View Full Version : ENIX MERGES WITH SQUARE!?!?!? WTF!?
Logan Leonhart
26-Nov-2002, 04:32
Excuse the fanboy title, but this came out of freaking nowhere!!
http://gamers.com/news/1274383
Enix and Square to merge, form new company -- Square Enix Inc.
Japanese RPG giants Enix and Square announced plans on Tuesday to merge operations on April 1st, bringing two of Japan's biggest selling franchises -- Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy -- under one roof: Square Enix Inc.
The deal calls for Square to be absorbed into Enix, with 0.81 shares in Enix being traded for each share in Square. The companies said the move was a bid to strengthen profitability amid stiff competition. What this means is that although the company is named Square Enix Inc., the surviving partner is Enix. How this will affect day to day operations of Square in Japan, or of Square's U.S. subsidiary, Square Electronic Arts, is uncertain.
When contacted for confirmation, a Square representative was unable to provide confirmation, stating that details would be released in the morning. Enix U.S. was also unable to provide insight to the groundbreaking deal.
What does this mean for the gaming world? It means that the two mightiest RPG powerhouses in the industry are now one, bigger RPG goliath. Dragon Quest VI was the biggest-selling game in Japan in 2001 (over 4 million copies sold), while that Final Fantasy series has been known to move a few units.
Check back for more details as we get them.
http://www.gamepro.com/
Enix announced early today that, effective November 26, they will begin to merge operations with Square to form Square Enix, a brand-new company created to compete in the world gaming marketplace on the same level as America and Europe's large third parties. The two companies aim to complete the merger by April 1, 2003 and will aim to build a new firm that will produce 80 billion yen ($656 million) in sales and 15 billion yen ($123 million) in profit by fiscal 2005.
"In the ever-changing world of entertainment software, the most important issue facing companies today is how quickly they can grow as the marketplace and opportunities for business expand and diversify," said a financial statement released by Enix today. "Enix and Square's response to this issue is the merger announced today...Together, we will aim to become producer of the highest-quality digital contents in the world."
As part of the merger, shareholders in both companies will receive 0.81 shares of Enix stock for every Square stock they hold. Square, in its current company structure, will be disbanded, and (on paper, anyway) Enix will absorb Square's assets and liabilities. Yoichi Wada, currently president of Square, will head up the new company.
Both Square and Enix are large Japanese companies faced with recent difficulties competing with EA, Activision, Infogrames and the other third-party giants that dominate the game business in America and Europe. Square returned to profit in the last half-year after taking large losses from the failed Final Fantasy movie project, but still faces deep losses in operational profit from the lack of any major hit in 2002. Enix, meanwhile, is the producers of the blockbuster Dragon Quest series in Japan but hasn't been capable of releasing any other major sellers. Together, the two companies will form a massive third party that will virtually corner the market for RPGs in Japan, a springboard they will undoubtedly use to challenge the Western market more seriously than ever before.
Square and Enix will be holding a press conference at 3:30pm Japan time (1:30am Eastern time) to make the official merger announcement. Stay tuned for more details.
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What will this mean to us PS2 gamers?! Heck, to gamers of all consoles?
Wow, this is awesome.
I think it is a direct result and the Japanese answer to what Ben's been talking about as of late - basically the unobstructed rise of the Western Developer.
My take: Decisive winner is probobly Sony as they most likely have a stake in the combined company - depending on the merger details aswell as getting the lionshare of the company's new content. Nintendo gets a marginal victory in that their 'unofficial' Square connection may grow sizably... depending. XBox gets the shaft from the point-of-view that any possible deal with Enix - as was rumored - must now get past Square and Sony's grasp (both in BoD and investor infleuce). I'd say Japan is lost for awhile.
Logan Leonhart
26-Nov-2002, 05:00
I have to wonder, was Enix really that big of a publisher? I always thought Square to be a bigger publisher. I don´t understand much about business, so does this "merger" means that Enix bought out Square? Is it an allianze? What does this mean exactly?
