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Square Enix Brings Hammer Down On French Retailer
Like Nintendo, Square Enix take their intellectual property ownership seriously. So seriously that the Japanese publisher is taking legal action against a single French retailer, accused of selling pirated Square merchandise. The company, going by the name la société SAKURA, operates both a store in Paris and an online outlet, both of which specialise in…
By Luke Plunkett Published July 2, 2009 -
Want To Countdown the Release of Dragon Quest IX?
On July 11, DQIX is finally going on sale. To mark the event, Square Enix is hosting a countdown ceremony at Shibuya retailer TSUTAYA. Besides the throngs of DQ fans expected, series creator Yuji Horii and DQIX producer Ryutaro Ichimura will be in attendance. The store opens at 6:40am on the 11th, and if you’re…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 2, 2009 -
Want To See A Level 97 In Dragon Quest IX?
Dragon Quest IX, like most role-playing-games, lets players level up and customize their characters — even famous players. The latest issue of Weekly Shonen Jump shows just how diverse those options are. Before we get to a Level 97, have a look at Akira Toriyama‘s Level 20 character. Ready to go onward? Here’s the customized…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 2, 2009 -
Square Enix Mystery Solved – The Four Warriors Of Light
Square Enix’s mystery countdown title is a mystery no longer, as scans from the latest Weekly Shonen Jump reveal The Four Warriors of Light: A Final Fantasy Anecdote. At least that’s the way the game’s name translates according to our own Brian Ashcraft, who pored over the scans to glean what information her could. The…
By Mike Fahey Published July 1, 2009 -
And Now There Is A Girl…
To recap: First there was a landscape and the number four. Then a dragon. After that, a boy. And now? A girl. There looks like there is enough space on the back of that dragon for at least another rider, maybe more. Check back tomorrow! It should be oh so thrilling. NEW Game [Square Enix…
By Brian Ashcraft Published July 1, 2009 -
Why Is There A Tanned Fairy In Dragon Quest IX?
With golden skin and bleached blond hair, fairy Sandy doesn’t look like your typical Dragon Quest character. She talks and dresses like the Japanese equivalent of a Valley Girl. Dragon Quest IX producer Ryutaro Ichimura describes a meeting regarding what kind of character would be best for the pivotal role of guide for the adventure.…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 30, 2009 -
Check Out Dragon Quest IX’s Multiplayer
Sure, Dragon Quest IX only has local multiplayer, but it does have multiplayer! This is a video of it. Each player controls his or her avatar, and it is possible for up to four players to play together via the DS’s local WiFi connection. Players can stray from their party, but it might be best…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 30, 2009 -
And Now There Is A Boy…
First there was a landscape and the number four. Then a dragon. Now? Now there is a boy. He has a sword. Tomorrow we hope this Square Enix countdown site brings us clouds or maybe, just maybe, the sun. Oh the suspense. It is killing us. NEW GAME [Official Site]
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 30, 2009 -
Pre-Buy The Next Final Fantasy XI Scenario Next Week
While there’s no word on when you can play the second of three new Final Fantasy XI scenarios. A Moogle Kupo d’Etat – Evil in Small Doses, now we know when you can buy it. Starting on July 5th, Final Fantasy XI players will be able to purchase the follow-up to A Crystalline Prophecy –…
By Mike Fahey Published June 29, 2009 -
Tetsuya Nomura On Kingdom Hearts 3
One new Kingdom Hearts game, KH 358/2 Days, has been released in Japan. Two more Square-Enix-meets-Disney mash-ups are forthcoming: Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep for the PSP and Kingdom Hearts: Coded for cell phones. But where is the one everyone is waiting for, Kingdom Hearts 3? Kingdom Hearts designer Tetsuya Nomura says he already has…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 29, 2009 -
Hey Look, Now, There Is A Dragon
The countdown page for some game Square Enix is trying to hype. The large “4” and the countdown clock are old, but the dragon drawing is new. Even if we don’t like countdown clocks, we do like dragon drawings. Also, the SaGa (AKA Final Fantasy Legend) style music *might* be new as well, since we…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 29, 2009 -
Want to Meet Final Fantasy’s Composer?
You need to be in Seattle from July 9 to 11, and you need a hundred bucks. The Seattle Symphony is giving a three-day performance of Final Fantasy‘s score, and Nobuo Uematsu will be attending. “Distant Worlds” will be performed July 9 at 7:30 pm and July 10 and 11 at 8 pm. The Grammy…
By Owen Good Published June 27, 2009 -
Hey Look, It’s Some Square Enix Countdown Clock…
…and, yeah, it’s counting down to something. There’s a large “4” on the page, below a countdown clock that will end on July 6. Maybe this has something to do with that “Four Warriors of Light” trademark the company filed… NEW GAME [Square Enix via One Last Continue]
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 26, 2009 -
Square Enix Perfecting FFXIII Summons
We’ve seen two Final Fantasy XIII summons: the Odin summons from heroine Lighting (pictured) and Shiva from bandana dude Snow. The lady motorcycle summons, aka Shiva, is all kinds of unique. It goes so far over the cliff that it bounces right back into awesometown. Lighting’s Odin summons? Less so. The Japanese internet has been…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 26, 2009 -
Dragon Quest IX Only Saves One Game At A Time
Dragon Quest IX allows up to four players play co-op via the Nintendo DS’s local WiFi. That’s great. Know what’s not so great? According to the game’s box art, only one game can be saved at a time. This seems like a decision based on the size of the DS cartridge. Perhaps. Other DQ have…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 26, 2009 -
Square Enix Sued For $5 Million
Square Enix of America is being sued for allegedly deceiving 100,000 customers for “unfair business practices, false advertising and unjust enrichment” regarding online title Final Fantasy XI. The plaintiff, San Francisco resident Esther Leong, claims that Square Enix “lied about or concealed its monthly fees, penalties for late payments, interest, restrictions and other things that…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 25, 2009 -
Square Enix President Casts Further Doubt On The Last Remnant PS3 Release
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. While middling critical reception of The Last Remnant may imply that PlayStation 3 owners aren’t…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 24, 2009 -
Final Fantasy VII PSN Release Results In Over 100,000 New Aeris Deaths
Square Enix’s Final Fantasy VII has become the “fastest selling PS one title on PlayStation Network since the game launched” accumulating over 100,000 downloads for the PlayStation 3 and PSP following its addition to the North American PlayStation Store. Final Fantasy VII, originally released on the PlayStation in 1997, hit the PlayStation Store on June…
By Michael McWhertor Published June 23, 2009 -
Dragon Quest IX Panic Starts Now!
Reservations for the eagerly awaited DS role-playing-game Dragon Quest IX have started in Japan with some stores opening early. Above is a shop in Den-Den Town, Osaka’s version of Akihabara. It’s opening early at 8:00am — which of course isn’t midnight. In Japan, Dragon Quest IX goes on sale Saturday, July 11th. Expect lines. Long…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 22, 2009 -
Is Dragon Quest IX Co-Op WiFi or Local?
There’s been some confusion about Dragon Quest IX co-op play. Is it local only or does it using Nintendo’s WiFi connection? Just imagine playing DQIX with faraway friends! Square Enix PR clears up the issue with this: “From the beginning of development, co-op play hasn’t been via WiFi, but rather DS wireless play.” So there…
By Brian Ashcraft Published June 18, 2009