Square Enix Requests Life is Strange Feedback Following Poor Sales

Square Enix Seeks Fan Input After Life is Strange: Double Exposure's Underwhelming Reception

Following the less-than-stellar reception of Life is Strange: Double Exposure, Square Enix has launched a fan survey to understand the game's shortcomings. The survey aims to gather crucial feedback that could shape the future direction of the Life is Strange franchise.

The October 2024 release of Life is Strange: Double Exposure, a highly anticipated return for fan-favorite Max Caulfield, fell short of expectations. Met with lukewarm reviews (a 73 critic score and 4.2 user score on Metacritic for the PS5 version), the game's narrative choices and overall performance appear to be key factors in its disappointing performance. This underperformance was further underscored by Deck Nine Studios, the game's developer, announcing layoffs in December 2024.

In an effort to learn from these setbacks, Square Enix recently distributed a 15-minute questionnaire to Life is Strange fans. This survey delves into various aspects of Life is Strange: Double Exposure, including its narrative, gameplay, and technical aspects. Crucially, it also directly asks players about their perceived value of the game and whether their experience impacts their interest in future installments.

Understanding the Fallout of Double Exposure

The lukewarm reception to Double Exposure contrasts sharply with the positive critical acclaim received by Deck Nine's previous title, Life is Strange: True Colors. The emotional depth and captivating protagonist of True Colors highlight the areas where Double Exposure may have fallen short.

The future of the Life is Strange series remains uncertain. While Double Exposure introduced potential plot threads for future games, Square Enix's current data collection efforts will significantly influence upcoming storylines. The balance between incorporating fan feedback and maintaining creative vision will be a key challenge for the franchise moving forward.