Archie, you hold the answers! I KNOW IT! :)
This is going down on April 1st? Some kind of April Fools' joke?
If Enix can't absorb Square well, Square could end up being a pretty big liability for them. Enix has always been a very stable company with a rather unique and functional publishing set-up. Square, on the other hand, has faced a lot of business turmoil throughout its existence and have practically painted themselves into the corner with their reliance on the Final Fantasy brand as of late. We're talking about a lot of separate ventures and managements coming together under one brand here... it'll be interesting to see how it comes about if this is indeed true.
I wonder how the Sony, EA, and Nintendo deals/relationships will be affected by this.
PC-Engine
26-Nov-2002, 05:23
It means Enix bought Square similar to HP buying Compaq. So does this mean SONY's share of Square Enix drops to 16%?
Wow, that definitely came out of no where.
I don't really get it. I typed up a long paragraph full of questions and speculations, but instead I'll wait for Ben or someone similar to hammer out a solid essay on this, because I'm too flabergasted to try and think right now.
Not suprising, that Square would merge, since they are in a bad position for quite some times. But Enix absorbing them, that was suprising.
This is actually a pretty bad move on Enix part. But I have to read up on the detail. Enix probably want the Square PlayOnline thingy, since they did talk about establishing their own network before. Well just don't let Square handle DQ8.
Not suprising, that Square would merge, since they are in a bad position for quite some times. But Enix absorbing them, that was suprising.
This is actually a pretty bad move on Enix part. But I have to read up on the detail.
It was my understnaing that Square has returned to profitability - whats the bad position?
archie4oz
26-Nov-2002, 06:22
It was my understnaing that Square has returned to profitability
Yes this it true...
I have to wonder, was Enix really that big of a publisher? I always thought Square to be a bigger publisher.
Yes Enix is a big publisher... In fact Square is a bit of a dwarf vs. several other publishers (Konami is a monster and I won't go into Nintendo or Sega).
Wow, that definitely came out of no where.
I think it is a direct result and the Japanese answer to what Ben's been talking about as of late - basically the unobstructed rise of the Western Developer.
Not really... This has been brewing for a long time (the merger). Square and Enix have had a very close relationship for a long time. In fact you could add Namco to that as well. All three companies own mutual stock, and while don't expect Namco to merge right away, I wouldn't be surprised if it happened in the near future (they may still want to keep their brand differentiation)...
It was my understnaing that Square has returned to profitability - whats the bad position?
Returning to profit, doesn't mean in good position.
So does this mean SONY's share of Square Enix drops to 16%?
No, it will be alot less than that.
iscariot
26-Nov-2002, 08:47
Enix to Buy Square for $764 Mln to Add Video Games (Update5)
By Hiroshi Suzuki
Tokyo, Nov. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Enix Corp. agreed to buy Square Co. for 93.2 billion yen ($764 million) in cash and stock, combining the makers of ``Dragon Quest'' and ``Final Fantasy,'' Japan's most-popular role-playing video-game series.
Square has sold more than 42 million copies of the ``Final Fantasy'' games worldwide, while Enix has sold 30 million copies of ``Dragon Quest.'' Both are played on Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 2 video-game consoles.
Video game developers need to share costs to maintain their share of a $20 billion industry, where the combination of faster computer chips and jaded game fanatics demand Hollywood-style production techniques. Analysts say the typical budget for a hit game is 1 billion yen ($8 million).
``Game making is a hit-or-miss business, and they want to spend more money to produce attractive games that can become hits,'' said Jun Terasaka, who helps manage $163 million at Toyota Asset Management Co. and declined to say if he holds shares of Square or Enix.
Square President Yoichi Wada will head the new company, Square Enix, in which Enix shareholders will own a 55 percent stake.
Sony
Sony, the biggest maker of video-game consoles, holds 18.6 percent stake in Square through a game unit, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., making it the second-largest shareholder. Sony Computer Entertainment will hold 8.4 percent stake in the new entity.
``The merged company will make better games for us and for the industry,'' said Kenichi Fukunaga, a spokesman at Sony Computer.
