Square Enix has been selling more and more merchandise based on its games, with the last year proving to be a particularly "strong" one, and the publisher cites Tifa and 2B as big reasons why.
Square Enix just released its financial results for the nine-month period ending on December 31, where it broke down just how much money it made from merch. In the last nine months of 2024, the company cashed 14.8 billion yen (or roughly $97 million), which is a steady jump from its merch sales in the last two financial years over the same period.
So, what's responsible for the spike? Square Enix says it's "mainly driven by strong sales of new character merchandise," and pointed to a trio of "major products," namely, a set of acrylic Dragon Quest stands, a Tifa Lockhart action figure probably bolstered by the release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and an exorbitantly-priced 2B statue.
- 28 years after Final Fantasy 7 introduced a generation to the concept of waifus, Tetsuya Nomura says Tifa's popularity is "not just about appearance"
- Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's Steam launch was "fantastic" analyst says after PC players sent the JRPG port flying to the US best-selling spot in the week of its release
That's no exaggeration, either. The Masterline Deluxe version of Nier: Automata's mascot retails for a whopping $2,600, while the regular old figure costs a marginally more 'affordable' $2,400. In fairness, the three-foot statue is absolutely gorgeous and I'd probably grab it if I ever unlock the IRL infinite money cheat.
"The base includes the support unit 'Pod 042,' as well as many elements that tell the story of the battles of the YoRHa unit, such as parts of the YoRHa heavy armament unit and flight unit, as well as Virtuous Treaty, all of which are presented as a single three-dimensional piece," the item's description reads.
The deluxe version tries to justify the extra $200 with a head part without combat goggles, a right arm with the Virtuous Contract in hand, and a lower body part "in self-destruct mode" - AKA, her iconic outfit all ripped up, and that's probably the reason it seemingly outsold the cheaper version. (Sigh.)
28 years after Final Fantasy 7 introduced a generation to the concept of waifus, Tetsuya Nomura says Tifa's popularity is "not just about appearance"
Final Fantasy 14's Yoshi-P was unsure about referencing Final Fantasy 9 so heavily because it's a "masterpiece, and everyone has a strong emotional attachment to it"
