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Square Enix chief: 360, PS3 too fancy for today's market
Though the exact word used by the Financial Times article is "over-engineered," a word we deemed too complex for today's headline. Yoichi Wada, chief executive of Square Enix, feels that consoles such as the PS3 and 360 are over-engineered and out of place in today's gaming market, noting that handheld platforms will be the ones to dominate this year. After handing Dragon Quest IX (and thus the keys to Japan) to the Nintendo DS and inundating the PSP with remakes, Wada's belief should come as no surprise."There is a new breed of gamers in the market – we have to make games for all kinds of people," he says. "In the old days, we could just focus on the PlayStation or the GameBoy, but the environment has changed completely." It's the same story we've been hearing for months, that one filled with flailing grandmas and casual players shouting "Blue!" at the top of their lungs. Wada isn't giving up on the hardcore gamer just yet, though. Despite thinking that "there are too many specs" on the more advanced systems, he reckons they'll fare better in "a year or two years." Isn't that about the time Final Fantasy XIII comes out?
Square Enix CEO calls PS3 and Xbox 360 "over-engineered"
The CEO of Square Enix had some strong words about the state of console development recently. Speaking with the Financial Times about the company's recent decision to develop Dragon Quest IX only for Nintendo's DS system, Yoichi Wada believed certain consoles were "over-engineered for today's gaming environment," saying "there are too many specs." The CEO provided elaboration, stating "you also need a high definition TV, a broadband connection and a deep knowledge of gaming," and clarified that in "a year or two" the consoles would fare better when they are not as "mismatched."We'd have to disagree, only because we're a part of the hardcore category of gamers that are always thirsting for faster and better hardware. Broadband has been a staple of our diet for the last ten years and most of us already have an HDTV in our living rooms, if not a second one for the bedroom. But Mr. Wada's statements were made about today's global gaming consumer, and we'd have to agree that in a year or two, the PS3 will likely come down in price and become more accessible to those that (still) haven't yet adopted to HDTV or broadband technologies. Again, Mr. Wada was elaborating on recent decisions for the company to focus on handheld development due to their widespread appeal and market share (units sold). As always, we'd like to invite your thoughts and comments on Mr. Wada's recent statements as they pertain to our console of preference. Should the PS3 have been watered down, so as to cater more to a global audience immediately (aka, those without broadband or HDTV's right now)? One could assume that in doing so, the price point would be lower, making the entry a lot easier to swallow for non-hardcore types. Along that line of thought, a second and third assumption can be made in that PS3 sales might have been higher and third-party support might be increased due to the system's affordability and widespread appeal. What do you think?[Via DS Fanboy]
Guide to Itadaki Street characters
Confession time! We haven't played a Dragon Quest game since the first one. And that was in the ancient times-- we were basically playing it on an oscilloscope. As such, we don't know any of the characters besides slimes (who could forget slimes?).If you're like us (old and anachronistic), you might need a lesson on who all these adorable Dragon Quest characters are in Itadaki Street. That is exactly what Siliconera has done, because we asked for it just now. Oh, there we go with the anachronism again.Finally, we know the names and origins of Guy Who Looks Kinda Like Dante and Spikey-Haired Guy. Now we're ready for the US version of the game, which will probably never exist.
Dragon Quest remakes coming before DQIX
Star Ocean has remakes. Final Fantasy has remakes, as does its spinoffs. So why shouldn't Square Enix delve into Dragon Quest's extensive catalog and return to some of the older titles?Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada confirmed that remakes are being planned prior to the release of Dragon Quest IX. "This summer, we'll release Battle Road in arcades and Sword for the Wii," he said during a Q&A session following a financial briefing, according the online version of Japan's Mainichi Shimbun reported by IGN. "Following that, we're thinking of a release for 9 once we've released remake versions and so forth."As to which games will be remade and what the "so forth" means we're not sure. Also, seeing as Dragon Quest titles have never quite reached the same popularity in North America as they have in Japan, these releases may never be released outside the region.[Thanks, Rob Accomando]
Dragon Quest, Super Mario, Boy and Girl in Itadaki Street DS
Itadaki Street DS apparently didn't have enough characters to choose from-- the entire Mario and Dragon Quest casts are just too limiting, you know? Besides, nobody can relate to wacky characters like a plumber and a plumber's brother, who is also a plumber. Square Enix has nicely included some characters who will do less to draw players' attention away from the serious business of strategic board game play: "Boy" and "Girl." They look just like we would if we were three feet tall and didn't have noses!We've got some screens of Boy and Girl, and of Itadaki Street in general, after the break. And check the link for character art and a few board layouts.
Dragon Quest IX screenshots! All hail cel-shaded graphics!