Square shareholders will get 0.81 of an Enix share and 30 yen in cash for each of their 60.2 million shares. That values Square at 1,548 yen a share based on yesterday's closing Enix share price. Nomura Holdings Inc. acted as a financial adviser on the transaction.
Enix shares rose 300 yen, or 16 percent, to 2,175 yen at the close of trading on the Tokyo Exchange. The shares were untraded in the afternoon as the number of investors wanting to buy them outnumbered those seeking to sell. They were allocated among investors by the exchange at the end of trading at 3 p.m. Square shares rose 6.4 percent, or 121 yen, to 2,005 yen.
Square Enix expects net income of 12 billion yen on sales of 61 billion yen in the year ending March 31, 2004, Square and Enix said in a press release.
``They are best-of-breed players in the role-playing game genre,'' said Zachary Liggett, an analyst at West LB Securities Pacific Ltd.
Square returned to profit in its fiscal first-half from a net loss a year ago as sales in the U.S. and Europe beat its expectations. Still, overall sales fell to 12 billion yen from 19.6 billion yen a year ago.
Square exited the movie business last year after its first feature-length film flopped. Square's ``Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within'' was a computer animated movie based on the ``Final Fantasy'' game series. The film failed to recoup its $135 million in development costs.
Enix Corp. agreed to buy Square Co. for 93.2 billion yen ($764 million) in cash and stock
$764 million?! Thats it?! At one point Square wanted a billion or two from MS for a minority stake in the company! Man, if MS paid what it did for Rare, imagine how much they'd pay to get their hands on Square (and yes I'm biased, but I truly think Square is worth more to MS than Rare [wierd, they rhyme]).
I still don't get the merger in terms of "fighting off foreign competition". In otherwords, if Enix has no interests outside of Japan, and Square is pulling in roughly 50% of their sales world wide, with virtually nil threat of like Baldurs Gate tearing up the Degenki console charts, then why merge [to fend off foreign competitors]?
Is this simply to cut operating costs and consolidate business?
Ozymandis
26-Nov-2002, 10:37
I get home from work and look what happened. Wow.
Sony stands to gain the most from this I think. Although of course it's not like they have any real competition in Japan anyways, I'd assume that this new company will likely support Sony with the vast majority of its RPGs.
Playstation will probably dominate the Japanese market forever! :lol:
(well, at least a very long time)
PC-Engine
26-Nov-2002, 10:42
I think they're more likely to go multplatform after all the dust settles.
Ozymandis
26-Nov-2002, 10:57
I think they're more likely to go multplatform after all the dust settles.
Hmm. I don't know what kind of incentive there would be to release significant amounts of RPGs on any platform besides Playstation2. From my experience, the vast majority of RPG fans own a Ps2 (of course).
PC-Engine
26-Nov-2002, 11:08
Well Square has already started making games for Nintendo even before this announcment. Square will be disbanded after this and SONYs share of the company will be a lot less now. Less SONY control means a higher chance of making games for other consoles in the future. Installed base hasn't limited EA among others from multiplatform development.
Rod�ric
26-Nov-2002, 14:24
That's not necessarily a good thing.
Let's wait and see.
(Dragon Quest on GameCube ?? ^^ )
BTW, Ozymandis, how good is Resident Evil Zero ?
PC-Engine
26-Nov-2002, 14:47
That's not necessarily a good thing.
Let's wait and see.
(Dragon Quest on GameCube ?? ^^ )
BTW, Ozymandis, how good is Resident Evil Zero ?
Why not? DQ started life on the Super Famicom just like FF :wink:
Regarding RE0, it's pretty good especially the buddy system and the new inventory system. As to the game...well it's RE just like all the other REs. The backgrounds have more animation than RE Remake and the realtime cutscenes don't have the stuttering problem that Remake had.
