.

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Nintendo Switch 2 breaks a record previously set by PlayStation 4

The Nintendo Switch 2 has set a new milestone in the video game industry by becoming the fastest-selling video game hardware device in U.S. history. During its launch month in June 2025, 1.6 million units were sold, surpassing the previous record of 1.4 million units sold by the PlayStation 4 in November 2013, a mark that stood intact for nearly 12 years. The console that has sold the most units in a shorter period of time Mat Piscatella, executive director and industry analyst of […]

The Nintendo Switch 2 has set a new milestone in the video game industry by becoming the fastest-selling video game hardware device in U.S. history. During its launch month in June 2025, 1.6 million units were sold, surpassing the old record of 1.4 million units sold by the PlayStation 4 in November 2013, a mark that remained intact for nearly 12 years.

The console that has sold the most units in the shortest period of time

Mat Piscatella, executive director and video game industry analyst at Circana, highlighted that, in addition to the impressive launch of the Switch 2, consumer spending on video game hardware and accessories reached record figures for the month of June. This demonstrates a renewed interest in the console market, despite previous concerns about potential price increases due to tariff rates.

The success of the Switch 2 was also reflected in the sales of its accessories. The Pro Controller, which had a connection rate of 32%, became the best-selling accessory in terms of dollars during the launch month. This means that for every three Switch 2 consoles sold, one Pro Controller was purchased, a figure that highlights the interest in enhancing the gaming experience.

Additionally, 82% of Switch 2 buyers chose to purchase a physical copy of Mario Kart World, highlighting the ongoing appeal of Nintendo’s flagship titles. This figure excludes digital sales, suggesting that interest in this game could be even greater.

The influence of the Switch 2 also extends to third-party games; Cyberpunk 2077, for example, experienced an impressive increase in sales, climbing from 427th to 18th place on the best-selling games list after its release on the console. This indicates that the new platform not only fosters interest in Nintendo games but also revitalizes titles from other developers.

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The delay of GTA VI could brutally impact the industry, according to a famous analyst

Rockstar Games has confirmed the delay of Grand Theft Auto VI, moving its release from 2025 to May 2026. This decision not only impacts fans but is also projected to have significant negative consequences for the video game industry as a whole. Mat Piscatella, an analyst at Circana, has pointed out that GTA VI was meant to revitalize sales of PlayStation and Xbox consoles, similar to the phenomenon observed with the release of CFB 25 last year, which reignited a dormant market. Being without GTA VI doesn’t mean we won’t have games With this new schedule, […]

Rockstar Games has confirmed the delay of Grand Theft Auto VI, moving its release from 2025 to May 2026. This decision not only impacts fans but is also projected to have significant negative consequences for the video game industry as a whole. Mat Piscatella, an analyst at Circana, has noted that GTA VI was expected to revitalize sales of PlayStation and Xbox consoles, similar to the phenomenon observed with the release of CFB 25 last year, which reignited a dormant market.

Being orphaned from GTA VI doesn’t mean we don’t have games

With this new calendar, it is estimated that total spending in the video game market in the U.S. will fall within a mid-single-digit range, bringing figures to levels not seen since before the pandemic. Although the delay could diminish investor interest in the industry, it is worth mentioning that Take-Two Interactive has other titles scheduled for this year, such as Borderlands 4 and Mafia: The Old Country, which may help mitigate the decline.

Piscatella has expressed that the absence of GTA VI in 2025 means that “there are no benefits for anyone”. Originally, the game’s release was expected to delight next year’s holiday season. Instead, it is now anticipated that investment in video games and studios will continue to see a downturn, as the funds that were intended for this year have evaporated.

Despite the situation, the industry is not completely paralyzed. In addition to the mentioned titles from Take-Two, it is expected that Activision will release a new Call of Duty game this year and that the rumor about a Nintendo Switch 2 and new Mario Kart titles will contribute to the market’s recovery. However, GTA VI is still considered the most important video game release in history, thus increasing expectations and pressure on Rockstar to deliver a product that satisfies fans.

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Subscription services are not the future of video games according to a major analyst

The video game industry continues to evolve, marked by the growing adoption of subscription services by companies like Xbox and PlayStation. These services have been well received by many players, offering catalogs that include exclusive titles, third-party games, and classics. However, some analysts, including Mat Piscatella from Circana, have expressed skepticism about whether these subscriptions are the definitive direction of the industry. Subscription services are growing, but not at a pace that makes them dominant. According to Piscatella, spending on video game subscriptions in the United States has remained relatively stable after a growth […]

The video game industry continues to evolve, marked by the growing adoption of subscription services by companies like Xbox and PlayStation. These services have been well received by many players, offering catalogs that include exclusive titles, third-party games, and classics. However, some analysts, including Mat Piscatella from Circana, have expressed skepticism about whether these subscriptions are the definitive direction for the industry.

Subscription services are growing, but not at a pace that makes them dominant

According to Piscatella, spending on video game subscriptions in the United States has remained relatively stable after an initial growth in 2020-2021. However, a 12% increase was reported in the fourth quarter of 2024, primarily attributed to the inclusion of Call of Duty in Game Pass. This suggests that while subscriptions have gained popularity, they are not the only path toward the future of digital entertainment. Piscatella concludes that although these options will likely continue to be part of the market, they will not exclusively dominate the landscape of video games.

In the realm of PlayStation, the company has made the controversial decision to increase the annual price of PS Plus in several countries, including Latin America and Australia, which has generated discontent among its user base. On the other hand, in Xbox, Phil Spencer has made it clear that Game Pass is not necessarily the right model for all players, emphasizing that the subscription should be seen as an option rather than an obligation.

The subscription strategies of these industry giants reflect a constant search for new business models, but the future will continue to depend on these companies’ ability to adapt to players’ expectations. Decisions regarding pricing and the content offered will be key to maintaining consumer satisfaction in a competitive market.

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30% of players in the US will not buy any video games this year and the reason is Fortnite

Since its launch less than ten years ago, Fortnite has transformed the landscape of video games, setting a new standard in the free-to-play business model. Epic Games has managed not only to maintain the interest of its player community but also to inspire other companies to adopt its approach of constant updates, iconic collaborations, and large events. However, this success has positioned Fortnite as the main obstacle for new releases in the industry, affecting both sales and user playtime. According to Mat Piscatella, executive director of Circana, who shared his observations in […]

Since its launch less than ten years ago, Fortnite has transformed the video game landscape, setting a new standard in the free-to-play business model. Epic Games has managed not only to maintain the interest of its player community but also to inspire other companies to adopt its approach of constant updates, iconic collaborations, and large events. However, this success has positioned Fortnite as the main obstacle for new releases in the industry, affecting both sales and user playtime.

According to Mat Piscatella, executive director of Circana, who shared his observations in a recent interview, a concerning 30% of gamers in the United States have no plans to buy any video games this year. This means that most fans are limited to acquiring one or two major titles a year, leaving ample room for free games like Fortnite and Warzone to dominate playtime and public attention.

Fortnite is not just a problem for other games as a service

Companies like Ubisoft and Sony are in a race to create their own games as a service that can emulate the phenomenon of Fortnite, despite the tough competition that this title presents. However, the highly anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto VI in the fall of 2025 could represent a shift in the balance of power within the video game industry, although the actual impact of this new release remains uncertain.

With a legacy already established, Fortnite continues to set the standard for how video games are designed and monetized today. Brands have begun to recognize its potential through collaborations, a model that has become an essential part of the game. As the landscape evolves, the expectation is that developers will continue to seek ways to compete in an increasingly saturated market where they must face the titan of Epic Games.

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