Square Enix, Inc. to Unveil Massive Lineup at The Electronic Entertainment Expo, May 18 - 20

Monday April 25, 8:02 am ET
- New Titles Highlight Company's Emphasis on Polymorphic Content

LOS ANGELES, April 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Square Enix, Inc. (Square Enix) the publisher of Square Enix(TM) interactive entertainment products in North America, today announced its Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) line-up which encompasses content developed for a broad spectrum of platforms including consoles, handheld devices and visual entertainment. Square Enix will be featuring these titles at the Los Angeles Convention Center in the South Hall, booth #746. A preview event will also be held for media on Monday, May 16.

"This year's line-up will showcase huge titles from all of our major franchises, making this a particularly unique E3 for us," said Ichiro Otobe, president and COO. "In addition to titles from our familiar franchises such as DRAGON QUEST VIII and KINGDOM HEARTS II, we will have playable demos of many other exciting, new games that will soon be as recognizable on consoles, mobile phones, online and DVD. COMPILATION of FINAL FANTASY VII* will be a great example of the actual delivery of polymorphic content, our new content deployment model based on the creation of original concepts with interactivity on multiple platforms in mind from the start."

* The COMPILATION OF FINAL FANTASY VII includes the titles: FINAL FANTASY® VII ADVENT CHILDREN, Before Crisis(TM) -FINAL FANTASY® VII- and DIRGE OF CERBERUS(TM) -FINAL FANTASY® VII-.


Square Enix will have the following entertainment products on display:

PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system

DIRGE OF CERBERUS(TM) -FINAL FANTASY® VII-

DIRGE of CERBERUS for the PlayStation®2 is the third installment in the COMPILATION OF FINAL FANTASY®VII. Taking place three years after the original PS one(TM) game console title, gamers follow Vincent Valentine's journey as he uncovers shocking truths never revealed in Midgar. Vincent is connected to recent attacks, and he may be the only one who can save this shattered world. When the world is engulfed in darkness, his gun will toll a dreadful dirge... The release date for DIRGE of CERBERUS will be announced at a later time. This title has not yet been rated by the ESRB. This title is not officially concept approved by Sony Computer Entertainment America.

DRAGON QUEST(TM) VIII: Journey of the Cursed King(TM)

DRAGON QUEST VIII: Journey of the Cursed King is the latest installment of the immensely popular DRAGON QUEST series that has sold over 35 million units worldwide and is the first to be released for the PlayStation®2. Characters designed by Akira Toriyama are brought to life by "cel-shading," bringing gamers of all ages into a world straight out of Japanese anime. In DRAGON QUEST VIII, old meets new, as classic gameplay is married to sumptuous graphics, delivering the kind of sweeping adventure that only DRAGON QUEST games can offer. The release date for DRAGON QUEST VIII will be announced at a later time. This title has been rated T (Teen) by the ESRB.

FINAL FANTASY® XII

FINAL FANTASY XII for the PlayStation®2 is the story of a world called Ivalice. Our tale begins in the Royal City of Rabanastre, against a backdrop of impending war. Rabanastre is the heart and capital of Dalmasca, a kingdom recently conquered by the neighboring Archadian Empire. The appointment of a new imperial consul gives the main character Vaan the chance he's been waiting for, but an unexpected turn of events puts Vaan and his friend Penelo alongside the sky pirate Balthier and his partner, Fran. Meanwhile, Princess Ashe, the sole surviving heir to the Dalmascan throne, struggles to restore freedom to her people. Return to an age when magic was commonplace and airships plied the skies, crowding out the heavens. Return to Ivalice. The release date for FINAL FANTASY XII will be announced at a later time. This title has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST(TM) 2: Curse of the Crimson Elixir

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST 2: Curse of the Crimson Elixir is the fast-paced action RPG prequel to FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST(TM) and the Broken Angel. The second installment in the FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST series brings an enhanced battle system, cel-shaded graphics, thirty minutes of original animation and an enthralling storyline to the PlayStation®2. Based on the wildly popular Japanese animation and comic of the same name, FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST 2 follows the continuing journey of two brothers on their life-changing quest. FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST 2 is slated for release in July 2005 and has been rated T (Teen) by the ESRB.