Enix did commit to make games for GameCube already, according to their president/PR department.. and Square claimed to have "more than one" GCN game in development.. (the one so far being Nintendo's FF:CC, of course)
With Sony's hold on EniSquare (;)) down to 8%, I doubt that you'll see any limitations on EniSquare (such as "you can't develop for GCN or Xbox") stick around for very long. I think that GCN is definitely getting more games.. and EniSquare might also wisen up and see how well Xbox is faring in th' States and Europe, and to decide to develop for it.
marconelly!
26-Nov-2002, 16:10
Well Square has already started making games for Nintendo even before this announcment.Yes, but the game for GC they are making seems more like an afterthought so they can tap into the GBA market.
I think this new company will develop for PS2 first and foremost and do the similalr busines on GC/GBA that Square pulled.
As for Xbox - DQ was never popular outside the Japan and FF was never to be on it, for other reasons than Sony involvement. I wouldn't count much would change now, especially if the reason for the merger is 'fending off' foreign companies.
PC-Engine
26-Nov-2002, 16:37
Yes, but the game for GC they are making seems more like an afterthought so they can tap into the GBA market.
And how does that in any way affect future Square/Enix games on GCN especially if FF:CC sells well?
archie4oz
26-Nov-2002, 17:26
$764 million?! Thats it?! At one point Square wanted a billion or two from MS for a minority stake in the company!
It's a collaborative merger not a buyout... Besides back when M$ was waving around money at Square, Miyamoto (the founder) didn't want to sell his shares, and the movie hadn't flopped yet...
Is this simply to cut operating costs and consolidate business?
Yes, making RPG's even if with extensive code reuse isn't cheap. After all, Square's also in a partnership with EA with Square/EA to leverage EA's distribution and publishings assets.
Enix and Square (and Namco to a lesser degree) have had a pretty long, close relationship. This makes it easier to share resources to reduce development costs. Remember they already owned a 5% stake in eachother (and with Namco) as part of the PlayOnline deal (so this also means that Square Enix owns 10% of Namco as well). I'm a little curious to what direction Game Arts will go in now, considering how cozy they've been getting with Enix (Enix owns roughly 15% of them)... I also wonder how this affects Digicube though (of which Capcom is also a parter in)...
Square will be disbanded after this and SONYs share of the company will be a lot less now. Less SONY control means a higher chance of making games for other consoles in the future.
Unlikely... For one, Sony has little control over Square (however none of the involved studios are huge multi-platform studios, and going multi-platform would be ridiculously costly especially when they're trying to reduce costs). Secondly, both Square and Enix have pretty tight development teams, you don't want to break up development crews and destroy what operating synergy they have. Most of any restructuring will likely involve corporate infrastructure (e.g. accounting, sales, stuff like that). Enix (and perhaps GameArts) will for instance gain the benefit of Square's CGI facilities (instead of farming out to Gonzo)...
I doubt that you'll see any limitations on EniSquare (such as "you can't develop for GCN or Xbox") stick around for very long.
There isn't now nor has there been (other than FF obligations)...
archie4oz
But if MS did buy Square, then what would the outcome have been? Most likely, as a MS road rep has argued in a teambox forum, the devs would have left and MS would be only left with company assets (trademarks).
http://forums.teamxbox.com/showthread.php?s=8e6f77a99bf2c5666ea3885253affb29&postid=1739090#post1739090
Ozymandis
26-Nov-2002, 18:34
BTW, Ozymandis, how good is Resident Evil Zero ?
Very, very good. The small changes add a new feel just enough to make the game more enjoyable.
Graphics are a bit improved as well :D
bbot:
Most likely, as a MS road rep has argued in a teambox forum, the devs would have left and MS would be only left with company assets (trademarks).
Microsoft wouldn't likely acquire another gaming company against the wishes of that company's management, and certainly not through a hostile takeover. Third parties are not their competition, so Microsoft wouldn't be bolstering their standing in the market by throwing their weight around and pushing these partners of theirs about. They'll try to entice third parties with excessively lucrative deals, but their game of hard ball will likely be saved for their direct competition - Sony and Nintendo.
