Unveiling the Revitalized Square Enix Collective: A New Era in Indie Game Publishing

It has been six years since our last conversation with Square Enix Collective, the independent publishing arm of the renowned Final Fantasy company. The prolonged silence was quite unexpected, especially given our frequent coverage of indie publishing and the Collective's origins under the guidance of former GamesIndustry.biz editor and publisher Phil Elliott. Some of us may have assumed that the division was nearing its natural conclusion, as big companies often launch publishing labels only to scale them back or quietly close them due to shifting priorities or fulfilled purposes. Notable examples include Activision Blizzard's Sierra publishing label, GameStop's GameTrust, and Sega Searchlight. In 2022, Battalion 1944 developer Bulkhead, one of the Collective's early success stories, parted ways with the company. Earlier this year, Elliott left to become the CEO of Modern Wolf. However, it appears that we weren't paying close enough attention. Square Enix Collective is not only still active but also responsible for publishing the immensely popular indie game PowerWash Simulator, which has attracted over seven million players. Although we were aware of Futurlab's hit game, we hadn't realized that Square Enix handled the publishing. Timea Edvi, the director of indie publishing at Square Enix, who took over the role vacated by Elliott in February, expressed that she wasn't surprised by the lack of awareness about the Collective's involvement. Edvi explained that the team's focus has always been on putting the developers and their games in the spotlight, rather than the Collective itself. This approach is commendable, but it doesn't necessarily mean that the Collective should fade into the background entirely. Now, Square Enix Collective is eager to share its current endeavors and introduce its new leader. Edvi has spent over seven years at Square Enix, primarily working on indie games in various brand and marketing roles. She brings a wealth of experience in games marketing, having begun her career at Hungarian studios and later working with agencies that supported Xbox and Nintendo's marketing efforts across Eastern Europe. Edvi's background also includes a stint at Gameloft, where she was involved in promoting popular smartphone titles such as Despicable Me: Minion Rush. Edvi's move away from pure marketing was driven by her interest in game development. She worked closely with Phil Elliott on finding, marketing, and publishing games, and when the opportunity to lead the Collective arose, she felt that her marketing background would be an asset in supporting indie teams. Edvi emphasized that the Collective's approach involves building relationships with developers, helping them create, publish, and market their games. The success of PowerWash Simulator is a testament to this approach, with Edvi highlighting the importance of the community built by Futurlab and the engagement with influencers. The next game in the Collective's pipeline is Little Goody Two Shoes, scheduled for release later this year. Edvi expressed that the company is always on the lookout for unique games that wouldn't typically be associated with Square Enix. While JRPGs might not be the primary focus, Edvi is open to considering projects that offer something different. The Collective's goal is to attract and engage diverse teams, with Edvi personally interested in creating games with more diverse characters. Despite the current economic climate and its impact on the indie scene, Edvi remains optimistic, citing the safety net of being part of Square Enix and the potential for games to provide an escape for players.