Foamstars, the whimsical cartoon shooter game from Square Enix, has announced a bold business model shift to free-to-play, drawing inspiration from Splatoon. Previously priced at $30, the game required players to be PlayStation Plus members (exclusive to PS4/PS5). As of October 4, 2024, everything is unlocked, offering the game for free without the need for PlayStation Plus membership. Players who previously purchased the game at full price will receive in-game items as compensation.
Square Enix’s Foamstars, touted as one of the standout games of 2023-2024, failed to meet sales targets similar to FF7 Rebirth and FF16. This prompted Square Enix to unveil a 3-year reboot plan, shifting focus to multi-platform games over exclusive platform releases.
In a surprise move, Square Enix signals a strategic pivot in light of FF16’s underwhelming sales performance. Despite an initially strong start, the game’s momentum waned, missing the fiscal year goals. Limited sales data reported at 3 million units, with no recent updates.
TLDR: Foamstars by Square Enix transitions to free-to-play model, catering to a wider audience. Sales disappointments of FF16 and FF7 Rebirth prompt Square Enix to rethink business strategies towards multi-platform game development.
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