The upcoming DS exclusive Dragon Quest IX: Defenders of the Sky is looking nothing short of gorgeous. Grainy videos and magazine scans don't do it justice. Looking at these along with the recently released Phantom Hourglass shots makes us wonder if cel-shaded visuals aren't the greatest thing for the DS since the hand crank battery recharger.We kid, we kid. But it does back up Vicarious Visions' point: the DS isn't a weak system, per se, it just isn't being squeezed for all it's worth.
Dragon Quest Swords makes with the new gameplay screenshots, details
Some new screenshots for Dragon Quest Swords were recently posted on Famitsu. There're some gameplay shots, a companion select screen and a few bits of in-game scenery. It looks like the Wiimote is going to be fully integrated into the game; what looks like a pointer can be seen in the battle shots. The article promises that the game will detect the sword strokes made by the player, with the direction of swing apparently matching the players action.How well the first person swordplay works could well be the critical factor in the success of this game.The game's 3 companions are also pictured, choose from soldier Dean, fatherly Boudo, or monk Seteia, who appears to have skipped on the brown cloth tunic and gone straight for the traditional pink bodice and leather wrist strap. We know who we'd choose.Dragon Quest Swords is penciled in for a July 12 release (Japan).
Dragon Quest IX stays turn-based, ups customization
Contrary to previous rumblings, the upcoming Dragon Quest IX for DS will not abandon its turn-based roots for a more action-oriented system. According to the latest issue of Japanese magazine Weekly Shonen Jump, enemies will be visible on screen and contact will commence battle, where you will input commands in a turn-based style classic in Dragon Quest titles. A similar system will also be implemented for the multiplayer.Also revealed is the ability to visually customize your main character. Weight, height, face, hair and clothing will all be adjustable. Will this affect the protagonist's immersion into the storyline? According to the translation by 1Up, Dragon Quest IX: Defenders of the Sky will be shown at a Square Enix party May 12 along with nearly a dozen (seriously) Final Fantasy titles.[Via DS Fanboy]
A few more Itadaki Street screens
Any time mascot characters from different game companies converge, it's a big deal. As mascot-converging deals go, it doesn't get much bigger than Itadaki Street DS, which forcefully jams the worlds of Dragon Quest and Mario together onto a game board. There's also the fact that another long-time Square Enix franchise heading to the DS is likely to cause a sales supernova. We enjoy keeping tabs on this game in anticipation of that upcoming cosmic event.While you wait for that June 21st release date, and ponder learning how to read "slime" in Japanese (????????????), why not take a look at some new screenshots?
Square Enix reveals their party plans
We don't usually sit around wishing we lived in Japan, but sometimes there's an overriding temptation that throws everything into a tailspin ... and wouldn't you know that dastardly Square Enix is behind it. The source of our agony? That the fabulous franchise festival known as the Square Enix Party 2007 is going to go on without us. The pain. Thanks to the series of tubes that connects us with Japan, we at least have loads of video to look forward to -- and now that SE has announced a formal list of titles that will be available at the event (both playable and video-only), we're starting to get a little excited. Playable games on display include FFXII: Revenant Wings, Itadaki Street, It's a Wonderful World, and the new Crystal Chronicles for the DS. That may in fact be more Final Fantasy than we could shake a stick at. Also verified: an unknown Final Fantasy title, but we have to admit that it may be attached to those other guys. We won't begrudge them that; we've got plenty of games here to drool over. [Via Wired]
Square Enix party details make us want to buy a ticket to Tokyo
IGN has some of the details for the upcoming Square Enix party in Japan, which could result in overload for Final Fantasy fanboys and fangirls in attendance. The tip of the iceberg includes: Dragon Quest Monster Joker (DS, playable) Final Fantasy XII Revenant Wing (DS, playable) Final Fantasy Tactics (PSP, playable) Itadaki Street DS (DS, playable) Dragon Quest Swords (Wii, playable) It's a Wonderful World (DS, playable) Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII (PSP, playable) Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (DS, playable) Final Fantasy XI (PS2, X360, Windows, playable) Final Fantasy (PSP, video) Final Fantasy II (PSP, video) Dragon Quest Monster Battle Road (Arcade, video) Final Fantasy VII Advent Children Complete (Blu-Ray, video) Final Fantasy XIII (PS3, Mobile, video) Partygoers will also be able to play a slew of mobile game demos, and will be going home with exclusive Square Enix goodies, some of which can be seen here. Give us the slime from Dragon Quest, and we might be able to pretend like we experienced all this first-hand.
New images from Itadaki Street
Square Enix's Itadaki Street DS, schedule for this summer in Japan, is shaping up to be a pretty good looking little game. We can't wait to see more on the WiFi multiplayer, since that's what board games are built for. Is it too much to hope that this one sees an English release? Ponder that while you check out the screens, which are hidden away behind the jump.
Square-Enix, still the loyal PlayStation enthusiasts
Yoichi Wada put on his "President of Square-Enix" hat and recently talked about the future of the PlayStation 3 and, uh, Dragon Quest. Here's what's worth gleaning:
