Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda could be replaced as early as June.
Earlier today on March 3, Square Enix's board of directors announced a proposed change in the "Representative Director" of the company. The proposal from the board is that current head Yosuke Matsuda step down, and current Square Enix director Takashi Kiryu take over in the role of president.
Square Enix's shareholders will come together to vote on the planned change at some point in June 2023. While there's no guarantee that Matsuda will actually be replaced with Kiryu, all signs are pointing to a change, thanks to Square Enix's board of directors kicking off the process.
This proposed change comes after a series of high-profile disappointments under Matsuda. Marvel's Avengers seems to have been a disappointment for both Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics, leading to development ending on the game later this month, while Forspoken, which launched back in January, was generally met with middling reviews and a lukewarm reception from players at large, with its developer, Luminous Productions, being absorbed back into Square Enix.
Additionally, Matsuda's major initiative over the past few years has been a pivot to blockchain technology and NFTs, something that's drawn the ire of Square Enix fans the world over. For all the planning and funding the initiative from Matsuda has received, it's yet to turn a profit for the company.
Square Enix's latest financial results in November 2022 showed a dip for the first half of the 2023 fiscal year, with Final Fantasy 14 generally carrying the company in sales. The company announced disappointing sales for Dragon Quest X and Live a Live, both of which actually fell short of sales of Nier Replicant and Outriders the year prior.
Whether Matsuda does end up departing Square Enix in June remains to be seen, but it's clear the company has been in a bit of a turbulent time of late.
Head over to our new games 2023 guide for a look at all the games Square Enix will be launching over the coming year.