KINGDOM HEARTS® II

KINGDOM HEARTS II for the PlayStation®2 follows Sora, Donald, and Goofy on their continuing quest to find their friends and King Mickey. Haley Joel Osment (Secondhand Lions, The Sixth Sense) reprises his role as the main character Sora and is joined by Ming-Na (ER, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within) who voices Mulan and James Woods (Be Cool) who returns as the villain Hades, along with a slew of soon to be announced celebrity voices. It has been a year since the events of KINGDOM HEARTS CHAIN OF MEMORIES. The story begins in Twilight Town, a quiet burg nestled between night and day. Sora and friends are joined by a vibrant new cast of characters, including the king himself! In the effort to help Mulan and stop the villain Hades' devious plots, they will encounter countless dangers both familiar and brand-new. The release date for KINGDOM HEARTS II will be announced at a later date. This title has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

RADIATA STORIES(TM)

RADIATA STORIES is the latest PlayStation®2 fantasy RPG by tri-Ace, developer of Valkyrie Profile(TM) and the Star Ocean(TM) series for the PlayStation®2. An emotional story about the conflict between humans and fairy creatures is complemented by a new gameplay system that draws the player deep into the game. Enter a never-before-seen living, breathing world where all of the characters live their own lives and the passage of time brings about remarkable changes. Your choices determine which of over 150 individuals will lend you a hand in your journey. Precise, easy-to-use controls allow you to add strategies to real-time battles through various changes in your party's formation. Radiata Stories is slated for release in Fall 2005. This title has not yet been rated by the ESRB. This title is not officially concept approved by Sony Computer Entertainment America.

Romancing SaGa®

Romancing SaGa for the PlayStation®2 is the latest in the legendary SaGa series, blending technology and creative vision together to produce a world of wonder. A thousand years ago, Saruin was imprisoned. But the barriers that contain him are weakening, and his foreboding shadow threatens to swallow the world of Mardias once again. Who will rid the world of Saruin's scourge? A mysterious minstrel sometimes guides your party to adventure and at other times protects it from shadow. Occasionally he forces upon you grave choices that will change the world in which you travel and twist the plots you encounter. The free-roaming scenario system gives you a choice of eight intriguing playable main characters, each with their own adventures and goals. The release date for Romancing SaGa will be announced at a later time. This title has been rated E10+ (Everyone 10+) by the ESRB. This title is not officially concept approved by Sony Computer Entertainment America.

Online: PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Windows®

FINAL FANTASY® XI

The top-selling MMORPG FINAL FANTASY XI is evolving yet again. With an ever-expanding online world and new and improved features, Vana'diel is now bigger and better than ever! Gamers can look forward to the continuing story in the Chains of Promathia expansion pack, explore new areas such as Al'Taieu and the Grand Palace of Hu'Xzoi, and engage in battles using new spells and abilities. In addition, never-before-seen items and equipment, new quests and new systems like guild points and Ballista rankings await players. FINAL FANTASY XI is the world's first and only cross-platform MMORPG (allowing PlayStation®2 and Windows® players to play together in the same world). Although technology has advanced, FINAL FANTASY XI has kept pace and continues to grow, developing brand-new gameplay features while delivering frequent updates to meet players' needs. FINAL FANTASY XI: Chains of Promathia is available now, with an ESRB rating of T (Teen).

FRONT MISSION® Online

Since 1995, gamers have been captivated by the strategic combat, giant humanoid vehicles ("wanzers"), deep storylines, and real-world settings of the FRONT MISSION series. Now, the series goes online for the first time in its history with FRONT MISSION Online for the PlayStation®2 and Windows® (Japan only, North America platforms TBD). Join the O.C.U. or the U.C.S. and battle for control of Huffman Island. Fight alone with NPC backup or create a battle group with other players and experience the ultimate in teamplay combat. Actions in battle directly influence the chosen nation's domination of Huffman -- and with a high enough rank, you can issue missions to other players and dramatically shape the outcome of the war! The release date for FRONT MISSION Online will be announced at a later date. This title has not yet been rated by the ESRB. This title is not officially concept approved by Sony Computer Entertainment America.

Mobile Entertainment Content

Before Crisis(TM) -FINAL FANTASY® VII- Before Crisis takes place six years before the events of FINAL FANTASY VII. Shinra, Inc. has increased its power and profitability, its influence extending even to the government. Hidden from the public, the Turks, an elite squad of Shinra operatives, take care of Shinra's dirty work. Civil unrest grows as people become concerned about Shinra drawing mako energy directly from the planet. The rebel group AVALANCHE is formed to stop the corporation. This real-time action game allows gamers to enter the world of FINAL FANTASY VII through a mobile phone. Play with multiple players over the network, recruit new team members to SOLDIER, and carry out classified operations to stop the AVALANCHE menace. North American compatible phones and launch date TBA.

