News: Industry News | Nintendo & Square Enix Team Up Once More Page 1

Industry News | Nintendo & Square Enix Team Up Once More

24.04.2006

Fans were left gob-smacked when it was announced that the RPG King Squaresoft was set to link up with Nintendo for Super Mario RPG on the 16-bit Super Nintendo. However, unfortunately the two companies fell out of favour with each other during the PlayStation era and have only recently begun to build bridges once more. First of all the now combined Square Enix brought Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles exclusive to the Nintendo GameCube and then there was the revelation of Square Enix and Nintendo working together on Mario Basket 3x3 for the DS portable system. But the unity is not set to end there!

Japanese publication Famitsu magazine has uncovered the details of a new mobile phone collaboration, as reported on Gamasutra. Nintendo and Square Enix are again working together, this time on a virtual pet style application related to the Pok

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nin10do 24.04.2006#1

Strange news really, but good at the same time. It nearly feels like Squeenix are getting closest to Nintendo these days (certainly in handheld support) so things are looking good!

Barry Lewis [ nin10do :: General Writer :: Feature Writer :: Fountain of Industry Statistics ]
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jb 24.04.2006#2

Decent news, hopefully we'll see their relationship growing even stronger in the future. FFIII is looking absolutely sweet at the moment, and no matter what people say - Crystal Chronicles was a gem (though a bit pants without 4 players).

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Dr_R 24.04.2006#3

Doesn't Sony own a stake in SE? Does this mean that for once anti-trust laws are working and SE business decisions are made without any regard for the wider business aims of their owner's company?

My God!!!!

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jmm36 24.04.2006#4

I think Sony does own 10%, but that is not a controlling stake. I do think Sony does twist Square's arms behind its back on the regular Final Fantasy game series, but money talks, an most of the shares are not held by Sony. Collaboration is in those shareholders' interest, especially in regard to the handhelp market where Sony is losing so substantially. (7 to 1 in Japan now!)

jesusraz 24.04.2006#5

Sony owned a 10% stake in Squaresoft. This was dramatically weakened when the Square - Enix allegiance was formed.

Plus, Square went behind Sony's back to form a sub-sidiary company so it could make FFCC for the GC...did it when Mr Kutaragi was on holiday! Smilie

Adam Riley [ Director :: Cubed3 ]

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JETK 24.04.2006#6

jesuraz, that's great input! In other thoughts, I'd love to see a true Final Fantasy game for the Revolution from SquareEnix, instead of a sequel to Christal Chronicles. We deserve some respect!! Demand it!!

jesusraz 24.04.2006#7

It's true indeed. But rumour has it Squenix already has plans for Final Fantasy XIII on the PS3. However, it has in the past stated it is considering going multi-format with the series to expand on sales performance across all territories...so who knows!

Adam Riley [ Director :: Cubed3 ]

UNITE714: Weekly Prayers | Bible Verses

Ski 24.04.2006#8

Ahh, but, the Crystal Chronicals game was funded by Nintendo.
It'll be great to see a Square Enix game brought to a Nintendo home console completely off their own back.

JoshSL 24.04.2006#9

Wasn't there a rumour that FFXI may come to Revo as well as the new 360 release? Still possible you reckon? Also it seems to be becoming more & more likely that the Playstation FFs (VII-IX) Will come to Nintendo, I'm not holding my breath for it however, but I will wait a little longer before buying a PSOne for these games.

I reckon that Some restriction on Square MAY be stopping newer FFs to be released multiplatform, but do you think Square are TRYING to get closer to Nintendo again? Or is it just for money? Or someone said the only reason FFCC came out is because Nintendo were pleading!! But I doubt that

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jb 24.04.2006#10

Sought The Poltercow said:
Or is it just for money? Or someone said the only reason FFCC came out is because Nintendo were pleading!! But I doubt that

Cubed3 Admin/Founder & Designer

JoshSL 24.04.2006#11

True, it would have been so much easier, but they took the time to come up with a whole new kind of RPG, & I'm sure it took thenm a while... Oh wait, it DID, I remember the huge gap between announcement & release date!

Although unlike MOST SE stuff, FF:CC was NOT liked by all Smilie Another thing that suggests the usually "perfect" SE game makers "rushed" Although FF:CC did come off a company now seperate from Square... well I mean a smaller company inside square. Possible n00bs? Smilie

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jesusraz 24.04.2006#12

Game Designers Studio is a collection of Square Enix veterans that joined together to meet Nintendo's demands. The deal that Hiroshi Yamauchi eventually made was that Squaresoft could have a piece of the HUGE GBA gaming pie IF it managed to find a way to bring the FF series to the GameCube in some form. So, in return for setting up GDS and getting FFCC out, Square was able to release FF Tactics, Sword of Mana and Kingdom Hearts...then Iwata was more relaxed and we saw huge Square Enix loving in the form of Slime Mori Mori and all the FF ports... Smilie