If Microsoft had acquired Square, it's certainly conceivable that some of their top producers and designers would leave the company if they were unhappy about it. I highly doubt their would be any mass exodus, though, as Microsoft wouldn't agree to make the acquisition if their was a chance the company could be losing some of its valuable personnel resources. MS would check with the producers to make sure they were OK with it, and it would probably be in the contract for certain management and creative structures to stay in place for a few years after the acquisition.
Finally, the prospect of a gaming company being bought out by a company like Microsoft brings a lot of job security to the employees in a time when their company might have been struggling financially or in business. Don't think that the acquired Square employees in our hypoethetical scenario would all just up and leave in disgust and protest by being purchased by the evil, western-giant Microsoft. These Square employees need to make a living, support a family, put food on the table, etc. While it might be nice to think they could all be that cavalier, defiant, and reckless with their future career decisions, the reality of the situation is that their need to meet expenses takes precedent over some misguided sense of patriotism and dignity. While a few of the financially well-off producers could afford to leave, start new companies, or take a job at another developer, the great majority of Square's personnel aren't rich or assured enough that they could just leave their post and start at a new one without a hitch or a risk of missing a paycheck in Japan's troubled economic climate.
If this merger goes through, I believe it will signal the beginning of at least a slightly more multi-platform approach for their content. Successfully operating a large publisher has its demands (and just dismissing a potential revenue source like the GameCube, Xbox, and Game Boy Advance off hand is not prudent), and Enix being the controlling party will likely result in the use of their publishing philosophy.
Enix hasn't really needed to do much cross-platform development and publishing yet. However, that possibility becomes greater as this hardware cycle moves on and the other platforms establish themselves. Though they haven't done much cross-platform development, Enix has never really been opposed to it. Their ties with many different developers like GameArts also pulls them in broader directions as well.
I definitely think that some choice GameCube support will be annouced by this prospective merged company in the future. And of course, Game Boy Advance plans will only increase from what they already were as they really try to tap that market for all its worth.
PC-Engine
26-Nov-2002, 19:40
Unlikely... For one, Sony has little control over Square (however none of the involved studios are huge multi-platform studios, and going multi-platform would be ridiculously costly especially when they're trying to reduce costs). Secondly, both Square and Enix have pretty tight development teams, you don't want to break up development crews and destroy what operating synergy they have. Most of any restructuring will likely involve corporate infrastructure (e.g. accounting, sales, stuff like that). Enix (and perhaps GameArts) will for instance gain the benefit of Square's CGI facilities (instead of farming out to Gonzo)...
The article said Square would be disbanded.
Tagrineth
26-Nov-2002, 20:04
It's a collaborative merger not a buyout... Besides back when M$ was waving around money at Square, Miyamoto (the founder) didn't want to sell his shares, and the movie hadn't flopped yet...
o.O Shiggy? Or am I missing something here...?
Tagrineth
26-Nov-2002, 20:23
Different Miyamoto.
Thought so, wasn't sure.
Brimstone
26-Nov-2002, 20:44
Overall how well are Square titles selling in Japan and the rest of the world? I'm sure the FF series does well, but what about other games?
How is Enix doing with game sales?
RaolinDarksbane
26-Nov-2002, 20:51
Kinda interesting that two people from Enix is going to fill in job of the CEO and VP of the new company, couple that with the fact that Sony now has 8.1 %(?)..... wouldn't that loosing the grip that Sony has on Square(or the new company).
Kinda interesting that two people from Enix is going to fill in job of the CEO and VP of the new company, couple that with the fact that Sony now has 8.1 %(?)..... wouldn't that loosing the grip that Sony has on Square(or the new company).
Um, think the status quo will remain just that.
Archie already said Square's descision to produce for who they did in the past is for monetary reasons. And even if their is political motivation, I think the 'motivation' is a little deeper than xx% of share ownership.
o.O Shiggy?
Haha
Steve Dave Part Deux
26-Nov-2002, 21:16
I think it's safe to say that Yamauchi was courting Enix just as vigorously as he was Square prior to his retirement. I would be suprised not to see the next DQ on GCN, after all, PS2 already got dungeon battle. I imagine that if the next incarnation of the DQ franchise does appear on the Cube, that it will be the first game to require the use of the GBA-GCN linkup.
archie4oz
26-Nov-2002, 22:14
Finally, the prospect of a gaming company being bought out by a company like Microsoft brings a lot of job security to the employees in a time when their company might have been struggling financially or in business.
