Square Enix Unearths Time-Capsule of Retro Gaming Gold!

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Summary

  • Square Enix employees found a stash of untouched retro games in an old storage container after over 20 years.
  • The discovered collection includes games published by Eidos Interactive, like Tomb Raider, Hitman, and Omikron.
  • Among the gems found were Omikron: The Nomad Soul with David Bowie and The Living Daylights James Bond game.

Surprisingly, workers at Square Enix stumbled upon a forgotten stash of vintage video games in an unanticipated location. Although the company is renowned for its contributions to the Final Fantasy series, it has also developed numerous other cherished titles. Known for its immersive storytelling, impactful character development, and cinematic style, particularly within modern role-playing games, Square Enix is equally famous for its archive of timeless classics. These games are often updated and reintroduced to delight new audiences.

Besides “Final Fantasy”, Square Enix is also famous for other successful series like “Dragon Quest”, “Octopath Traveler”, and “Bravely”. Both “Final Fantasy” and “Dragon Quest” are known for their significant contributions to the evolution of RPG storytelling and gameplay mechanics. Moreover, Square Enix has been revisiting and modernizing its classics, as demonstrated by “Final Fantasy 7 Remake”, which enhances the original’s storyline while incorporating a revamped combat system. Given their affinity for classic games, it’s not surprising that they would unearth several vintage titles from within the company.

According to Lee Singleton’s post on LinkedIn, a treasure trove of well-preserved vintage games was found inside an ancient storage container that had been shut away for more than two decades. This container, situated in a remote storage facility, yielded a wealth of timeless classics like Hard Drivin’, Klax, and Badlands. In addition to the games, workers stumbled upon old gaming memorabilia, such as a figurine from the Tomb Raider series. Singleton mentioned that employees were given permission to take whatever they desired, but after garnering interest, the National Videogame Museum proposed it could be an ideal place for this historic assortment.

Square Enix Staff Find Massive Cache of Retro Games in 20 Year Old Container

As a passionate gaming enthusiast, I’ve come across a treasure trove of games that were primarily published by Domark Limited and later Eidos Interactive, with some of the latter being acquired by Square Enix in 2009. This deal gave them ownership of iconic franchises like Tomb Raider and Hitman. However, in an unexpected turn of events, Tomb Raider and three of its Western studios were sold to Embracer Group for a whopping $300 million back in 2022.

Among the games I stumbled upon was a PC adaptation of the cult classic, “Omikron: The Nomad Soul,” developed by Quantic Dream. Although it generally received favorable reviews, the game faced difficulties in U.S. sales, ultimately resulting in the abandonment of plans for a sequel. Remarkably, “Omikron” includes a cameo from David Bowie, who also lent his musical talents to its soundtrack.

Tucked away among the assortment was the movie gem, “The Living Daylights,” which originated from a 1987 James Bond film featuring Timothy Dalton as 007. The future of this collection of vintage games and memorabilia is undecided, but the find underscores that gaming history may pop up in the unlikeliest spots.

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2025-03-10 13:15