PS3 SE and Ubisoft colaborate

[Daesy]

Talk about new years resolution... Square Enix seems to be doing alot of new things for the new year. Console Exclusivity seems to be dead, and not they seem to want to be best buds with the west.

Square Enix Ties Up with Ubisoft
Two companies to work together on Japanese releases.
by IGN Staff

January 7, 2009 - Square Enix and Ubisoft are no strangers when it comes to publishing partnerships. But starting this year, the two publishers will become even closer as Square Enix distributes Ubisoft titles to the Japanese market.

Square Enix president Yoichi Wada made the announcement in an interview published in the latest issue of Famitsu. The first games to fall under this deal will ship in April.

According to Wada, Square Enix will be working with Ubisoft not just on the Japanese distribution of the Western giant's games, but also in various other undisclosed ways. While it's unclear if the Square Enix name will appear on the boxes of upcoming Ubisoft titles, Wada's comments appear to suggest that Square Enix will be taking a role in the localization or marketing of the games.

Japan still remains relatively isolated from the English-speaking world when it comes to game releases. The biggest Western-developed games like Grand Theft Auto IV are considered a success in Japan even with sales of less than a tenth of their US totals. Similarly, Japan's biggest RPG series, Dragon Quest, has yet to achieve similar success in overseas markets.

One of Square Enix's hopes, according to Wada, is to better introduce Japanese gamers to overseas titles. The company currently has special sales areas at 950 shops throughout Japan. Wada believes these can be used to help promote Western titles.

 

[Nitz]

The problem in Japan is MANY games are RPG/Fantasy related. Or games, which involve some kind of interaction.

Games in the west can have no story or interaction. Eg. Grab a gun and shoot like a crazy mofo!

Eg. Games like Call of Duty are a hit here in north America, where in Japan.. they rather play a RPG type of call of duty

It's hard to market something, but I think things will pickup on both sides.

 

[Daesy]

The economy isn't helping either. But i think if they work together they might be able to do well together. It takes alot to satify the masses. If they can pull it off, both companies will do well.