Depends on the studio... At the time of Microsoft's nosing around, I'd say not really, especially with the movie in production (in partnership with Sony).
While a few of the financially well-off producers could afford to leave, start new companies, or take a job at another developer, the great majority of Square's personnel aren't rich or assured enough that they could just leave their post and start at a new one without a hitch or a risk of missing a paycheck in Japan's troubled economic climate.
Actually it's been pretty easy. The gaming industry is one of the few areas where there's still a lot of job opportunities. Artists make up the bulk of the critical personel and having Square on your resume goes quite far not only in the gaming industy but also with animation studios and manga publishers...
Enix hasn't really needed to do much cross-platform development and publishing yet. However, that possibility becomes greater as this hardware cycle moves on and the other platforms establish themselves. Though they haven't done much cross-platform development, Enix has never really been opposed to it. Their ties with many different developers like GameArts also pulls them in broader directions as well.
Probably not this generation of hardware (perhaps next gen). It costs too much and takes too long to ramp up production pipelines for other platforms if you're not already geared for it... Besides you to evaluate whether or not the ROI will be high enough as well...
I definitely think that some choice GameCube support will be annouced by this prospective merged company in the future. And of course, Game Boy Advance plans will only increase from what they already were as they really try to tap that market for all its worth.
It's always a possibility. Right now though the AGB and PS2 are offering the best ROI. Besides by the time I left most of the senior and junior staff who were really enthusiastic GCN development had already left for Fund Q backed operations... Dunno about Enix personel though.
The article said Square would be disbanded.
As an individual company yeah, but most of the infrastructure will remain intact. At least until 2005...
o.O Shiggy? Or am I missing something here...?
Masafumi (no relation to Shigeru)...
Overall how well are Square titles selling in Japan
Haven't paid much attention to the rest of the world, but in Japan Kingdom Hearts sold over 800K copies , The Bouncer did around 375K, Gekikuukan sold over 500K, All Star Wrestling II did around 130K (right about where FFXI is now)...
As for Enix, other than delays with Star Ocean 3, has been doing fine...
I really *really* hope that XBox or Gamecube get the bulk of the games. Why? Cause I've got a cube and I'm getting an XBox soon. Phooey on PS2. :)
RaolinDarksbane
26-Nov-2002, 22:27
Good god the viral marketer has invaded the forum!!!
Anyway, back to the topic(even though it's slighter off).... how do you explain GDS?? With two people from Enix taking the top positions for the new company, what's the use for GDS??
marconelly!
26-Nov-2002, 22:32
I really *really* hope that XBox or Gamecube get the bulk of the games. Why? Cause I've got a cube and I'm getting an XBox soon. Phooey on PS2. So you like Enix and Square games and you don't have and don't like PS2? Well, sucks to be you :lol:
Laa-Yosh
26-Nov-2002, 22:33
Square Pictures was disbanded (lots of US and European artists were there), however I think that Squaresoft's CGI department was not involved. Many artists have left that place a few years ago, to work on the Final Fantasy movie though - Square had to outsource a good amount of FMVs for FFX.
Too bad they didn't call the new company "Squenix" (Skwen-ix), it really rolls off the tongue!
archie4oz
26-Nov-2002, 22:46
Too bad they didn't call the new company "Squenix" (Skwen-ix), it really rolls off the tongue!
Blech! I'd just assume go with something ridiculous like "Super Happy Fun Mega RPG & Peoplesoft Manufacturing Concern"...
I really *really* hope that XBox or Gamecube get the bulk of the games. Why? Cause I've got a cube and I'm getting an XBox soon. Phooey on PS2. So you like Enix and Square games and you don't have and don't like PS2? Well, sucks to be you :lol:
I love the DragonQuest Series with a PASSION!!! And I used to love Square before they FMV'd the FF series.
