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Before Final Fantasy VII became one of the biggest JRPG hits in Western markets, many leaders at Square (now Square Enix) didn’t believe there was “real money” in English localizations and often resisted releasing games outside Japan. It wasn’t until Final Fantasy VII proved massively successful in North America and Europe that the company fully embraced global translations and overseas releases.

Veteran localization figure Richard Honeywood, who helped establish Square’s in-house localization efforts in the late 1990s, shared that early on development teams often saw foreign versions as “petty cash” and focused primarily on the Japanese market. The localization team had to persistently convince dev groups to allow English translations and overseas releases for many titles.

Final Fantasy VII’s surprising Western success — despite a famously imperfect English translation — marked a turning point. Its strong sales demonstrated that the international market could be highly profitable, reshaping Square’s approach to localization and global strategy. After this success, localization became a more integral and respected part of development, with dedicated teams and expanded resources for future global releases.

Today, Western markets are a key factor for JRPGs and many Square Enix titles, a legacy that traces back to FFVII’s breakthrough impact. 

• Before Final Fantasy 7 blew up globally — GamesRadar
• Richard Honeywood retrospective on Square’s early localization approach — GamesRadar+ / inkl.com