Tifa Lockhart and 2B power Square Enix's $105M merchandise empire, as premium statues and collectibles drive fan frenzy.
It was a lazy Sunday afternoon in 2026 when Ethan, a lifelong gamer, scrolled through his news feed and nearly spat out his coffee. Square Enix had just released its latest earnings report, and once again, the numbers were staggering. The company's merchandising division had raked in over 16 billion yen (around $105 million) in the last fiscal year, a significant jump from the already impressive 14.8 billion yen they reported back in 2024. As Ethan dug deeper, he wasn't surprised to see who the real money-makers were: Tifa Lockhart and 2B. These two heroines had become the golden geese of Square Enix's merchandise empire, proving that sometimes, side hustles outshine the main event.
Ethan leaned back in his chair and remembered the sheer madness that had gripped the gaming community just two years prior. Back in 2024, Square Enix had unveiled a statue so audacious that it broke both forum servers and wallets. It was the Masterline Nier Automata statue of 2B, a 1/3 scale behemoth that stood nearly three feet tall and cost a jaw-dropping $2,600. The detail was insane—every seam on her dress, every strand of silver hair, and yes, every curve of her porcelain-white "assets" was rendered with surgical precision. There was even a slightly less revealing version that went for $2,400, but let's be real: most buyers went for the full monty. Ethan chuckled, recalling how his buddy Mike had sheepishly admitted that the statue's "butt window" was the deciding factor. "No shame, man," Ethan had said. "Down bad for 2B is basically a personality trait at this point."
Indeed, the YorHa android had captured hearts since Nier Automata's release in 2017, but Square Enix knew how to milk that adoration for all it was worth. The 2024 statue sold out in pre-orders, and by 2026, scalpers on eBay were asking for over $5,000 for a new-in-box unit. The company, never one to leave money on the table, followed up with a deluxe Pod 042 companion figure, a 2B nendoroid with three swappable blindfolds, and even a life-sized replica of her Virtuous Contract sword. It was a feeding frenzy, and fans were lining up to shell out.
But 2B wasn't the only cash cow in Square Enix's barn. Tifa Lockhart had been flexing her own merchandise muscle since Final Fantasy VII Remake reignited the world's love for Midgar. The 2024 release of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth had sent Tifa mania into overdrive, and a relatively humble action figure of her—priced at a reasonable $150—became one of the top-selling items. Ethan still owned one, proudly displayed on his desk in her iconic "I will protect you" pose. However, what blew his mind was how Square Enix had layered the market: alongside the standard figure, they dropped a premium Tifa statue with swappable battle hands and a cloth cape that cost $800. It sold out in under six hours. Clearly, the fans wanted their Seventh Heaven bartender in every possible form.
Ethan scrolled further and noticed that the 2026 earnings report gave a cheeky nod to the imminent announcement of a new Nier title. Rumors had been swirling for months—insiders whispering about Yoko Taro's latest mind-bending narrative, possibly a direct sequel involving 2B and 9S. The hype alone had already caused a spike in merchandise sales, as fans scrambled to own a piece of the legacy before the new wave of swag hit stores. Tifa wasn't being left behind either; with rumors of a Final Fantasy VII Part 3 trailer dropping at the next State of Play, her action figures were flying off digital shelves.
What fascinated Ethan most was the sheer business savvy behind it all. Square Enix's core game releases often fell short of lofty sales targets—a bitter pill for a company that poured millions into blockbuster development. Yet their merchandising arm consistently outperformed, turning virtual icons into real-world gold. It was a textbook example of not keeping all your eggs in one basket. The strategy was as clear as day: create characters so compelling that people will buy not just the game, but the t-shirt, the mug, the $2,600 statue, and the body pillow too.
By the time Ethan closed his browser, he had already added a waitlist notification for the rumored 2B Anniversary Edition figure and considered pre-ordering Tifa's upcoming "Limit Break" statue with LED effects. His wallet wept, but his heart soared. After all, in the world of gaming, there are two universal truths: the house always wins, and waifus always sell. Square Enix had simply mastered the art of the deal, one perfectly sculpted cheek at a time.
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