- E3 2007 - Square Enix blames stagnation on gamers
 Dragon Quest IX, as you may or may not know, began as an Action RPG. After twenty years of traditional (classic?) grinding, Square Enix was ready to follow the rest of the RPG genre in moving away from traditional combat systems into new, innovative avenues. What happened? You did, apparently. As a Square Enix spokesperson said at E3, "People didn't want the change. When you've sold over 40 million copies, you've got to listen to your fans." Apparently the same syndrome that affects children when they purchase movie-based games and perpetuate the creation of terrible licensed titles has also infected the RPG market. Can there be any hope for change, especially within a flagship series such as Dragon Quest? Kotaku
- Square rakes in dough; may make bread
 Square Enix recently released their most recent fiscal results, accompanied by some rather interesting shipping figures and a new profit projection to boot. Should you care? Don't answer that! Just click on! Read More
- Quarter financial results: Squeenix in the green
 The results are in for the first quarter of the current fiscal year and Square Enix has turned a profit of 888 million yen ($7.60 million USD) from 37.20 billion yen ($318.21 million USD) of sales. This constitutes a tripling of sales and no less than sixteen times the same quarter's profits last year. More specifically, titles such as Valkyrie Profile: Silmeria and Dragon Quest VIII selling in Japan and Europe contributed to the 363 million yen ($3.11 million USD) profit of the Square Enix game division, while the official Final Fantasy XII strategy guide also did its part by increasing the profits of the publishing division more than one hundred percent. A new Final Fantasy XI expansion (along with original title's XBox release) helped boost online sales sixty percent. The only loser was Square Enix's subsidiary Taito, whose acquisition you may recall to have been just under a year ago; it has since suffered an operating loss of 663 million yen ($5.67 million USD). No, there is nothing clever to say. Merely weep at the loss of money.
- Ultimate Hits a hit
 Five hundred thousand. That is the number of copies that Square Enix's Ultimate Hits budget series has sold since its inception in September 2005. Since then, it has been a remarkable tool for the company to curb the high prices associated with the sales of used titles and personally pocket the popularity of their classics. To accompany this tremendous success, Square Enix will be releasing no fewer than sixteen more titles into the Ultimate Hits line on July 20, including Valkyrie Profile and Final Fantasy Tactics. Are you listening, Konami? I want my Suikoden II. Full List
- Rumor: Dragon Quest IX Coming to the Wii
 Go Nintendo brought up a rumor today: "The buzz going around is that in the newest issue of EGM to hit magazine stands, a staff writer by the name of Quarterman states that Dragon Quest IX will be a Wii exclusive." If this turns out to be true, Nintendo's Wii might have a bigger advantage than originally thought. What do you guys make of this? Go Nintendo
- Square Enix registers new trademarks; Front Mission lives
 Square Enix has registered the name Monster Battle Road with the United States patent office; a clear reference to a Dragon Quest VIII minigame of the same name. It is likely that this title will be a US port of the Japanese Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker. More interestingly, the subtitle "Scars of the War" has been published for opposition, which means as long as no one else sues for property of a common phrase, Front Mission 5 may actually get a stateside release. RPGamer
- Squeenix registers more new trademarks
 According to German GameFront, Square Enix has registered several new trademarks with the United States Patent Office, including "Dragon Quest Heroes", "Dragon Quest Swords", "Rocket Slime", and "The Masked Queen and the Tower of Mirrors". A Dragon Quest theme is quite apparent; the games themselves are not. Perhaps "Rocket Slime" is really Slime Morimori in disguise, and "The Masked Queen and the Towers of Mirrors" an English subtitle for Dragon Quest Yangus. Then again, perhaps not. GameFront
- Promises of European commitment riding in the wake of Dragon Quest lumber on the horizon
 Square Enix Europe boss John Yamamoto spoke with MCV UK about the company's strategy of becoming a worldwide leading publisher of videogames, describing success in Europe as "indispensable". Full Article
- Dragon Quest VIII gets European release
 Hard work on the part of numerous European fanboys has apparently resulted in Square Enix confirming an April release of Dragon Quest VIII (based on the US version with all the doodads). And hopefully a little bit more.
