Kotaku: Yoichi Wada

LIVE from the Tokyo Game Show 2011 Keynote, Starring Square Enix's Yoichi Wada!

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 21:30:00 EDT

The main in charge of Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest and the many, many remakes of previous games in those series, Yoichi Wada, big bossman at Square Enix, is officially kicking off Tokyo Game Show 2011. What pearls of wisdom with Wada drop during his TGS keynote? Let's find out! More »

The Tokyo Game Show Will Tell Us More About the PS Vita

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 07:30:00 EDT

The keynotes at this year's TGS will be delivered by Square Enix honcho Yoichi Wada, Sony's Shuhei Yoshida, and the president of social gaming company Gree. Japanese netizens speculate that the PS Vita will be dated during Sony's keynote, the title of which translates as "The PS Vita's Full Details". More »

Does Working at Square Enix Suck?

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 05:00:00 EDT

Square Enix makes Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. Making those games might not be easy. It might be hard. Really hard. No fun hard. More »

Report: Dragon Quest X to Surface on Wii U?

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 08:30:00 EDT

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Nintendo is working on a new console. Square Enix is working on a new Dragon Quest. See where this is going? More »

Final Fantasy Working on Another MMORPG Besides FFXIV

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 25 May 2011 07:30:00 EDT

In a financial meeting, Square Enix president Yoichi Wada said the company was working on a big MMO in addition to Final Fantasy XIV. "I think we will reveal it sometime this year," said Wada. [株式会社スクウェア・エニックス・ホールディングス] More »

Relax, Twitter, Metal Gear's Creator (Probably) Hasn't Inspired a Final Fantasy VII Remake

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 19 May 2011 03:00:00 EDT

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Twitter is a great way to bring the world together, open up lines of communication. It's also a great way for things to be blown out of proportion, 140 characters at a time. More »

Square Enix CEO's 360 Just Shot Itself in the Foot

Owen Good — Thu, 05 May 2011 22:00:00 EDT

Remember 2008? Good Lord, was it nearly three years ago, at E3, that Square Enix announced Final Fantasy XIII would have an Xbox 360 release, utterly horrifying fanboys of game, publisher and PS3 alike? More »

Square Enix Boss Accused Of Being Flippant About Earthquake

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 03:00:00 EDT

Last night at around 11:30, an aftershock with a magnitude of over 7 hit northeast Japan. The area, Tohoku, was ravaged last month by another quake and ensuing tsunami that left thousands dead and many more homeless. As the quake shook the country, Square Enix president Yoichi Wada, like many others, took to Twitter. More »

Can Final Fantasy Still Save Square Enix?

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST

In the past, whenever Square Enix released a new Final Fantasy, things were a-okay. Yet, in 2010 the Tokyo-based game maker released two, and things are anything but. More »

Top Final Fantasy XIV Makers Booted In Wake of Crappy Game

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 03:00:00 EST

Online role-playing game Final Fantasy XIV is a bit of a mess. Critics aren't thrilled, players aren't thrilled. Heck, even Square Enix isn't thrilled. Know what that means? Heads will roll. And they have. More »

Faith In Final Fantasy XIV Needs Resurrecting

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 03:00:00 EDT

Players aren't happy with online game Final Fantasy XIV. Square Enix, the company behind the title, knows this and wants to make things better. "Currently, the service isn't satisfactory," says Square Enix boss Yoichi Wada. He's right. It isn't. More »

Twitter Mob Gangs Up On Square Enix Honcho [Update]

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 05:00:00 EDT

Final Fantasy XIII, which was previously an PS3 exclusive in Japan, is coming to the country's Xbox 360 console. Square Enix boss Yoichi Wada has been catching all kinds of hell from Japanese gamers for the decision. More »

Does Final Fantasy Need A Reboot?

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 03:00:00 EDT

Final Fantasy XIII was released last year, and Final Fantasy Versus XIII is forthcoming. Now might be as good a time as any to clean the slate and start over. More »

Square Enix Boss Says Japan's Core Gameplay "Not As Strong"

Luke Plunkett — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 05:30:00 EDT

Yoichi Wada, boss of publisher Square Enix (Final Fantasy), has some stern words for Japanese developers in a recent interview with industry site Gamasutra. More »

Square Enix Honcho Calls World Cup Interview "Deplorable"

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 05:00:00 EDT

Last night, Japan played valiantly against Paraguay. The game was 0-0 after extra time causing the victor to be settled by penalty kicks. Paraguay made all its shots. Japan, however, did not. More »

Who Makes Big Money In Japan?

