Level-5 is rich
We've been saying since Professor Layton first hit that Level-5 is the new Square. While Square continues remaking and spinning off their classics, Level-5 is making well-received RPGs (and Professor Layton) that happen to sell tons.
They're now competing with Square in the 'ridiculous show of wealth' department. Where Square disgraced Hironobu Sakaguchi into fleeing and almost ruined themselves with a high-budget CG movie, Level-5 is taking a more modest, but still overboard, approach to the whole 'conspicuous consumption' thing. Presumably to promote Inazuma Eleven (for which the company also manufactured a singing group), the company has purchased the naming rights to the Avispa Fukuoka J-League soccer team.
For the next three years (at $287,185 a year), Hakata no Mori Football Stadium in their native Fukuoka will be known as Level-5 Stadium, and teams across Japan will be encouraged to defeat the bosses of Levels 1 through 4 before attempting a game here. Well, maybe not. But the name thing -- that's true.
