Move Over EA & Acti-Blizzard; Square-Enix Looking to Expand

[Dr.Finger]

For quite a while now we've been seeing the mega publishers, Electronic Arts, Activision-Blizzard and Ubisoft, snap up smaller developers in something resembling a titanic game of Hungry Hungry Hippo. Well another company is making public their intention to start feeding at the trough - Square Enix (http://www.developmag.com/news/29832/Square-Enixs-Wada-confirms-plans-to-acquire-developers).President Yoichi Wada reiterates long-running expansion plans and bid to grow international empire

Talking to Reuters, Square Enix president Yoichi Wada has once again pledged to grow his company globally, but this time added that he expects to buy stakes in game developers - and confirmed he is already in talks with a number of parties.

"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,While the Western developers seem to be all gung ho for consolidation, the Asian houses seemed a little more reluctant to snap up really healthy companies, instead taking chances on developers going through tough times to find the diamond in the rough. Squenix' announcement that they're going fishing for companies may signal a change in philosophy.

Thanks to Xerxes for the tip

[J3DI]

I wonder if this also mean's they'll be willing to opening up to the Western system of choice (well the US' choice, 360). I am really looking foward to The Last Remnant, but is that the only game we'll see in the 360's life time from them? I wonder if picking up other developers from the Western hemisphere would change their support philosophy too

[Dr.Finger]

I always worry that the Eastern and Western philosophies of game making won't mesh well. Nintendo had success with Rare and Retro, but I can't think of too many other really successful trans-Pacific marriages that worked out so well.

[KamaItachi]

I wonder if this also mean's they'll be willing to opening up to the Western system of choice (well the US' choice, 360). I am really looking foward to The Last Remnant, but is that the only game we'll see in the 360's life time from them? I wonder if picking up other developers from the Western hemisphere would change their support philosophy too

I think the next S/Enix MMORPG is headed to the 360 as well as the PS3, but there's so little info about that that it makes little difference.

Wasn't Project Silpheed also from S/Enix?

On topic, I think there have been a few Japanese companies going down this line, Capcom has already expanded into opening up western Devs, Konami has been looking at it as well. It's not all that new, it's just that Square seem to have the need to remind people they're doign it every now and then.

[Karamazov]

Square-Enix soon to be renamed Greater Square-Enix Co-Prosperity Sphere.

[Exodus]

The shinra corporation grows...




Mako reactor online...

[Xerxes]

I think the next S/Enix MMORPG is headed to the 360 as well as the PS3, but there's so little info about that that it makes little difference.

Wasn't Project Silpheed also from S/Enix?

On topic, I think there have been a few Japanese companies going down this line, Capcom has already expanded into opening up western Devs, Konami has been looking at it as well. It's not all that new, it's just that Square seem to have the need to remind people they're doign it every now and then.

But doesn't S/E have fatter pockets than Capcom and Konami?

[mister_slim]

I think the next S/Enix MMORPG is headed to the 360 as well as the PS3, but there's so little info about that that it makes little difference.

Wasn't Project Silpheed also from S/Enix?

On topic, I think there have been a few Japanese companies going down this line, Capcom has already expanded into opening up western Devs, Konami has been looking at it as well. It's not all that new, it's just that Square seem to have the need to remind people they're doign it every now and then.

Yeah, Project Sylpheed was S-E. They're also working on Infinite Undiscovery.

[KamaItachi]

But doesn't S/E have fatter pockets than Capcom and Konami?

There was a quote a looong ways back, when this news first came out, that S/E were looking to become the Japanese EA, which sounds horrible no matter what way you try and spin it.

On the plus side, they actually don't seem to have gone on any major buying sprees ala EA, so maybe they're picking their partners very, very carefully. Japanese conservatism and all that.

I think there are probably a number of Japanese companies who are looking at the West as the new way to go, for a bigger market share, for new ideas. However, as the good doctor mentioned, the ones that work tend to be the exception, rather than the rule. I'm sure there are few Japanese companies who forgot what happened to Sega.

[Xerxes]

There was a quote a looong ways back, when this news first came out, that S/E were looking to become the Japanese EA, which sounds horrible no matter what way you try and spin it.

