All formats - Xbox Live, WiiWare, PlayStation Network - are all viable formats for us. We started the in-house development team a couple of months ago and we're starting with downloadable content because the team is still small.

Gradually, I want to expand that team, and also evaluate lots of middleware, because western middleware is much more advanced compared to Japanese middleware. So we will study and feed back information to Square Enix in Japan.

I think it s always good to introduce new ideas, techniques, and processes into the company in order to stay on the cutting edge. The Last Remnant was the first time we had built a game using an outside development engine, and it taught our developers to find new and creative solutions in order to achieve their objectives.

We're not only working with Gas Powered Games, we're also contacting multiple studios in England, other European countries, and the US and Canada. We're talking with other studios right now.

We are interested in studios that have their own established IP and we're also interested in creating new IP as well.

I really believe so. Not so long ago the PS2 dominated the market so if we developed an exclusive game for PS2 then we could enjoy a very good profit. But that time is already over. To maximise and spread our games to as many users as possible I think we have to go to multiformat - the Xbox 360, PS3 and also the PC as well.

The Japanese market is very strong and back when we could concentrate on developing games for just one console, business was very good. But the one-console market is over

• Now hiring: Xbox 360 and Wii dev teams for US Studio -Square Enix
• Square Enix to publish Supreme Commander 2
• Sony on Xbox 360 exclusive DLC: "nothing is ever exclusive"
  

All formats - Xbox Live, WiiWare, PlayStation Network - are all viable formats for us. We started the in-house development team a couple of months ago and we're starting with downloadable content because the team is still small.

Gradually, I want to expand that team, and also evaluate lots of middleware, because western middleware is much more advanced compared to Japanese middleware. So we will study and feed back information to Square Enix in Japan.

I think it s always good to introduce new ideas, techniques, and processes into the company in order to stay on the cutting edge. The Last Remnant was the first time we had built a game using an outside development engine, and it taught our developers to find new and creative solutions in order to achieve their objectives.

We're not only working with Gas Powered Games, we're also contacting multiple studios in England, other European countries, and the US and Canada. We're talking with other studios right now.

We are interested in studios that have their own established IP and we're also interested in creating new IP as well.

I really believe so. Not so long ago the PS2 dominated the market so if we developed an exclusive game for PS2 then we could enjoy a very good profit. But that time is already over. To maximise and spread our games to as many users as possible I think we have to go to multiformat - the Xbox 360, PS3 and also the PC as well.

The Japanese market is very strong and back when we could concentrate on developing games for just one console, business was very good. But the one-console market is over

• Now hiring: Xbox 360 and Wii dev teams for US Studio -Square Enix
• Square Enix to publish Supreme Commander 2
• Sony on Xbox 360 exclusive DLC: "nothing is ever exclusive"
  

All formats - Xbox Live, WiiWare, PlayStation Network - are all viable formats for us. We started the in-house development team a couple of months ago and we're starting with downloadable content because the team is still small.

Gradually, I want to expand that team, and also evaluate lots of middleware, because western middleware is much more advanced compared to Japanese middleware. So we will study and feed back information to Square Enix in Japan.

I think it s always good to introduce new ideas, techniques, and processes into the company in order to stay on the cutting edge. The Last Remnant was the first time we had built a game using an outside development engine, and it taught our developers to find new and creative solutions in order to achieve their objectives.

We're not only working with Gas Powered Games, we're also contacting multiple studios in England, other European countries, and the US and Canada. We're talking with other studios right now.

We are interested in studios that have their own established IP and we're also interested in creating new IP as well.

I really believe so. Not so long ago the PS2 dominated the market so if we developed an exclusive game for PS2 then we could enjoy a very good profit. But that time is already over. To maximise and spread our games to as many users as possible I think we have to go to multiformat - the Xbox 360, PS3 and also the PC as well.

The Japanese market is very strong and back when we could concentrate on developing games for just one console, business was very good. But the one-console market is over

• Now hiring: Xbox 360 and Wii dev teams for US Studio -Square Enix
• Square Enix to publish Supreme Commander 2
• Sony on Xbox 360 exclusive DLC: "nothing is ever exclusive"
  

Jack Thompson pays Florida Bar $42K originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The pink [CENSORED - Taste & Decency Ed] does it again! Kirby once again sits astride the Japanese software charts, notching up a further 97,000 sales to beat off the challenge of Samuraidou 3 on PS3. Elsewhere, it’s good to see roguelike sequel Shiren 2 make the top 5, while that ridiculously lengthy title at number 6 belongs to a detective game (pictured above) not entirely dissimilar to Unsolved Crimes, which I reviewed recently. It’s the sort of thing which rarely makes it out of Japan - it’d be nice to see a western publisher taking a chance on this.

In the hardware charts, the DSi still reigns supreme, while the poor old outmoded DS Lite drops to bottom spot of all the major consoles currently available. How times change. Cast your eyes downwards for the full details.

