GameTavern - Square Enix on Board with Microsoft?

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Square Enix on Board with Microsoft?
Exciting possibilities for RPG fans.
by David Clayman and Douglass C. Perry

May 13, 2005 - Information recently surfaced on Microsoft's site pointing toward a potential alliance between Microsoft and Square Enix. An image on photobucket.com revealed a page from the E3 press site displaying a short biography of Corporate Vice President Peter Moore. The text of the article listed his accomplishments including recent deals made with Japanese developers to work on titles for Xbox 360. The most interesting tidbit of information comes from the middle of the page where it talks about a recent deal with Square Enix.

The full quote from the image reads: "Moore is responsible for establishing industry-shaking alliances including alliances with industry giant Square Enix and legendary developer Hironobu Sakaguchi (Mistwalker), Yoshiko Okamoto (Game Republic), and Tetsuya Mizuguchi (Q Entertainment), and bringing publishing powerhouse Electronic Arts Inc. onto the Xbox Live global video games online service."

What's this? An alliance between Square Enix and Microsoft? For years, cynics and critics have said, and rightly so, that in order to win Japanese gamers hearts, you must give them good Japanese games. With Sakaguchi, Okamoto, and Mizuguchi on board, many of those critics quieted down, as their concerns were met. Looking at Blue Dragon and Ninety-Nine Nights will do that to a man. But what about the biggest RPG maker in Japan, Square Enix? Shouldn't Microsoft go after them too? The bio on Microsoft's site, the text of which was quickly pulled from view within hours of being revealed, suggests Moore has finally secured a deal with the leading Japanese RPG maker in Japan, and that at this E3, even more will be revealed.

We contacted Square Enix about this information and their official response was "No comment." Microsoft also returned out inquiry with a "We do not comment on speculation and rumor."

If Microsoft has in fact added the company to its already impressive list of Japanese RPG developers, the future of 360 will be interesting indeed. Although as of now, the entire thing could be a not-so-elaborate hoax. Rest assured, we'll have more at E3.

Source: IGN

Interesting.