I really want another Chronotrigger game though....
Yea I sold my PS2 to my brother. I didn't like the games that came out for it. Please oh please oh please let DQ come out first for GC or XBox....
PC-Engine
26-Nov-2002, 23:06
Too bad they didn't call the new company "Squenix" (Skwen-ix), it really rolls off the tongue!
Blech! I'd just assume go with something ridiculous like "Super Happy Fun Mega RPG & Peoplesoft Manufacturing Concern"... :lol: :lol:
Logan Leonhart
26-Nov-2002, 23:32
I really *really* hope that XBox or Gamecube get the bulk of the games. Why? Cause I've got a cube and I'm getting an XBox soon. Phooey on PS2. So you like Enix and Square games and you don't have and don't like PS2? Well, sucks to be you :lol:
I love the DragonQuest Series with a PASSION!!! And I used to love Square before they FMV'd the FF series.
I really want another Chronotrigger game though....
Yea I sold my PS2 to my brother. I didn't like the games that came out for it. Please oh please oh please let DQ come out first for GC or XBox....
Why don´t you just get a PS2? You do know that the chances of seeing DQ on a system other than PS2 is next to nothing, right? :lol:
"Wishfull thinking will only make the truth more painfull" - Trigun :D
iscariot
28-Nov-2002, 18:54
well its final, Enix is putting DragonQuest 8 on (PS2) (duh!)
first pics:
http://www.j-apartment.net/b2/uploader/source/up1956.jpg
http://www.gf-data.de/gamefront-temp/dragon88.jpg
its also being developed by Level5, hmm...
http://www.gamefront.de/
Logan Leonhart
28-Nov-2002, 23:32
Let me say it once again Natoma:
"Wishfull thinking will only make the truth more painfull" - Trigun :D
StefanS
29-Nov-2002, 06:50
O.K, I see PS2 is getting DQ and GBA is getting DQ.
Ozymandis
29-Nov-2002, 15:09
It was a no-brainer that the series was going to Playstation2. Nintendo owners shouldn't have bothered getting their hopes up...
Taken from GA:
Gamefront's newest update includes some new information from Japan. Apparently, Square-Enix have stated they plan to develop for a "next-generation console" slated for a 2005 Japanese release.
Obviously, It's gotta be XBox2 :roll: (couldn't help myself after all the useless talk earlier in this thread)
I don't know about this whole "next-generation console" thing.
I mean, yes.. most everybody (including myself) assumes that it's the PS3. Duh.. but why not just come out and say that they're working on the PS3 or Sony's next console if not "PS3"? Perhaps I'd reading this the wrong way.. but y'know.. Nintendo, MS, or another corporation could also release a console in 2005. MS does want to beat Sony to market, remember.
Of course, the PS2 and GCN are slaughtering Xbox in Japan.. so what I just said about MS is probably unlikely.. heh..
Logan Leonhart
02-Dec-2002, 02:14
You have to remember that (or at the very least AFAIK), it´s typical for japanese companies to not announce what system they are developing on, even if it´s painfully obvious which one it is.
Look at what happened with FF and DQ, look at what happened with MGS2. Everybody knew what system those were for, but the uncertainty led to a higher interest and rumors surrounding those titles.
I suppose it wouldn't be too smart to announce development for PS3 (or Xbox 2) because the current consoles aren't even halfway through their life cycle. Announcing support for "the next" console might get people worried and save up for the next ones. :-?
Perhaps the fact that the "NGConsole" hasn't been announced yet is another reason. I think it's a foregone conclusion which console they'll be looking at.
Announcing support for "the next" console might get people worried and save up for the next ones. :-?
Good point, which reminds me of a term that means that exact thing. We used it quite alot at Fool.com, I just can't seem to remember - it was named after a next generation device which was announced and actually killed the company because sales plummeted of the current device.
Geeforcer or Dave remember? This is killing me. :lol:
PC-Engine
06-Dec-2002, 20:35
http://www.cubenation.com/news.php#897
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