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 03:00:00 EDT

People who run big companies, that's who. More »

Square Enix Wants More Games Like Heavy Rain

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 26 May 2010 06:00:00 EDT

Thriller Heavy Rain has a fan in Yoichi Wada, the guy who runs Square Enix. That company churns out Final Fantasy games. In a recent interview with game magazine Famitsu, Imperial Hot says he's recently played the thriller. His thoughts? More »

Multi-Platform Final Fantasy Versus XIII Remarks Cleared Up

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 19 May 2010 05:00:00 EDT

At a Tokyo investors meeting, Square Enix president Yoichi "Imperial Hot" Wada stated that the company was "looking into" bringing PS3 exclusive Final Fantasy Versus XIII to the Xbox 360. More »

Final Fantasy Versus XIII On Xbox 360? Square's 'Looking Into It'

Michael McWhertor — Tue, 18 May 2010 16:40:00 EDT

Will Square Enix's long-in-the-making Final Fantasy Versus XIII follow the lead of its predecessor and make the leap from the PS3 to the Xbox 360? Probably... err Square Enix is "looking into it," according to the company's president. More »

Confirmed: The Best Final Fantasy Is Coming To The PlayStation Network

Mike Fahey — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 17:00:00 EDT

After a couple of weeks' worth of teasing, Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada confirmed during a brief Twitter video that the best Final Fantasy game ever created will soon be released on the PlayStation Network. More »

CEO: We'll 'Explore the Possibility' of Final Fantasy VII Remake

Owen Good — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 20:30:00 EDT

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Creative types like game directors saying they'd love to do a remake of Final Fantasy VII, that's one thing. But now the CEO himself says the company will, at least, "explore the possibility" of doing so. More »

Imperial Hot Has Heard of Imperial Hot

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:00:00 EST

Imperial Hot is our nickname for Square Enix president Yoichi Wada. Big important guy like him, managing an international corporation, he probably has no idea about the internet meme we started, right? More »

Square Enix Says Japanese Retail "Prejudiced" Against Western Games

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:00:00 EST

As far as business execs at large Japanese companies go, Yoichi Wada seems rather forward thinking. He's been tackling discrimination in video games head on. More »

Square Enix: Platform Holder Not Surprised By Death of Consoles

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:00:00 EST

Square Enix honcho Yoichi Wada looks into his crystallis ball and sees a future in which consoles are simply not necessary, reiterating, what he said in November. More »

International Edition of FFXIII Could Be Out Before April 2010

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:20:00 EST

This December, the PS3 version of Final Fantasy XIII is going to be released in Japan — and if we are lucky, it might be out in The West before next April. More »

Square Enix Talks Motion Control, New Wii

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:20:00 EDT

When the Wii was released in November 2005, the motion controls were revolutionary. But that was then. Now it's 2009, and Square Enix boss Yoichi Wada has seen the future. More »

Square Enix President Played Dragon Quest IX For 30 Hours

Brian Ashcraft — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:00:00 EDT

Not every game exec plays video games. Square Enix honcho Yoichi Wada does. Or rather, says he does. More »

Square Enix Doesn't See PS3 Price Cut Impact This Year

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 07:00:00 EDT

......but the company sees a big impact next year. When does Final Fantasy XIII come out again? Oh right, this winter. More »

Expecting 5 Million Copies of Dragon Quest IX Shipped

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 02:00:00 EDT

With 2.3 million copies sold in its first week, Dragon Quest IX is already a smash hit. Square Enix shipped 3 million copies at launch to ensure everyone who wanted the game could purchase it. More »

Square Enix President Casts Further Doubt On The Last Remnant PS3 Release

Michael McWhertor — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:40:44 EDT

Japanese role-playing game The Last Remnant was originally planned for a release on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. As of today, only two of those releases have happened, with the third, the PS3 version, starting to look unlikely. More »

Please Send This To The Square Enix Boss

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 08 May 2009 23:00:00 EDT

We get email. We get lots and lots of email. Here, have a peek into our mail bag. Lucky you. No, lucky us. More »

Tomorrow, Eidos Is Square Enix's

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Square Enix inches closer to its take over of Tomb Raider publisher Eidos, and the takeover is expected to go into effect tomorrow morning. More »

Square Enix Execs Take Self-Imposed Pay Cut

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST

Financial forecasts slashed, stocks plunging. Times are hard for Japanese role-playing-game maker Square Enix. More »

Square Enix: "Dragon Quest IX Delay May Affect Final Fantasy XIII"

Brian Ashcraft — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:20:00 EST

Dragon Quest IX is going to be delayed — blame fatal bugs for that! Is DQIX's postponement is going to affect another big Square Enix game Final Fantasy XIII? More »

Square Enix President Sends New Years Greeting In Poetic Prose (No, Really)

Brian Ashcraft — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 04:00:00 EST

Doom! Gloom!! Bittersweet optimism!!! Square Enix president Yoichi Wada rallies the troops with a New Years message titled "Riding The Current." It's corporate poetry. More »

Supreme Commander 2, Brought To You By Square Enix

Mike Fahey — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:20:00 EST

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. More »

Square Enix President Talks "Remake Boom"

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 03:00:00 EST

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. More »

Square Enix President Suggests "Japan Alliance" For Gaming

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 04:00:00 EDT

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. More »

TGS Opening Keynote Liveblog (Square Enix!)

Brian Ashcraft — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 21:35:02 EDT

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 »

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

Brian Ashcraft — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 05:30:00 EDT

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 »