On the plus side, they actually don't seem to have gone on any major buying sprees ala EA, so maybe they're picking their partners very, very carefully. Japanese conservatism and all that.

I think there are probably a number of Japanese companies who are looking at the West as the new way to go, for a bigger market share, for new ideas. However, as the good doctor mentioned, the ones that work tend to be the exception, rather than the rule. I'm sure there are few Japanese companies who forgot what happened to Sega.
I can't think of anyone here left to buy. They can buy me! :D

[Deadend]

ProTip: A great way to increase revenue with a minimal increase in cost is to release the same game on multiple systems.

[Xerxes]

ProTip: A great way to increase revenue with a minimal increase in cost is to release the same game on multiple systems.

Give them time. They are opening up to the idea. I mean that one game they are making is multiplatform. Didn't they say they have a engine that will make that easier.

[Gorvi]

Yeah, Project Sylpheed was S-E. They're also working on Infinite Undiscovery.
Both are SE published, not developed. PS was Treasure (I believe) and IU is Tri-Ace.

[Phhhh]

They should just buy Level 5 already.

[Spigot]

I just want them to make sure that they branch out beyond the Final Fantasy/Dragon Quest game lines in a meaningful way. More games like The World Ends With You or (dare I say it) Vagrant Story need to be made. I want a return to the Square of the mid 90's when they were making all sorts of GREAT games that didn't involve the words Final, Fantasy, Dragon or Quest. Unfortunately, it's a rare game that isn't from one of the big two Square-Enix franchises that is actually polished enough to be worth playing.

I'm not super-duper excited about Last Remnant or Infinite Undiscovery yet if only because I just don't know anything about those games. The trailers have not been the most illuminating things ever made.

[Variable Gear]

Infinite Undiscovery looks awesome, but I'm not sold on Last Remnant yet.

I agree with Spigot about Square needing to make more original and awesome games such as The World Ends With You, because that game rocks.

If Square is looking for dev houses to pick up, I couldn't recommend Camelot enough. They could add Square and Dragon Quest characters to their sports titles, and they were rumored to be working on a Wii RPG a long time ago. That would fill a gap that every Nintendo console since the SNES seems to have suffered from, not enough RPGs. :(

[Xerxes]

Infinite Undiscovery looks awesome, but I'm not sold on Last Remnant yet.

I think I'm the other way around. Infinite Undiscoverey looked to busy. I still want them both.

[Exodus]

Give them time. They are opening up to the idea. I mean that one game they are making is multiplatform. Didn't they say they have a engine that will make that easier.

Yeah but didn't we argue a while back about this being not very likely to happen because of Sony owning like 17% of S/E or some such?

[Exodus]

In regards to Square/Enix's flagship series Final Fantasy itself.

[Xerxes]

Yeah but didn't we argue a while back about this being not very likely to happen because of Sony owning like 17% of S/E or some such?

Maybe... That's something I can easily disregard. If Sony had their balls in a sling 360 wouldn't get nothing. This does feel familiar cause I now respond with "I read in Japan, Dragon Quest is the flagship. FF sales bigger on the outside not the inside." Then someone says blah blah. :rolleyes:

[mister_slim]

Yeah but didn't we argue a while back about this being not very likely to happen because of Sony owning like 17% of S/E or some such?

I think that was pre-merger. After the Enix merger it was around 9% and it might be less after the Taito merger.

[Exodus]

Maybe... That's something I can easily disregard. If Sony had their balls in a sling 360 wouldn't get nothing. This does feel familiar cause I now respond with "I read in Japan, Dragon Quest is the flagship. FF sales bigger on the outside not the inside." Then someone says blah blah. :rolleyes:

Yeah lol I'm having the deje-vu as well!
















It happens when they change something in the matrix...

[TeeCakes]

There was a quote a looong ways back, when this news first came out, that S/E were looking to become the Japanese EA, which sounds horrible no matter what way you try and spin it.

Well, a looooong ways back, the company was called Square-Electronic Arts LLC after all...

[TeeCakes]

Or Electronic Arts Square, K.K. (in Japan).