1. NDS Hoshi no Kirby Ultra Super Deluxe (Nintendo) 97,449 / 363,102
2. PS3 Samuraidou 3 (Spike) 81,047 / new
3. NDS Tongari Boushi to Mahou no 365 Nichi (Konami) 71,914 / new
4. NDS Fushigi no Dungeon Fuurai no Shiren DS 2: Sabaku no Majou (Sega) 45,327 / new
5. PS3 Resistance 2 (SCE) 33,584 / new
6. NDS DS Nishimura Kyoutarou Suspense 2 Shintantei Series: Kanazawa, Hakodate, Gokkan no Kyoukoku - Fukushuu no Kage (Tecmo) 33,079 / new
7. NDS Ryuusei no Rockman 3: Black Ace (Capcom) 33,067 / new
8. NDS Rhythm Tengoku Gold (Nintendo) 30,434 / 1,159,436
9. NDS Wagamama Fashion: Girls Mode (Nintendo) 29,870 / 183,431
10. NDS Pocket Monsters Platinum (Pokemon Co.) 26,767 / 1,917,117 

    DSi 85,327
    PSP 38,153
    Wii 26,787
    PS3 17,448
    360 7,983
    PS2 5,421
    DSL 3,559

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One of Square Enix’s current goals is to broaden its horizons and expand its international portfolio, with one specific mark being to generate 50% of its revenue from outside of Japan (up from the current 10-20%). Senior VP Michihiro Sasaki explained, “We need to seek cooperation with a US publisher — we need local content. Our strength is in role-playing games and fantasy titles, so it is a bit difficult to appeal to the US market.”

Just last week we learned about the bizarre partnership between Square Enix and Gas Powered Games which will have Square Enix publishing Supreme Commander 2 — a game that hardly fits inside the fantasy RPG genre you’d expect from the creator of Final Fantasy.

Today an announcement of another move was made, although this is a far bigger deal than a single publishing deal. Square Enix will be opening a new development studio in Los Angeles, California (El Segundo). The studio will be working on an original action game and is currently seeking to fill various positions, including software engineers with experience developing for the Xbox 360 and Wii.

One of the job postings (via Gamasutra) reads, “How often do you get a chance to make sure that a studio starts off in the right direction? How often do you get to be one of the starting members, but also have medical insurance? This is a rare opportunity to have the creative control of a start-up but the backing and funding of a major publisher.” Listings also mention that Square Enix is seeking “to lay the foundation for a solid development team.”

“We see great opportunities in North American and European markets, both of which are expected to be maintaining sustainable growth over these coming years,” said the company’s President, Yoichi Wada.

If the Supreme Commander 2 announcement didn’t have you convinced (and understandably so), this goes a long way in reaffirming that Square Enix is serious about becoming a more significant player outside of Japan. Anyone want to take a guess at what the game the new studio is developing might be like? My one hope is that it doesn’t star any teenage boys with spiky hair.

---
Related Articles at Gaming Today:

• Square Enix Did Not Promise Final Fantasy XIII in 2008
• Midnight Club: Los Angeles Release Date Revealed
• Rockstar Moves Midnight Club: Los Angeles into October
• GTA IV Mural Takes Over Los Angeles Hotel
• Square Enix Crushes Those Who Try To Rip Off Final Fantasy VII

I admit it – there’s a gaping hole in my soul from a lack of Iron Chef. I’ve only caught a few episodes, but I’ve come to learn some universal truths from my viewings of the show and the above trailer for Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine. The foremost truth is that one should never, ever take quiet preparation directions. Only frenzied screams suffice.

If you haven’t been riding the hype train, then you wouldn’t know that Supreme Cuisine’s arrival is nigh. The DS version, shown above, is slated to come out tomorrow. The Wii version will be hitting US retailers December 12.

In addition to the trailer, we also have a host of new screenshots that show off the celebrity chefs and various secret ingredients in the game. I’m happy that Destineer, the game’s developer, gave artichoke hearts proper mention by including them in the pile of ingredients. The artichoke is a beautiful vegetable and deserves to be elevated by the videogames industry as a whole.

I admit it – there’s a gaping hole in my soul from a lack of Iron Chef. I’ve only caught a few episodes, but I’ve come to learn some universal truths from my viewings of the show and the above trailer for Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine. The foremost truth is that one should never, ever take quiet preparation directions. Only frenzied screams suffice.

If you haven’t been riding the hype train, then you wouldn’t know that Supreme Cuisine’s arrival is nigh. The DS version, shown above, is slated to come out tomorrow. The Wii version will be hitting US retailers December 12.

In addition to the trailer, we also have a host of new screenshots that show off the celebrity chefs and various secret ingredients in the game. I’m happy that Destineer, the game’s developer, gave artichoke hearts proper mention by including them in the pile of ingredients. The artichoke is a beautiful vegetable and deserves to be elevated by the videogames industry as a whole.

Square Enix starting development studio in US originally appeared on Nintendo Wii Fanboy on Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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• Square Enix's Last Remnant director loves Xbox 360, sorry Sony