FINAL FANTASY® II

Now you can experience the excitement of the acclaimed FINAL FANTASY® II on your mobile phone! A long-lived peace is at an end. The emperor of Palamecia has called forth monsters from the underworld and begun his campaign for world conquest. A rebel army arose in the Kingdom of Fynn to thwart the emperor's plans, but the rebels' castle fell to an all-out assault by the empire. Four youths from Fynn also found themselves fleeing the imperial forces. They had lost their parents at the hands of the empire. But their escape wasn't over... North American compatible phones and launch date TBA.

FINAL FANTASY® VII Snowboarding

Experience the non-stop 3D action and speed of the popular FINAL FANTASY VII mini-game, FINAL FANTASY VII Snowboarding, on the go! Rack up points in "Score Attack" mode by dodging obstacles and catching balloons. Unlock intermediate and advanced downhill courses to put your skills to the test. Unlock the "Time Attack" mode to challenge your own speed records. Responsive controls and a new spin jump move are optimized for mobile play. This title is available in the U.S. only. Compatible Phones: Verizon Wireless / LG VX8000. Available now.

FRONT MISSION® 2089

The year is 2089, and the war is brewing between the O.C.U. and U.C.S. Use your mobile phone to climb aboard giant humanoid armored vehicles called "wanzers" and fight for the nation of your choice. Experience an original storyline created exclusively for this mobile version in FRONT MISSION 2089. North American compatible phones and launch date TBA.

HEXCITE FUSION

As the minutes turn into hours, you'll realize that Hexcite Fusion's gameplay has you in its grasp! Shift your shapes and form your geometric strategy. Try playing with a friend in two-player mode or match wits against three different AI levels. 800,000 copies of the board game have shipped in both the U.S. and Japan! Consider yourself warned -- don't pick up HEXCITE unless you've got the time to be furiously addicted! North American compatible phones and launch date TBA.

Musashi® Mobile Samurai

In Musashi: Mobile Samurai, slice through hoardes of foes with your dual swords and fight your way to the top of the Tower of Five Rings. Square Enix's first 3D action title for mobile platforms is an original fast-paced adventure set in the world of the PlayStation®2 game, Musashi®: Samurai Legend(TM). Simple controls allow you to unleash a variety of deadly techniques, and dynamic camera angles and spectacular visual effects intensify the thrill of battle! You've never seen 3D action like this! Compatible Phones: Verizon Wireless / LG VX8000. Available now.

Visual Entertainment

FINAL FANTASY® VII ADVENT CHILDREN

This stunning CG sequel to the seminal 1997 PS one(TM) game console hit, FINAL FANTASY VII revisits the rich universe and memorable characters that gamers have never forgotten. The latest advancements in CG bring a visually stunning new look to the city of Midgar and its residents. Two years after the dramatic conclusion of FINAL FANTASY VII, the ruins of Midgar stand as a testament to the sacrifices that helped bring peace. However, the world will soon face a new menace. A mysterious illness is spreading fast. Old enemies are astir. And Cloud, who walked away from the life of a hero to live in solitude, must step forward yet again... FINAL FANTASY VII ADVENT CHILDREN is scheduled to ship in 2005.

About Square Enix Co., Ltd. and Square Enix, Inc.

Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix) develops, publishes and distributes entertainment content including interactive entertainment software and publications in Japan, North America, Europe and Asia. Square Enix brings two of Japan's best-selling franchises -- FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 60 million units worldwide, and DRAGON QUEST(TM), which has sold over 35 million units worldwide -- under one roof. Square Enix is one of the most influential providers of digital entertainment content in the world and continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation.

Square Enix, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Square Enix Co., Ltd. with offices in Los Angeles, CA and Seattle, WA. It handles operations in North America, including development, localization, marketing and publishing of Square Enix titles. More information on Square Enix can be found on the Internet at http://www.square-enix.com.

©2005 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.

SQUARE ENIX, the SQUARE ENIX logo, FINAL FANTASY, DRAGON QUEST, FRONT MISSION, ADVENT CHILDREN, BEFORE CRISIS, THE CHAINS OF PROMATHIA, DIRGE OF CERBERUS, FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST, MUSASHI, Romancing SaGa, Samurai Legend, PLAYONLINE, and the PlayOnline logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Square Enix Co., Ltd. KINGDOM HEARTS is a registered trademark of Disney Enterprises, Inc. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The names of companies and products mentioned herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.


