Game preservation has moved to the forefront of industry conversation, particularly following Sony's recent decision to cease physical disc production for new PlayStation games starting in 2028. This shift has prompted shareholders to press publishers on how they intend to maintain access to back catalogs, including older software and titles that have reached the end of their service life.
During a recent shareholders' meeting, Square Enix faced questions regarding the availability of its older library. While the company continues to publish remakes, many original versions of its software remain inaccessible on modern hardware. Furthermore, the closure of various live-service and mobile-only games has left those titles in a state where they are difficult to preserve without direct intervention from the publisher.
Square Enix’s Approach to Preserving Titles
When asked about the general policy for keeping media available once a game's service ends, Square Enix representatives noted that the strategy varies by title. "How we enable customers to enjoy a game after service has ended depends on the nature of a title," the company stated. For the Nier series, the publisher relies on sharing information through official livestreams. For other projects, the company preserves the narrative by uploading cutscenes to video streaming platforms.
The publisher issued a broad commitment to finding pathways to ensure players can engage with their games, even after the content has reached its conclusion or the service has been terminated. However, for many fans, the distinction between watching a video and playing a game is significant.
The Gap Between Archives and Playability
The current reality for franchises like Kingdom Hearts highlights the limitations of these preservation methods. While Kingdom Hearts collections exist, they are often incomplete in terms of original playability. For instance, the Game Boy Advance version of Chain of Memories remains locked to that hardware, as only the PlayStation 2 remake, Re:Chain of Memories, was included in the 1.5 Remix collection.
Similarly, titles like 358/2 Days and the mobile game X are represented in modern collections only as extended cinematic films. While there is an acknowledgment that titles like 358/2—originally a Nintendo DS release—are technically difficult to port, the issue remains a point of contention for players. This is especially relevant as newer entries, such as the Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer, have directly referenced characters from the now-delisted mobile title X.
As the industry moves further toward digital-only distribution, the debate over the future of game accessibility is likely to intensify. For now, Square Enix maintains that it will continue to create pathways for fans to experience its history, though those methods currently lean heavily on passive media consumption rather than active gameplay.