Reported by IGN
Square Enix president Yoichi Wada told Japan's Nihon Keizan Shimbun daily today that from here on out, the company will be "making simultaneous releases the norm."
Of course, the question is if this plan includes upcoming monster hits like Final Fantasy XIII and Dragon Quest IX. Both titles are still without a final release date, suggesting that if past schedules hold, we wouldn't have a chance of getting either until 2009 or beyond.
You can thank the strength of the gaming markets outside of Japan for this sudden shift in policy, which is actually just one area of overseas gaming that's drawing the attention of the suits at the Square Enix headquarters in Tokyo. In addition to simultaneous releases, the company is looking into the possibility of forming development studios outside of Japan and even selling overseas-developed games.
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Here's to hoping North America and Europe start seeing a little more love from Square-Enix.
Icemage