Square Enix took liberties to change up Seiken Densetsu 3 in that the Western version of the game is no longer a 2D sprite-based title but a new and improved 3D JRPG. Although said liberties also censored Angela’s hometown when performing her Pink Typhoon Attack, it looks like Trials of Mana has exceeded Square Enix’s initial sales projection as per a recent investor Q&A session.
Whether or not you’re fond of Square Enix and its practices, know that its latest JRPG is doing more than well. As mentioned above, the Western version of Seiken Densetsu 3, best known as Trials of Mana, has “significantly surpassed the initial expectations” that Square Enix projected.
In other words, even though Trials of Mana promotional campaign wasn’t as big as something like Final Fantasy VII Remake or the upcoming superhero game Marvel’s Avengers, it still managed to grab the attention of gamers and fans alike with no problems.
On the topic of promotional campaigns and sales, you can read a portion of Square Enix’s most recent Q&A session regarding Trials of Mana right here:
Q: Other than “FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE,” how are new and catalog HD games selling?
A: Sales of “TRIALS OF MANA” are so strong that they have significantly surpassed our initial expectations. In regards to catalog titles, we are seeing growth in digital sales from our library, especially of titles featuring our core IP, and this is despite not engaging in any special promotions. In addition, unrelated to HD games, revenue generated from one-off sales of smartphone games also grew in 1Q.
The same Q&A session via hd.square-enix.com also highlights how Square Enix expects the abomination that is Marvel’s Avengers to perform well on the market too:
Q: “Marvel’s Avengers” is slated for a September launch. What are your expectations for it?
A: Our expectations are very high. Since it will be a title with GaaS (Game as a Service) features, our operations after the game goes live will also be key, not just initial sales on launch. We hope to build excitement around the title by rolling out powerful add-on content.
Although it’s a darn shame that censorship still crept up and violated Trials of Mana, much like the nu-Pink Typhoon Attack, don’t be shocked to see more of these liberties being taken in Square Enix games like with Tifa in Final Fantasy VII Remake.
Anyway, Trials of Mana is out now for PC via Steam, PS4, and Switch. More information on this game can be found by heading on over to square-enix-games.com.