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There’s a slight scuff in the recording of this podcast, but it’s a subtle one. Can you tell what it is? I certainly can! No fixing it now, however. If you can figure out what mistake I made before going live, drop a comment below and tell me!

You might recall earlier this year that I wrote about why it is so difficult to love Square Enix. A few months later and I feel as if there is no more love for the company as a whole. I still love what Squaresoft meant to me as a child, and I can still enjoy and love individual products that they release. However, there is just something about their top level executives that frustrates and even disgusts me.

I cannot help but wonder if there are greatly differing opinions in the upper echelons of Square Enix’s brass, with folks like Yoshinori Kitase coming from a creative background but now placed in a high-level role away from the creative tasks. Does he try to encourage products driven by the mind of individual creators while holding back committees seeking to exploit their customers of every nickel and dime? Or has he succumbed to the corporate mentality that all products are wickets, and they are simply the means to a profitable end?

I look at Square Enix’s autumn release list, and I feel as if I should be excited. Truly, this is a new golden age of Square Enix and JRPGs! Instead, however, I cannot help but view it pessimistically, as if the company is just trying to clear out a bunch of lesser projects in order to make room for something more profitable; an all new trend for all the top level executives to hop on board with and force their lower-level employees to work towards.

Who can say? At least, by chance, they occasionally release something worth devoting time towards.

What do you think of Square Enix lately? Do you still get excited whenever their logo pops up before a trailer? Have they left you pleased or sour as of late? Feel free to leave a comment below or send us an e-mail with your opinions.

Opening theme music by Fallen Prophecy.