Source: Square Enix Co., Ltd.

Nobuo Uematsu leaving Square Enix

Final Fantasy composer will establish his own independent studio, continue to work with the RPG publisher.

TOKYO--Nobuo Uematsu, well-known composer of the soundtracks to the Final Fantasy series, has announced his plans to leave publisher Square Enix after nearly 20 years. In a newsletter sent to members of his fan club "Nobiyo no Shippo," Uematsu said that he will establish his own independent studio called Smile Please.



"I'll be leaving Square Enix as of October," reads the letter. "[But] it's not like I had any issues with Square Enix. I just wanted to work at my own pace. […] I'm leaving the company on good terms."

"The word 'quitting' has kind of a negative sound to it, so perhaps a better word would be 'graduating,'" Uematsu explains. "I'll continue to work with 'my old school,' writing music for games, doing concerts, and making more Black Mages albums," he said, referring to the recently formed Final Fantasy live rock band fronted by Uematsu. "I'll be working even harder than before--with the overseas market also in mind--for the future of those [projects], so thank you for your support."

Nobuo Uematsu joined Square in 1986 and quickly become known for his groundbreaking work on the Final Fantasy games. He also composed the music for most of Square's earliest game software, such as King's Knight and 3-D World Runner. His involvement with new Final Fantasy games has been declining in recent years, as he shared composing duties on Final Fantasy X, only composed a few tracks for Final Fantasy XI, and will contribute only one track to Final Fantasy XII.

On May 10, 2004, Uematsu hosted the first Final Fantasy concert to have taken place in the USA, which was held in Los Angeles. This December, he will release the second Black Mages album, which is currently planned for release in Japan only.

By Hirohiko Niizumi, Chris Kohler

Final Fantasy 7 AC English Site and DC Site Launched

Final Fantasy 7 Advent Children Official English Site has been launched by Square-Enix Japan. Although similar to the Japanese site, it is directed towards the English speaking audience. Check the site out, especially DSL users.

The official site for Dirge of Cerberus has been launched, though it contains nothing much besides the staff credits. Some of the key staff are listed below.

Director: Takayoshi Nakazato
Producer: Yoshinori Kitase
Character Designer: Tetsuya Nomura
Art Supervisor: Yusuke Naora
Composer: Masashi Hamauzu

News - Two ex-Square Enix employees join Mistwalker

According to an interview in the latest Famitsu, two former Square Enix employees have joined Hironobu Sakaguchi's Mistwalker label. Currently Mistwalker is working on two projects for Microsoft's next-gen system in conjunction with Microsoft Game Studios. Daisuke Fukugawa, who was on the Final Fantasy Tactics and Legend of Mana development teams, will be working closely with Sakaguchi as a project director for Mistwalker. Hiroshi Arai, a graphic designer who did 3d models for Final Fantasy VII, will be creating models for one (or both) of Mistwalker's RPGs currently in development.

Sakaguchi also updated the status of his two next-gen projects; stating that they are going smoothly, but still in pre-production stages. These two titles are currently Mistwalker's only next-generation projects, which would mean currently no plans have been made for a Playstation 3 or Revolution game. Finally, Sakaguchi stated that the reason he chose to work with Microsoft has nothing to do with the system's specs, but rather the people. Xbox Japan's chief and Microsoft Game Studio Japan's R&D chief are both former Square employees, so they've likely known each other for some time.

Focus On: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children and Kingdom Hearts 2 Rob Fahey 15:51 18/03/2005

As Square Enix' second foray into the movie business looms, we talk to producer Shinji Hashimoto about the company's return to Final Fantasy VII - and the next instalment in its hugely successful Disney crossover series, Kingdom Hearts.

Hashimoto's unique portfolio of experience makes him the ideal person to juggle movies and games for Square Enix in the way that both Advent Children and Kingdom Hearts 2 demand. As well as his work on videogames, which stretches right back to Chrono Trigger in 1995 and includes key production roles on recent titles such as Star Ocean - Till the End of Time and Final Fantasy X-2, he's also done a lengthy stint in the Japanese animated movie industry - including work on the groundbreaking and hugely successful Akira, for which he worked on computer graphics.

With Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, however, he faces one of the toughest challenges in the Japanese games industry right now - both satisfying the incredibly loyal fans of the original Final Fantasy VII game, and ensuring that Square Enix' second venture into movie production doesn't meet the same fate as the technically stunning but commercially disastrous Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.

