Square Enix recently revealed that “Life is Strange: Double Exposure” has become a “large loss” for the company, making future sequels unlikely despite early excitement from fans.
The game, which marked the return of original protagonist Max Caulfield, was expected to be highly successful. However, it faced mixed reviews from critics and harsh criticism from longtime fans who were disappointed with how the game handled key character relationships and the series’ overall tone.
According to Japanese analyst Hideki Yasuda, Square Enix’s latest financial briefing confirmed these poor results. The company’s president, Takashi Kiryu, shared that Double Exposure’s disappointing sales were only offset by the success of the Dragon Quest 3 remaster. While specific sales figures weren’t disclosed, the financial impact was significant enough to label it a “large loss” – a term Square Enix has previously used for other underperforming titles like “Guardians of the Galaxy” and some “Tomb Raider” games.
The financial impact was substantial, with Yasuda reporting that Double Exposure contributed to a 4.4% decrease in Square Enix’s operating income for the first three quarters of fiscal year 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
The game’s poor performance is evident in its player statistics. On Steam, Double Exposure reached a peak of only 8,500 concurrent players, with recent figures showing just over 100 active players in a 24-hour period. The game currently holds a “Mixed” review status on Steam and only a 4.3 user score on Metacritic.
Many fans criticized the absence of Chloe Price, Max Caulfield’s love interest from the original game. This decision seems to have alienated loyal fans without attracting new audiences to replace them. The disappointing performance had real consequences for the development team at Deck Nine Games, which conducted layoffs shortly before Christmas last year.
The situation is particularly surprising given that during the game’s credits, a message appeared stating “Max Caulfield will return” – something that now seems much less certain given the financial results.
