Despite the controversies surrounding the system’s reveal, theNintendo Switch 2’s launch lineup is rather impressive. In addition to its flagship exclusive title,Mario Kart World, the console will be released alongside several major third-party games, includingSplit Fiction,Cyberpunk 2077,Yakuza 0: Director’sCut, andHogwarts Legacy. Perhaps one of the more surprising launch titles for the system, though, isBravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster. This upcoming game is a re-release of a 2013 Nintendo 3DS JRPG that was developed by Square Enix and Silicon Studio. Its HD remaster is being made by Cattle Call, and it’s only going to be available on theNintendo Switch 2.
TheBravely Defaultseries has been exclusive to Nintendo consoles from the very beginning. All three entries in the franchise have launched first on the company’s line of systems, and have been published by Nintendo worldwide. In fact, the only title in the series that has been released on a non-Nintendo platform is2021’sBravely Default 2, which came out on Windows PCs less than a year after its Nintendo Switch debut. Bearing this in mind, it’s not too surprising thatBravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remasteris also going to be exclusive to a Nintendo console, but it does fly in the face of Square Enix’s multiplatform promises.
Square Enix is Falling Back into Its Old Habits With the Upcoming Bravely Default Remaster
Square Enix Has Often Made its Games Exclusive to Certain Consoles
Square Enix is no stranger to making its games exclusive to certain systems. Unlike other third-party publishers like Capcom, EA, and SEGA, the Japanese company has often limited the reach of its titles, either by choice or by signing exclusivity deals with platform holders. Some of Square Enix’s biggest games in recent memory, includingFinal Fantasy 7 Remake,Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, andFinal Fantasy 16, were launched exclusively on PlayStation consoles, beforelater being ported to PC.
Square Enix Has Claimed It Will Adopt a Multiplatform Business Model Going Forward
This exclusivity-driven approach worked perfectly fine for Square Enix during the PS1, PS2, and PS3 eras, but it hasn’t been as viable in the current console generation. The company has repeatedly stated to investors as of late that the majority of recentSquare Enix exclusives have not met sales expectations, with theFinal Fantasygames being a clear example. To remedy this problem, Square Enix revealed in May 2024 that it would be implementing a three-year long-term growth plan, under the name “Square Enix Reboots and Awakens.” This new strategy, Square Enix said, would involve a number of changes across all parts of its business, the most notable of them being a transition to multiplatform development.
At the time of this announcement, Square Enix claimed that it would “aggressively pursue a multiplatform strategythat includes Nintendo platforms, PlayStation, Xbox, and PCs.” Based off this statement, many gamers were led to believe that all future games from the publisher, in particular theFinal Fantasytitles, would no longer be exclusive to any console. Although most of the company’s recent releases have indeed been multiplatform, the upcomingBravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remasterhas proven that this isn’t the case.
The Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remaster Should Be On as Many Platforms as Possible
To be frank, making theBravely Defaultremaster exclusive to the Switch 2 seems like a bad business decision. Since it’s just an enhanced port of a 3DS game, this JRPG seems like it wouldrun perfectly fine on the original Switch, so it’s odd that the game isn’t being released on that console. Plus, becauseBravely Defaultis a relatively niche series, it’s unlikely that this remaster of a decade-old game will entice tons of people to buy a Switch 2. Due to these factors, it feels like it would be a great idea for Square Enix to portBravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remasterto as many platforms as possible, including PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. That way, the company could introduce the series to a whole new audience and increase its popularity worldwide. If Square Enix truly wants to commit to its multiplatform plans, it needs to avoid resorting to its old habits by arbitrarily limiting access to its games, even smaller ones likeBravely Default.
