Article Here

I heard square wa sinterested in microsoft. I havent read the whole article yet but this might be interesting.

The only Square rep. I know was just promoted, and is no longer " doing the rounds," as he liked to call it. Therefore, he' s suddenly inaccessible to a lowly gamer like me, but we spoke about this a few months ago.

From what I can gather, Square has one of two options that they are pursuing. One that is NOT an option is exclusivity for any console besides the PS2. In this aspect, Square-Enix is just going by the numbers, and the gigantic userbase of the PS2 will never be ignored by throwing their lot in with either Nintendo or Microsoft. He also mentioned that the " true" Final Fantasy series will remain exclusive to the PS2/PS3, throughout next generation. Games like Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (GBA) and Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles (GC) could potentially be made for the Xbox, but for example, FF XII will be PS2-exclusive.

Therefore, the only two options (apprently) are:

1. Maintain exclusivity to Japanese products, and keep majority of Square-Enix titles on PS2. This would be basically what they' re doing now; making games like the FF series (FF X, FF X-2, FF XII), Drakengard, Front Mission 4, and Star Ocean 3 for the PS2, while tossing a bone or two Nintendo' s way.

2. Branch out to multi-platform to include the Xbox 2. It is still HIGHLY doubtful that they will want to make any true Final Fantasy title multi-platform, but that could change. It could also be likely that you see a random Square-Enix title here and there on the Xbox 2. This would allow them to continue to access the massive userbase Sony has established, while also targeting new gamers " across the pond," so-to-speak. But if this costs more money than it' s worth, and those Xbox 2 gamers still only throw their money towards FPS' s, racers/sports, and various action titles, they may just stay where they' re currently at.

I do question one of the numbers in that article...160 games for the Xbox in Japan; that makes sense. But 6,000 for the PS2? They must be including PSOne games, which is fine, but misleading. Currently, I think there are about 700 PS2 titles here in the U.S., and about half as many Xbox titles.

Does Sony still have a share in Square-Enix or did that go out the window when Squaresoft merged with Enix?

I wonder why they never made another Bushido Blade after the PS1 generation and wonder if they' ll ever bring it back. It was by-far my favorite fighting series.