Square Enix launching Core Online was 'selfish'

Square Enix has admitted the launch of game streaming service Core Online was a 'selfish' move to get more people playing its games.

Core Online was announced last week with browser-based versions of Hitman: Blood Money, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light and Mini Ninjas.

Square Enix European boss, Phil Rodgers, said the company feels millions more people should be playing these games.

Rodgers told GamesIndustry: "In some ways it was quite a selfish but quite an obvious move initially. 

"Take Mini Ninjas. We think it should be played by multiple millions of people and actually it's not, it's played by single millions of people.

"So how can we expose it to a broader audience? Technically how can we do that - is it possible by re-working the code? What sort of service and delivery platforms can we build around it?

"Very much on that innovative experimental axis, that's how we started it. We believe in our games, we believe that the more people that can find and play our games, the better."

Core Online is funded by video advertising, which users can skip if they decide to purchase individual levels or games.

Rodgers added: "Frankly speaking some people say, 'I could love this, play for free and watch adverts, why not, I do it with TV.'

"Other people can't think of anything worse. I think that sort of binary reaction is something that we have to expect from an industry where there's increasingly choice and more opportunities for people."