That challenge alone would be enough for most people - but Hashimoto is also involved in Kingdom Hearts 2, the follow-up to Square Enix' first collaboration with Disney, which saw Final Fantasy characters and Disney character rubbing shoulders in an action RPG game which won over many fans of both fictional universes with its charm, humour and solid gameplay. Trailers for the second game suggest a darker, more mature approach which may be closer to Square Enix' traditional strengths - but even with a successful first game (and well-received GBA follow-up) in the bag, working with Disney's characters is still an area mired with pitfalls.

We sat down with Hashimoto to talk about his two projects - how work is progressing, how the company is approaching them, and how it is overcoming the difficulties involved in creating two of the most highly-anticipated products that will come out of Japan this year. First up, Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children....

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

How did the idea of doing a movie set after Final Fantasy VII come about? Did the team have an idea for it even when they were making the original game, or is it a new idea?

To be honest, all of the staff was burnt out after we made the original Final Fantasy VII! But as you know, Final Fantasy has both a game part and a movie part - and as we made the movie part, we decided to make it longer, because it's so connected to the game part.

We don't really think of it as a feature film. It's more like a collection of clips; it's become quite long, but we don't take that too seriously in terms of having a massive concept behind it or anything like that. It's just naturally come about.

So it is true that you increased the length of the movie during production, then?

As I mentioned earlier, we set out to create a collection of clips more than a feature film. That started out at twenty or thirty minutes, and now, at the end, it's seventy minutes long.... Because we were not intending to make a film, that's just how it happened.

How many of the original Final Fantasy VII creative staff are working on Advent Children?

The staff have drifted around quite a bit, because it was a while ago. But the main key people, like Mr Kitase (Producer), Mr Nomura (Director), Mr Nojima (Script Writer) and also Mr Naora (Art Director), the key figures like that still remain.

How would you compare the quality of the visuals in this film to something like Final Fantasy: Spirits Within? Has the technology moved on a lot since then?

Yes, definitely. Because we have the experience of making The Spirits Within, we've developed from there - piling up on that work, in of way. The quality has definitely increased.

What sort of specific changes have taken place since The Spirits Within, in this regard?

The main software program that we use is Maya, and Maya hasn't really changed itself. However, we're using some systems that we developed internally, and they have developed since then - since The Spirits Within - so that's the main difference.

Do you think that this film will appeal to people who aren't fans of Final Fantasy VII, or is it really only for fans of the game?

With the visuals, we've made them to a certain quality so that people who are not particularly fans of the Final Fantasy series can enjoy it. As far as the characters and the story, we will explain enough for the people who have never played Final Fantasy - that's one thing I can confirm.

Are there any plans to re-release the Final Fantasy VII game on a modern platform to tie in with the release of the movie?

Nothing so far. We have to make Advent Children first!

When will the film be released, and are you intending to release it simultaneously around the world?

We're preparing for announcements about the release, so please be patient about this!

Will the film be released in theatres, or is it appearing first on DVD and UMD?

We do have some ideas about this, but because we're working in conjunction with other companies to provide the film, we can't talk about it yet. We're making the film, but we're using others to actually provide it.

Kingdom Hearts II

What are the major changes we can expect to see in the new Kingdom Hearts game?

One of the big changes you'll see when you play the game is to the camera - we've changed how that works. Also, the levels now have more events in them, with mini-games and so on. We're basically keeping the same concept and everything, but the changes are to the system of the game - we've made a massive block of changes that you will see.

After the success of the first game, do you think Disney trust you more with their characters and worlds now in the second game?

We definitely feel a new sense of trust from the Disney side. Based on that trust, we can make new developments - the kind of drastic changes, new discoveries and surprises that we couldn't before. So yes, look out for that!

Kingdom Hearts 2 looks like it is a lot darker and more adventurous with its story and characters than the first game - is it aimed at a slightly older audience?

We're still keeping a sort of balance, so that younger audiences can enjoy it as well. Certainly, at the top end, you'll see some serious scenes and so on - but that's not the main part. So, for example, even if the player is really young and doesn't understand the serious parts, they can still enjoy it - we've kept that sort of playful element in the game.

There's some cross-over with how Disney approaches things [to make their films appeal to all ages], of course, but we make the details quite different. We add more mysteries and so on, which appeal more to an older audience, maybe.

Shinji Hashimoto is co-producer of Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, and producer of Kingdom Hearts 2. Interview by Tom Bramwell and Rob Fahey.