SquareSoft shareholders in fresh bout of rage
Wada faces barrage as merger dust settles.
SquareSoft shareholders are a notoriously angry bunch, which is great for you, as their meetings always throw up a load of juicy, bad-tempered questions which the firm’s paranoid board has to try and answer.
Following on from the Square Pictures debacle, which made for the angriest Square meeting in history, this time the collective had their sights on the recently announced merger with formed rival Enix.
One of the first questions set the tone rather well.
“Since becoming a shareholder, I've yet to receive dividends. I understand management will receive salary, pension and special windfall as a result of the merger. As a shareholder, I think that this is unfair. Will you still get a retirement bonus if you take a consulting position for the merged company?”
Square president Yoichi Wada’s evasive answer would make Tony Blair proud: “I appreciate your thoughts. I think it’s my duty to help overcome any obstacles for the new company and contribute where I can. Compensation has already been outlined here today, so I'd like to give shareholders a chance to discuss other topics.”
Then, and more importantly, on the future of the new company, Wada was asked, “What type of innovative projects can we expect as a result of the merger?"
Interesting Wada appears to have a very specific strategy for the future, particularly in terms of the firm’s key release: “Enix is a very unique company, and we're both beginning to explore online games. You can expect something along the lines of Final Fantasy XI in 2005 - an online community game." What could this be? Final Fantasy Vs Dragon Quest online? Very possibly.
As soon as we find out, we’ll let you know straight away.
Following on from the Square Pictures debacle, which made for the angriest Square meeting in history, this time the collective had their sights on the recently announced merger with formed rival Enix.
One of the first questions set the tone rather well.
“Since becoming a shareholder, I've yet to receive dividends. I understand management will receive salary, pension and special windfall as a result of the merger. As a shareholder, I think that this is unfair. Will you still get a retirement bonus if you take a consulting position for the merged company?”
Square president Yoichi Wada’s evasive answer would make Tony Blair proud: “I appreciate your thoughts. I think it’s my duty to help overcome any obstacles for the new company and contribute where I can. Compensation has already been outlined here today, so I'd like to give shareholders a chance to discuss other topics.”
Then, and more importantly, on the future of the new company, Wada was asked, “What type of innovative projects can we expect as a result of the merger?"
Interesting Wada appears to have a very specific strategy for the future, particularly in terms of the firm’s key release: “Enix is a very unique company, and we're both beginning to explore online games. You can expect something along the lines of Final Fantasy XI in 2005 - an online community game." What could this be? Final Fantasy Vs Dragon Quest online? Very possibly.
As soon as we find out, we’ll let you know straight away.
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