• Supreme Commander 2

    Supreme Commander 2, Brought To You By Square Enix

    Square Enix, famous for dealing exclusively with Japanese developers, takes the first steps towards becoming a truly global publisher today, announcing a strategic partnership with Seattle-based Gas Powered Games. The partnership also marks Square Enix's first foray into the real-time strategy market as GPG begins officially commences development on Supreme Commander 2, the sequel to their hit RTS game for the PC and Xbox 360.

    “We see great opportunities in European and North American markets, both of which are expected to be maintaining sustainable growth over these coming years,” said Yoichi Wada, president and representative director of Square Enix Co., Ltd. “Therefore, it is crucial we create alliances with proven developers such as Gas Powered Games in order to serve these significant markets better by providing products and services in tune with customer tastes.”

    Wada had previously voiced his concerns over the growth of the Western games industry, most recently at the Tokyo Game Show, where he proposed an alliance of Japanese devs and publishers. I suppose this is an example of the old 'If you can't beat 'em, join 'em' strategy. More »

    8:20 AM on Wed Nov 12 2008
    By Mike Fahey
    7,318 views, 61 comments

    Most discussed sanman7890: I'm not sure what to think of this to be honest. I love SC:FA, play it lan style with my more »

  • Imperial Hot

    Square Enix President Talks "Remake Boom"

    Low risk, high return. Companies like Square Enix have been remaking their back catalogues, much to the delight of a generation of gamers who missed them the first time around (or those who like buying things with a fresh coat of polish). Square Enix, however, has been releasing new IPs like the upcoming Last Remnant.

    As imperial hot company president Yoichi Wada explains in Asashi Shimbun piece on the remake boom: "The price of games is high, and consumers tend to be wary of buying games they are unfamiliar with. Now, it's possible for consumers to learn a great deal about the content of new titles through the internet." Hooray for the internet! Not only can it help you find pornography, but also inform about new video games. Oh, the marvels of modern technology.

    Remake Boom [Asahi]

    1:00 AM on Fri Nov 7 2008
    By Brian Ashcraft
    5,426 views, 102 comments

    Most discussed ninjakamster: Final Fantasy 6, Seiken Densetsu 3 and Secret of Mana please. more »

  • Imperial Hot

    Square Enix President Suggests "Japan Alliance" For Gaming

    During the Tokyo Game Show 2008, imperial hot Square Enix boss Yoichi Wada voiced concerns about how the West's gaming industry was surpassing Japan's. In an Nikkei Business article on the Japanese gaming "crisis", Wada further explains his position. The gaming industry in the West is growing faster, and developers and publishers have more capital than their Japanese counterparts.

    To remain competitive, Wada says, "Therefore, we should consider some sort of 'Japan Alliance'." More medium to small-sized companies will need to realign — case in point, Tecmo and Koei. "Individuality is important," Wada adds. "It's not forcing everything into a single corporate brand. The ideal is a holding company under which several companies and brands can hang." Though, who would head up this alliance? Square Enix? Wada? He did come up with the idea...

    世界市場の活況に潜む“日の丸ゲーム”の危機〜ゲームが破る閉塞（最終回） [NB Online via my game news flash]

    2:00 AM on Wed Oct 22 2008
    By Brian Ashcraft
    4,344 views, 84 comments

    Most discussed AssassinGT: I forgot to add my relevant argument. If they were really so fearful of us, they would do what we more »

  • tgs08

    TGS Opening Keynote Liveblog (Square Enix!)

    Today the Tokyo Game Show kicks off with a keynote from Square Enix president Yoichi Wada. We're expecting some big announcements so click over to the liveblog which is after the jump. More »

    7:35 PM on Wed Oct 8 2008
    By Brian Ashcraft
    23,445 views, 180 comments

    Most discussed RedLinkJ: Is everyone one else waiting for KH3 also? more »

  • Imperial Hot

    Square Enix President Sorta Dates Dragon Quest IX (Mentions Tecmo)

    While DS title Dragon Quest IX will not be playable at TGS 08, Square Enix president Yoichi Wada (pictured) seems to be indicating that the game will be available next during the Japanese New Year. Here's a translation of the short soundbyte that popped up on Yahoo! News Japan: More »

    3:30 AM on Fri Sep 19 2008
    By Brian Ashcraft
    5,694 views, 30 comments

    Most discussed 108: There's still the Dragon Quest VI remake to be released. It'd be hilarious, in a forehead-slapping way, if they announce in more »

  • yoichi wada

    Square Enix President Discusses "Friendly" Tecmo Takeover

    Earlier today, we first broke the news that Square Enix had plans to takeover beleaguered game company Tecmo. At the ensuing press conference, Square Enix president Yoichi Wada revealed that this friendly takeover offer wasn't as sudden as it appears.