- Dragon Quest VIII shipping early
 Dragon Quest VIII will reportedly ship one week ahead of its previously scheduled North American ship date of November 22, and thus will arrive at retail stores on November 15. That is all.
- Square Enix offers free Dragon Quest VIII demos
Provide some personal info and answer a few questions to receive a free playable demo of Dragon Quest VIII. Demo registrants can also get a "a super-cool clear slime figurine" (their words) by referring a "friend" (my scare quotes), as long as they're not Canadian. Official DQVIII site
- Square Enix Europe is serving a crafty survey with dodgy questions about Dragon Quest VIII
 Given the modifications made to the US version of top Square Enix pillar Dragon Quest VIII to cement its probable success on that side of the Atlantic, us Europeans have to wait and see whether the good old European office considers it worth the effort. As such, they've concocted a nefarious online survey about the title, imposing upon your supposed ignorance such vapidity as "have you heard of Dragonball Z" and "do you like the name Dragon Quest", presumably under the precursor of renaming it to something more related to spikey-haired, monkey-tailed flying kids to alleviate the pressures involved with actually marketing the title on its own merits. Funky hey, people! Oh, and if you don't want to fill that thing out, just email them with the subject "SQUARE ENIX SURVEY" to get a chance at "free Square Enix loot" (which I'll avail myself of further speculating on). Squenix Europe survey
- Dragon Quest VIII US to come with Final Fantasy XII demo
Final Fantasy XII will see its first glimpse of public North American soil this November when Dragon Quest VIII arrives on its shores, complete with a demo of the game whose presence will probably draw people more than it will those who don't mind sitting through the super saiyan'ed up uberversion of the Japanese megalith. So you can be glad about that. Besides the DBZ unique selling point and the likeliness of Akira Toriyama's name being plastered on the box, DQ8's US appearence will also introduce a fully orchestrated score akin to that of the Dragon Quest V remake's, as well as numerous improvements to the gameplay system and menu interface design. Suffice it to say that Japanese gamers will probably not have to wait long until they, too, can play this superior American version. For 12000 yen.
- Next-gen Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest may see publication on multiple platforms
 Japanese newspaper Mainichi received some more exclusive information snippets in the form of Wada commenting that the next-gen FF and DQ games may be released on two or more platforms. He didn't mention which two, however, although at this point it doesn't mean anything considering Nintendo is tightlipped about any announcements. Nevertheless, Wada argues that releasing its two primary franchises across platforms would allow the company to appeal to a wider audience, which is just common sense, really. Look to Final Fantasy XI for an example of how Square Enix may approach the problem (and consider the platform independent PlayOnline model while you do).
- E3 2005: Squenix vaunts Polymorphism in full swing; still can't provide Final Fantasy XII release date; Kingdom Hearts II voice actors confirmed
 "Square Enix, Inc. to Unveil Massive Lineup at The Electronic Entertainment Expo," states the press release furiously. But the list is unimpressive: there's nothing new save for the odd mobile phone title, and the release dates we're so fanboyishly begging for fail to appear as well. Nevertheless, here's the full list
- 3rd Quarter Financial Results for the big SE
Surpassing last year's results of ?40.71 billion sales with a profit of ?10.99 billion, Square Enix posted their 3rd Quarter results for this fiscal year so far (ending on March 31st). Raking in ?60.93 billion in sales with a net profit of ?13.30 billion, there has obviously been a substantial increase. This can be attributed, in part, to the release of Dragon Quest VIII, which has already broken the 3.5 million units shipped mark, possibly even 4 million. Based on the growth in profits and sales, Square Enix has boosted its projected totals for the full fiscal year to ?26.5 billion (consolidated operating profit). RPGFan
- Dragon Quest VIII sales skyrocket
