A new listing posted by Square Enix implies the legendary video game developer may be working on a new multiplayer game for next-generation consoles based on one of its most popular IPs. The company recently announced the multiplayer game Foamstars, which appears to be a competitor for Nintendo's popular Splatoon series.
Square Enix is one of the most iconic names in the video game industry. Generally speaking, though, the developer tends to be known a bit more for its single-player experiences than multiplayer. It has been delving further into the multiplayer space in recent years, most notably with Final Fantasy 14, and it seems as though the wild success of that MMORPG has Square looking towards a future with even more multiplayer titles. On top of the recently-announced Foamstars, there appears to be something else in the pipeline.
This news comes via a recent job listing from Square Enix. The company is looking for a senior producer to overlook a new game the company is working on. Square is working on a number of different games right now like Dragon Quest 12, but there are ways of inferring from the information provided on the listing that it is, in fact, for a new next-gen multiplayer game based on a popular IP.
First, the listing mentions that two desirable qualities for the senior producer Square Enix is looking for would be multiplayer and Gen 9 console experience. That should rule out this new title being any type of mobile game, as well as firmly implying that Square is, at a minimum, looking to make this a game with at least some kind of multiplayer functionality. The listing also states that the senior producer hired will be "working on one of our most important AAA IPs, which definitely rules out any notion that maybe the company is just hiring a producer for the Overwatch-Splatoon hybrid Foamstars.
What IP this new multiplayer game could be using can be narrowed down somewhat, although admittedly the list is still a little long considering just how many iconic IPs Square Enix has its hands on. As one of the top JRPG developers out there, the names that immediately spring to mind are obviously Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, or maybe even Dragon Quest. There are also less obvious choices that would still be interesting to see, such as the Octopath or Mana franchises. Then there are games that Square Enix publishes, but are generally developed by other companies like Just Cause or Star Ocean. At the moment, speculation and what's on the listing are all that's available to the public.