Square Enix Press Conference
Marc "Sartoris" Buchanan
May 16, 2005

Unlike the last few years where Microsoft has fired the first salvo, both Square Enix and Sony have upstaged the Xbox crew by holding their press events first. In fact, Square Enix has the pleasure of being the first out the gate this year. While their announcements don't have quite the punch of all of the new hardware being thrown about, they still had plenty of games and a new business strategy to talk about.

Unless you've been in a cave the last few weeks, you know that this week is going to be big for hardware announcements with all three console manufacturers announcing new systems. Like everyone in the industry, Square Enix is looking at all of the options. While they are confidant that all of the hardware will push current development capabilities, they are most interested in the kind of network platform that each console can provide.

Beyond the hardware, Square Enix is also looking at a new media strategy they have labeled "Polymorphic Content." Usually, media develops along a continuum starting with a concept and then moving from one media type to another and never going back. For example, a novel is turned into a movie, which is then turned into a game. With Polymorphic Content an original concept is turned into as a many different media types as possible.

As an example this idea, Square Enix announced a new concept, Code Age. At its inception Code Age will have a number of different media fronts. The first will be comic book, Code Age Archives. There will also be two games Code Age Brawls and Code Age Commanders. Brawls will be available on mobile devices while Commanders will be released for the PS2. All three of will take place in the same world, but it remains unclear if the stories will be related in some way or if they are all independent tales.

In addition to Code Age, the upcoming year will also see Final Fantasy VII introduced to Polymorphic Content with the Final Fantasy VII Compilation. The centerpiece of the compilation is Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, a film that has been in the works for quite some time and will finally be released in Japan on September 14 and soon afterwards in North America. Following the film will be three games. Before Crisis takes place during the six years before the events in the original Final Fantasy VII. It is currently available in Japan and will be available on compatible mobile devices in North America during 2006. The PS2 will get Dirge of Cerberus, which marks Final Fantasy's first foray into the action genre. This game focuses on Vincent and takes place about a year after Advent Children. The last game is Crisis Core an action-RPG for the PSP. It is still in very early development and no details were released.

In addition to all of these games, the company's three biggest series are getting sequels with Final Fantasy XII, Dragon Quest VIII, and Kingdom Hearts II. Both FFXII and KHII were announced at last year's E3. In fact, FFXII had several playable kiosks, but that won't be the case this year. KHII continues Square Enix' relationship with Disney and promises to have twice the content of the original game. Finally, DQVIII features cel shaded graphics and character design from the team behind Dragon Ball Z.

While not the biggest developer, Square Enix has one the deepest line-ups. Given their new approach with Polymorphic Content, you can count on all of their game worlds receiving loads of attention.

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