Summary
Square Enix’s latest financial report has revealed thatLife is Strange: Double Exposurewas a “large loss” for the company, making a sequel look unlikely.
When Life is Strange: Double Exposure was first revealed as the long-awaited return of Max Caufield, it seemed like it’d be a slam dunk for fans of the series. Sure, there were questions abouthow it would handle the first game’s big choice, but bringing back the heroine that started Life is Strange in the first place seemed like a surefire bet.
That wasn’t exactly the case at launch, though.Double Exposure was met with mixed reviews from criticsand faced even harsher criticism from fans of the series, who reallyhated how the game handled Max and Chloe’s relationshipand the series' overall tone and canon. It seems those marks against it have made a heavy impact on sales.
Another Life Is Strange Looks Unlikely, As Square Enix Admits Double Exposure Was A “Large Loss”
As pointed out by ResetEra user Kirby64 and as originally reported by Japanese analyst Hideki Yasuda, Square Enix’s president, Takashi Kiryu, just shared the company’s recent financial results in a briefing. While most people are focused on the claim that Final Fantasy 16 only sold between 500k and one million in the last year, there’s worse news for Life is Strange fans.
According to Yasuda, the financial reports confirm that Life is Strange: Double Exposure’s sales were a “large loss” for Square Enix, something that was only made up for by theDragon Quest 3remaster. Specific numbers for Life is Strange weren’t revealed, but it is clear that it didn’t sell all too well.
This doesn’t come as much of a surprise considering the negative reception to the game from long-term Life is Strange fans, but there was clearly some confidence that the game would do decently. During the credits, a message popped upclaiming that “Max Caufield will return”, something that now seems a lot less likely.
Square Enix sadly wasn’t taking questions during this financial report, so the details are a little slim regarding Double Exposure’s performance right now. All we know is that the company wasn’t happy with the results and considers it a “large loss”,a label that it’s previously used on games like Guardians of the Galaxyand even some of the Tomb Raider titles.