    According to Wada, there have been discussions since May with former Tecmo president Yoshimi Yasuda and Tecmo Chairman of the Board (and current president) Yasuharu Kakihara. Yasuda has recently resigned in wake of a slew of labor dispute legal trouble with Team Ninja and Dead or Alive member Tomonobu Itagaki. Wada admits that he was "concerned" what would happen regarding those discussions when Yasuda resigned. More »

    5:30 AM on Fri Aug 29 2008
    By Brian Ashcraft
    7,594 views, 73 comments

    Most discussed King of Fun UK: Without Itakagi at the helm of Team Ninja... What else do Tecmo actually have? Not much. But yeah, very smart move more »

  • final fantasy

    Square Enix Gonna Make Games For Everyone, Everything

    When Final Fantasy XIII was announced for the 360, it was hard to miss the high-pitched scream that went out across the internet. Mostly from Sony fanboys, aghast at the thought of a Final Fantasy game appearing somewhere other than a PlayStation. Which was good for a giggle, what with Final Fantasies I-VI on Nintendo machines, Final Fantasy VII & VIII going to the PC, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles going to GameCube and Final Fantasy XI going to every machine known to man. Not like there wasn't a precedent, people. More »

    7:00 AM on Tue Jul 29 2008
    By Luke Plunkett
    17,551 views, 300 comments

    Latest by Omnimon: @KingParappa: lol ty for proving my point. :) I will most likely buy for PS3, although the achievements are attractive. more »

  • rumor

    Square Enix President Laying Down The Law

    Square Enix's 2007 financial statement indicates that the company is going through a rough patch. How bad are things? Apparently, there has been an internal shakedown going on. According to several company insiders, things are getting heated. Word has it that a fierce meeting was held over a month ago where the Square Enix honcho threatened to start axing employees if they didn't (and we're paraphrasing) "stop making games that only they wanted to play." Wada is supposedly worried that the company's games have become more and more insular, alienating itself from the mainstream. Granted, this is purely a rumor, but there does seem to be a huge dichotomy within the company's products. You've got very, very casual Japan-only DS titles on one hand, then largely an endless stream of Final Fantasy spin-offs and remakes. Not exactly a balanced portfolio! Sure, Dragon Quest IX and Final Fantasy XIII are going to be huge, but neither game has a firm release date. Putting all your eggs in one basket, no? That, or painting oneself in a corner.

    2:00 AM on Tue May 27 2008
    By Brian Ashcraft
    12,772 views, 128 comments

    Latest by Nirolak: @Ramonskito: While it's true you can finish Oblivion in 10 hours Final Fantasy XII only takes 9 hours and 25 more »

  • rumor

    Has Square Enix Cancelled Final Fantasy Agito XIII?

    Square Enix bossman Yoichi Wada presided over the company's shareholder conference late last week. Dragon Quest IX still doesn't have a release date, but saying that he really wants to release it and thought the game would be ready for sale this year. Wada added, "But I said the same thing last year." Square Enix thinks it's possible that Dragon Quest IX could sell up to ten million copies. (No wonder Wada wants to release the game.)

    Also, due to internal loses on development, the company went back and reconsidered in development titles. A mobile game has been shitcanned, apparently. "Concerning the title that connects to the home console," Wada said, "development has been ceased as it is unsuitable at the current time." Wada's remark has lead to some to wonder whether that cancelled mobile game is Final Fantasy Agito XIII as it was supposed to connect to upcoming home console game Final Fantasy XIII.

    Square Enix Results [Game Watch Impress via 2channel Thanks, muu and Nirolak!]

    2:00 AM on Mon May 26 2008
    By Brian Ashcraft
    9,600 views, 59 comments

    Latest by TJF588: *is late to this discussion* As I've been going on about wherever I've been (well, not THAT much, but...), I have more »

  • yoichi wada

    "We Need To Go Beyond Traditional Square Enix"

    Square Enix honcho Yoichi Wada (above, left) is worried. Western game companies are doing really well! Meaning that competition is getting harder. Yet, Wada hopes to capitalize on the Western market, aiming to increase the ratio of overseas sales from its current 50 percent to 80 percent in the next three years. According to the exec:

    We face competition not only from Japanese videogame companies but from game companies worldwide. We also see some new players from outside the videogame industry coming in... Economies of scale and breadth of scope is getting important. It may be a business alliance or it may be us taking a stake in others, but we need to go beyond traditional Square Enix.

    That business alliance sounds nice and all. But, how about stop calling everything Final Fantasy? Or make things other than RPGs? Or if you are going to make RPGs, why not make the games people have been asking for for the past decade?
    Yoichi Talks [Reuters] [Pic]

    12:00 AM on Tue May 20 2008
    By Brian Ashcraft
    5,573 views, 146 comments

    Most discussed VileMethoD: "Or if you are going to make RPGs, why not make the games people have been asking for for the more »