Luminous Productions, the studio behind PS5 exclusive action RPG Forspoken, is being merged back into Square Enix’s internal studio structure, the companies have announced.
Luminous Productions was founded in 2018, an offshoot from the development team responsible for Final Fantasy XV which was originally known as Business Division 2. Still owned by Square Enix Holdings, it was a separate entity to Square Enix Co., with its own distinct leadership and direction.
That direction was to take the Luminous Engine that the studio was named after and to forge ahead with creating new IP – including, briefly, a look at multimedia IP efforts – leading to the PS5 and PC exclusive Forspoken. That game did not live up to Square Enix’s expectations as a publisher, and so Luminous’ current form is coming to an end.
“When we established Luminous Productions in 2018, our vision was to make games that fused together technology and artistry to deliver completely new play experiences,” the team wrote on Twitter. “Having the chance to do just that has been a dream come true. We appreciate you taking this journey with us and look forward to continuing to create new entertainment and experiences as a part of the Square Enix Family.”
The team will be merged back into Square Enix on 1st May 2023, but between now and then they will continue to work on post-launch support for Forspoken. This includes a patch that will aim to address overall game performance, as well as the DLC ‘In Tanta We Trust’, which is expected to release this summer.
After then? Well, it could be back to the forges of the Final Fantasy franchise.
Looking back on our Forspoken review, Aran said, “Forspoken was once one of the big reveals for the PS5 in 2020, but aside from using the SSD for open world magical parkour and the ultra quick fast travel, it is difficult to really see how it takes advantage of the latest console generation. The world of Athia looks good, and the combat full of flashy magic, but there’s no major side quests to divert from repetitive activities and a predictable main story.”
Source: Twitter
