Source: Square Enix

Luminous Studios announced the news of its impending integration with Square Enix in a message on its official Twitter account. When it first started, Luminous Studios was a department within Square Enix that was in charge of Final Fantasy XV. Only one month has passed after Forspoken's release on the PlayStation 5 and PC before it was revealed that it would be reintegrated into Square Enix.

When Luminous Productions was founded in 2018, their goal was to create AAA games that combined technology and creativity to offer fully unique play experiences. "It's been a dream come true to get the opportunity to do just that," tweeted Luminous Productions.

Despite the merger, Luminous Productions told fans that it still intends to finish the Forspoken game performance patch update and release the prequel DLC "In Tanta We Trust," which is presently scheduled for this summer.

Forspoken's lead actor is proud of her performance and believes that participating in a video game was a lifelong dream come true, despite the fact that many people view it as an underdeveloped, janky video game with cringe-inducing dialogues.

Source: Square Enix

Square Enix explained why it is acquiring the Luminous team in a statement of its own, saying that it is doing so "as part of the company's ability to further reinforce the competitive capability of the group's development companies, a goal set under its existing medium-term business strategy." 

It also mentioned how Luminous "is equipped with the ability to create AAA titles as well as technical know-how in fields like game engine development. The Group's potential to create HD games will be considerably strengthened by the combination of the two organizations."

This is not the first time Square Enix has acted quickly to discipline one of its studios after a project falls short of expectations. At a relatively low sum of $300 million, it sold three Western studios— Eidos-Montréal, Crystal Dynamics, and Square Enix Montréal—as well as franchises including Deus Ex and Tomb Raider to Embracer Group last year. 

The decision was made in response to Marvel's Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy, which, despite receiving positive reviews, didn't perform as well as Square Enix had intended.

One of the most well-known games so far this year is Forspoken. However, it received a mixed response from critics when Square Enix launched it in January. 

In summary, Square Enix's acquisition of the Luminous team is part of its larger strategy to strengthen its competitive capabilities in game development. With Luminous' technical expertise and ability to create AAA titles, Square Enix aims to enhance its potential to create high-quality games. This move is not unprecedented, as the company has previously taken action to address underperforming projects by selling studios and franchises. Time will tell how this acquisition will impact the company's future titles, but it is clear that Square Enix remains committed to delivering top-notch gaming experiences.