Square Enix's Symbiogenesis Announcement Didn't Get The Reaction It Hoped For

While video games often provide enjoyment for players, the industry that produces them has a habit of getting fans' hopes up only to smash them to pieces later. Despite its status as the latest entry in one of the more popular "Mario" subseries, 2018's "Super Mario Party" stands as one of the most disappointing titles ever released for the Nintendo Switch. Similarly, E3 2021 left many gamers feeling underwhelmed thanks to a host of lackluster presentations. Now, Square Enix has joined the ranks as the latest company to get players hyped up only to send them crashing back to earth.

Just weeks ago, gamers were thrilled to learn that Square Enix had filed a trademark for "Symbiogenesis" in Japan. This excitement stemmed from the perceived connection between "Symbiogenesis" and "Parasite Eve," a horror RPG series which serves as a companion to a sci-fi horror novel (per Gematsu). The "Parasite Eve" franchise hasn't seen a release since 2010's "The 3rd Birthday," which received a mixed reception, leaving many fans wanting a new and better entry. Unfortunately, Square Enix dashed this hope when it unveiled  "Symbiogenesis" as an NFT collection and not a "Parasite Eve" game at all. Faced with the truth, many people expressed displeasure on social media.

In the wake of the "Symbiogenesis" NFT art collection announcement, which doesn't appear to relate to "Parasite Eve" at all, gamers expressed nigh universal dispaleasure. One Twitter user was especially dismayed, posting a "Final Fantasy 7" meme criticizing NFTs and their role in increasing carbon footprints. "Never even played a 'Parasite Eve' game and I'm still disappointed," another commented. "I feel really sorry for the fans."

Adding to the frustration, Square Enix's NFT reveal seems to conflict with past statements from the company regarding NFT production and distribution. After previously doubling down on its NFT program despite continuous uproar from gamers after companies like Ubisoft refused to do away with them, Square Enix made the surprising decision back in June to no longer invest money from selling off many of its franchises into future NFT projects. "Rather than using the proceeds from the divestiture in new investment domains such as NFT and blockchain, we intend to use them primarily to fund our efforts to foster solid IP and to enhance our development capabilities in our core Digital Entertainment segment," said Square Enix president Yosuke Matsuda.

Based on the "Symbiogensis" project, it appears the organization has altered its stance on NFTs once again.