 As was expected, the sales to Square Enix's newest RPG blockbuster, Dragon Quest VIII, have blown by the previous record holders, clocking in at over 3 million copies having been sold already. This feat tops the previous bestseller, Final Fantasy X, which sold only 2.49 million copies, not including International and budget releases. According to research, the total income from this project (including merchandise and walkthroughs) should reach 51 million yen (US $496.83 million). RPG Fan
- Dragon Quest VIII lands in Japan
 The highly-anticipated Square Enix RPG, Dragon Quest VIII, is finally on shelves all over Japan, or at least it's supposed to be. With huge turnouts expected, Square Enix has set up a release party in Tokyo. Full Article
- Japanese foaming at the mouth for Dragon Quest VIII
 Although Square Enix has increased the number of initial copies of Dragon Quest VIII to 2.8 million copies, this abundant horde is apparently not enough to satisfy the massive appetite of the Japanese multitude. In addition, Square Enix plans expanded attention for the series in North American and European territories, citing the massive piles of cash potentially available. 1UP
- New information on Dragon Quest VIII mobile conventions
 Square Enix, in one of its regular Dragon Quest VIII updates, has recently described the game's various modes of transportation. Ranging from "killer panther" to a supposed arial flight method, vehicles are varied, and, in the case of sea-faring, not free of random encounters. Bummer. Look for Dragon Quest VIII come November 27. 1-Up
- Dragon Quest VIII footage comes as release date nears
SquareEnix has graced us with a superb Dragon Quest VIII trailer featuring an overview of the main characters as well as in-battle abilities and other cinematics. The trailer, which is currently being aired in several Japanese gameshops, arrives in anticipation of the 7 A.M. November 27th release. Specific, ain't they? SquareNet
- Hori releasing slime PS2 controller in time for Dragon Quest VIII
Japanese peripheral developer Hori will release a PS2 controller in the form of a blue slime in time for the Japanese release of Dragon Quest VIII on November 27. The controller features dual shock vibrations, while the face of the controller is located on the slime's ass. 1UP
- Dragon Quest VIII developer announces upcoming PSP RPG
 Unrelated to anything Square Enix is putting out, Sony confirmed that the company responsible for Dragon Quest VIII, whichwill undoubtedly be the biggest selling Christmas title in Japan, Level 5, is developing a new RPG for the PSP, tying back to last year's curious FFXII-ish image of a lush, vibrant aerial city. Dark Cloud 3? CHRONO BREAK?!?!?!
- Dragon Quest VIII release date confirmed
 According to the recent issue of V-Jump, Square Enix has confirmed that the newest installment to one of it's most popular series, Dragon Quest VIII, will in fact be released on November 27th, as has been speculated for a couple weeks.
- Dragon Quest VIII release date; will be playable at TGS
According to Dengeki Playstation, a Japanese publication, Dragon Quest VIII will be playable at this year''s Tokyo Game Show. Up until now, Dragon Quest VIII had been absent from Square Enix''s TGS lineup. Also, while Square Enix shows a winter release for Dragon Quest, different Japanese retailers have been listing the game with a November 27th release date.
- Reading Into Sugiyama's Words
While in the middle of a concert the other day, Dragon Quest composer Kouichi Sugiyama said "Things are going to get busy since I'll have to begin converting the compositions into data for Dragon Quest VIII, which is going to be released during the year," while talking about the progress of the game's music production. While Square Enix has officially announced that the new addition to the Dragon Quest legacy will come out sometime during the winter of 2004-2005, I think we can all put our full faith in their composer's prediction of the release date. Gamespot
- New Dragon Quest VIII Characters Revealed
 New scans from Jump Magazine detail five new characters in the newest installment of the Dragon Quest series. All of these appear to have relationships with existing characters, such as Luniello, a fortune-teller with an enigmatic link to the hero, Dragon Ball d?j? vu notwithstanding.
- Japan to see Dragon Quest VIII in November?
Several Japanese retailers are reporting a release date of November 25th for Dragon Quest VIII. The game obviously promises to be the year's top seller in Japan, and while a release in North America seems likely, distribution of it in Europe appears to be out of the question with Square Enix Ltd. not even listing it for a 2005 arrival.
