In what has become an industry trend over the past few days, Square Enix is the latest AAA studio to provide an update on its handling of coronavirus COVID-19 safety measures.
In a message written by Square Enix Amerca & Europe CEO Phil Rogers, it is explained that the majority of the company’s staff are now working remotely. Those unable to do so are being provided an environment able to support some level of social distancing; Square Enix has “reduced office density and introduced staggered work times, especially to avoid peak consumer rush hours.”
Rogers makes absolutely clear that Square Enix is still committed to hitting major release dates and continuing its live support of current even despite the obvious logistical challenges presented by the pandemic.
“Despite the changing work landscape, our development studios remain committed to supporting our live service games and working on our upcoming releases. While some game-related events have been cancelled, we are building out plans for a digital showcase where we can share news with you about those titles in the near future.
We know that many of our fans are looking forward to the upcoming release of Final Fantasy VII Remake, and we want to reassure everyone that we are still moving forward with an April 10 release date. While our goal is to ensure that everyone can play the game on day one, it is increasingly likely that deliveries may be affected in select markets due to supply chain disruptions and potential brick-and-mortar retail closures resulting from governmental quarantine policies.”
Finally, he also allays concerns over physical pre-orders of Final Fantasy VII Remake, which the company had previously warned might be delayed as a result of the pandemic.
“We are in constant contact with our distribution and retail partners and are actively monitoring the situation for distribution of Final Fantasy VII Remake. As we receive more information about specific country-level distribution details, we will update you. We appreciate your patience and understanding as the situation develops over the coming days and weeks.”
Square Enix’s announcement follows on from Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot’s yesterday, and Bethesda’s before that.
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