By Sagar V. Mankar Square Enix, a legendary game developer behind franchises like Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts, was once listed as a client of Sweet Baby Inc.
However, the recent removal of Square Enix’s name from Sweet Baby’s client list has ignited speculation about the state of their relationship.
What Is the Recent Controversy Surrounding Sweet Baby Inc.?
Sweet Baby Inc., a consultancy focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity (DEI) within the gaming industry, has recently faced intense scrutiny.
The firm’s approach, while intended to promote inclusion and diversity, has raised concerns about the negative impact on character design and overall game quality.
Some in the gaming community argue that Sweet Baby Inc.’s forced DEI practices have led to the degradation of several beloved game franchises.
Industry giants like Xbox, Valve, Ubisoft, EA, and 2K Games are known clients of Sweet Baby Inc., but it seems that the consultancy’s influence hasn’t always yielded favorable results.
Why Is Square Enix No Longer a Client of Sweet Baby Inc.?
While neither Square Enix nor Sweet Baby Inc. has officially confirmed the reasons for their apparent separation, several signs suggest that Square Enix is distancing itself from the consultancy.
The first hint came during a recent Square Enix earnings report, where an investor questioned the company’s relationship with Sweet Baby.
The investor expressed concerns about the consultancy’s involvement, to which Square Enix President Takashi Kiryu gave a non-specific answer, avoiding direct comments on individual clients. However, Kiryu emphasized that the company is shifting from a strategy focused on quantity to one prioritizing quality, suggesting that Square Enix is refocusing on core values.
Square Enix has been dealing with several financial setbacks recently, including a 70% drop in profits last quarter. The company’s high-profile releases, such as Final Fantasy XVI and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, failed to meet profitability expectations.
In light of these challenges, Square Enix announced a new corporate philosophy aimed at creating “unforgettable experiences” and “delivering ensured fun.”
The company’s co-creator of Kingdom Hearts and character designer for Final Fantasy, Tetsuya Nomura, recently commented that game characters should be “cool and inviting,” a philosophy that seems at odds with Sweet Baby’s DEI-driven changes.
How Has Sweet Baby Inc.’s Influence Affected the Gaming Industry?
Many fans believe that Sweet Baby Inc.’s forced DEI policies have negatively impacted beloved gaming franchises.
For example, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League saw a character redesign that turned Mr. Freeze into Mrs. Freeze, a move attributed to Sweet Baby Inc.’s influence. The gaming community widely criticized this and other similar design changes, claiming they diminished the integrity of established characters. This led the game to sink to its lowest player base reportedly causing over $200 million loss for WB games.
In the broader industry, there has been a growing pushback against Sweet Baby’s practices. Black Myth: Wukong, for instance, saw huge success without any DEI interference, illustrating that there is still a market for games that stay true to their original character designs and appeal to a core fan base. On the other hand, games like Concord suffered due to the forced implementation of DEI policies, ultimately becoming one of the biggest failures in recent memory.