- Square Enix shocker: Dragon Quest VIII to be released before the end of current millennium
Square Enix has confirmed today that Dragon Quest VIII will not only be released this millennium, it may even be released this year. The title has been scheduled for a Japanese release of winter 2004, with some sources predicting a holiday release. Final Fantasy XII is scheduled to follow in spring, but could very well be pushed back to summer (or even later) while Kingdom Hearts II will follow sometime thereafter.
- E3: Square Enix announces delay for upcoming Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, or Kingdom Hearts titles
 President Youchi Wada commented to the press yesterday that in order to maximize profitability of its three pillars Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Kingdom Hearts, release of the latest episode in one of the series may be delayed until anywhere from April 1 2005 to March 2006. He also told Reuters that \"We\'re still finalising our plans, but we could finish developing the game and just push the launch date back.\" The company already delayed Final Fantasy XII from its August 2004 release window into early 2005.
- Final Fantasy XII and Dragon Quest VIII switching places?
Game Labo's latest issue has an entry in its rumors section that speculates on Final Fantasy XII's delay to the point that Dragon Quest VIII would end up being released earlier (since releasing both at the same time would have them competing with each other). Final Fantasy XII is currently scheduled for release in Japan this Summer, while Dragon Quest VIII's release date is set at a rather vague "before April 2005". Gamefront
- First Dragon Quest VIII video shown
Squenix's Dragon Quest 2004 Spring Meeting gave gamers a chance to take a look at the upcoming Dragon Quest V remake, Dragon Quest VIII, and more enticing Dragon Quest cellphone titles (yay). The company also announced that it is researching a potential online Dragon Quest title. Dragon Quest VIII will be released before March 2006. Gamefront
- Dragon Quest VIII subtitle revealed
 According to Gamefront, the recent scans of Dragon Quest VIII Jump magazine stuff show it to bear the subtitle "The Sky, the Sea, the Earth and the Cursed Princess" (loose translation). Five characters' names have also been fixed - Hero, Jessica, Torode, Kukule and Yangus. Eh!?
- Dragon Quest coming to US/Europe?
Apparently, Square Enix is considering bringing Enix's huge Dragon Quest (Warrior) franchise over to the west. Previously, only Dragon Warrior 7 was released for the PlayStation, but Shinji Hashimoto (vice president) has apparently now said that they're looking into bringing over future instalments (and possibly previous episodes). The company is currently working on a Dragon Quest V remake, as well as the upcoming Dragon Quest VIII. MCVOnline (German)
- Youichi Wada gives a little more insight into Final Fantasy XII and Dragon Quest VIII
 Youichi Wada, president of Square Enix, recently commented on the development of FFXII. He talked about how the development team had grown tired of the typical RPG formula of walking around, watching events, and dungeon crawls filled with random battles and item collecting. The development team headed up by Yasumi Matsuno, is trying for a more interactive experience this time around, and plans to use it with other FF titles in the future.
Mr. Wada also remarked on the status of Dragon Quest VIII, stating that it is now playable and unlike the FF series, the Dragon Quest games are going to see less change, focusing more on retaining the traditional feel of the series. Mainichi Interactive
- New Dragon Quest VIII imagery surfaces
The not-yet-released weekend edition of Japanese gaming magazine V-Jump will have a new page of information on Squenix's Dragon Quest VIII which, if not particularly interesting to your average Final Fantasy fanatic, is at the very least different in its attempt to bring the archaic series into 3d finally. The screens portray some basic activity in the game, such as battling, which looks a lot like Chrono Cross for some reason. The celshaded, cartoony look appears to bring Toriyama's designs to life quite nicely, too. UPDATE: more here and here (07/17) Gamefront
- Square Enix says Final Fantasy XII by March '04, Dragon Quest VIII "in a few years maybe"
Square Enix has reported that, despite having announced no details of the title, Final Fantasy XII will be released by March 2004 in Japan. Dragon Quest VIII is reported to have "no release within the current fiscal year." Gamespot
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14 July 2007 by 
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