Flay

Ok, this isn't another one of my April Fool's jokes.

3 French sites and 1 UK site are reporting Squaresoft will be developing games for the XBox. The following are extremly bad translations of each one:

http://www.gamekult.com/tout/actus/a...000016226.html

Squaresoft also on Xbox
By Dagdag , GameKult.com
Business from April 2, 2002 with 11h 59

PlayStation 2, Gamecube and now Xbox: contrary to the many rumours of exclusiveness Squaresoft seems well decided to develop on all confused supports. The president of the company niponne indeed has just announced officially his future participation in the Xbox game library while insisting on the facility of programming of the machine. No title was however announced for the moment and it will be necessary to wait still a little before knowing which are the plans of Squaresoft for the console of Microsoft.

http://www.jeuxpress.com/microsoft/n...e.php3?id=1934

Microsoft and Squaresoft are combined
Written by Mathieu Bouffard on April 02, 2002 with 02h33 EAST

Microsoft and SquareSoft together, which would have believed that possible? Few people certainly. It is now confirmed, which was not that at the stage of rumour hardly a week ago was concretized today. In a press release sent today, SquareSoft is explained on this decision why nobody waited. Here approximately what Mr Jun Helped, president de SquareSoft the USA, had to say: "Although the sales of the console of Microsoft do not reach a maximum in Japan, its facility of development pushed our team to see it like a future viable platform for our plays"

The vice-president of the section plays of Microsoft seemed quite as happy. According to its statements, the arrival of SquareSoft proves out of any doubt that Microsoft can go to seek large licences and that Xbox has a beautiful future in front of him.

The terms of the agreement were not revealed, but there is extremely to bet that Microsoft will have paid the large price. It should be remembered that with the relative failure of the film Final Fantasy , SquareSoft was to do something of large not to have too large losses. No title was announced until now, but that should not delay.

http://www.dockgames.com/index.php?actu=216

Definitely, with the Cubic PS2 and very recently Game and the GBA, Squaresoft comes to officially announce its entry in the world of the X-Box. For the moment no title is announced but such a news could ravir the owners of the machine of Microsoft.

And the UK site can be found here:

http://www.totalvideogames.com

Aghama

Not really surprising, considering:

a) If Squaresoft can make up with Nintendo, why shouldn't they have relations with a completely neutral party in Microsoft.

b) They really need the money.

belboz

I'd wait to see the official announcements from the parties involved before getting too excited. If it does turn out to be true, I'm guessing it'll be an arrangement like the one with Nintendo. That is, MS would be essentially footing the bill for a spun-off development house.

jeffdsmith

Not surprising at all. Squaresoft needs a multiplatform strategy badly. Looking back at all the Nintendo news its obvious that certain people in the company want to adopt a multi-platform strategy.

That said, until there is something offical I wouldn't count on this yet.

Gallant Pig

Grimfarrow

LOL!

There's a 99% chance this is fake.

For one, the news wouldn't be coming from Europe, since Square's only presense in Europe is a distribution deal with Eidos.

Two, this "news" isn't reported anywhere else at all. This is because the President of Square in Japan made no announcements at all these past few days.

Three, if Square is not yet producing games from the Gamecube, why would they jump on to make games for a console that is a distant 3rd in their main market, Japan? Square derives most of its income from Japan. And it's incredibly unlikely they would devote resources and money to something that would be a gamble.

joshd2012

I agree. Square is currently not planning on making any games for the GameCube, so why should they even think about jumping to the X-box? Square has already said that the next two Final Fantasy games are being developed for the PS2. That doesn't mean that they won't be on other platforms, but it also means that there aren't any current plans to port to other platforms. For some reason I don't think Bill would be happy with Chocobo Racing 2 for X-Box when Sony gets FF. This is definitely left over April Fools.

Gallant Pig

It makes sense, if they are getting into bed with GCN, why not Xbox? I don't buy the April Fool's angle, both the articles are dated April 2nd and the British article is so vague it couldn't be an April Fool's article.

The second I saw Square was going to GCN, I was waiting for the Xbox announcement. It makes sense. Take off your Indigo glasses and see that.

Grimfarrow

Square is not making games for the GCN. The new subsidiary of Square's is currently only focusing on GBA.

So if Square isn't making games for the Gamecube, it's hardly likely they'll suddenly say they're making X-Box games.

Gallant Pig

Is this for sure? I thought they were going to make a game for the GCN that took advantage of the link with the GBA? Could it be they haven't announced anything yet?

joshd2012

Nope, that is just wishful thinking. The only thing they said was that they were currently developing a game for GBA. They said they had no plans to develop any games for GameCube. They then went on to say that, and here is the part people keep misquoting and finding hope in, in the future, they may decide to create a game which uses the link. They may also stop making video games and focus on mass production of yo-yos. Both are far shots, but possible.

gcribbs

not going to happen like this. if they were going to do this it would be due to money from Microsoft and for that money the XBox would not get small press releases in Europe.

Nice try from someone however. these subtle April Fools jokes slip by as real because they give so little info.

Outlaw

Guess they should have used the chocolate cake ritual

Though I hear Square is more partial to strawberry.

joeblow69

Actually, there is a GC game in development. Read this Q&A from the Square/Nintendo interview:

DGC: Outside of any titles funded by Fund Q, does GDS have any GameCube titles in development?

Square: GDS is a company focused on GameBoy Advance development. We haven't decided to develop any GameCube related projects aside from those supported by Fund Q.

So there is at least 1 GC game in development, that is being funded by the Q Fund. Here's a link to the rest of the interview.

joshd2012

There is not set game in development or planning which uses the connectivity yet. There are still "looking into it". Just because the GBA has to connect to the GC, that doesn't mean it has to connect to a GC game. If they mearly let you save the game on a GC memory card, that would support the Fund Q requirements.