Square Enix PlayOnline for DS – Revolution Likely

SE poised to announce massive Nintendo support and Yamauchi era ends.

Posted by Staff
Square Enix PlayOnline for DS – Revolution Likely
It makes SPOnG’s writing staff feel really old to think that we all remember reporting Square’s defection to Sony, taking with it Final Fantasy VII and delivering one of the most impressive coups in gaming history.

The situation was a mess, with Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi openly denouncing Square to anyone who would listen. Not many people were listening however, as they were too busy playing FFVII’s four discs.

But then things changed. Somehow, the two Japanese giants worked out their differences and came to a mutually beneficial agreement, the latest fruit of which seems to be the extension of PlayOnline to Nintendo systems.

Speaking of the Nintendo DS hotspot announcement made by Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, Square Enix lead Youichi Wada said, "...and the means of building a community will be completely different, and support and services will also change. From here on, we'll have to challenge ourselves with content in response to what Nintendo offers. We would like to give strong support."

Wada-san also mentioned that Square Enix would be looking to support Nintendo’s next home console. “What increased our interest further is that the next step is already being prepared for Revolution. Nintendo's networking plan is not just a portable, not just a console, it's exactly what we wanted in that it's the birth of a completely new platform."

Expect some form of announcement, at next week’s E3. Stay tuned.

Comments

Ditto 12 May 2005 15:03
1/9
Mr Wada wrote:
Nintendo's networking plan is not just a portable, not just a console, it's exactly what we wanted in that it's the birth of a completely new platform.


Interesting. If the Revolution has SE excited and developing games, chances are we'll see some more developers hopping on board.

Now that we know the system will be out mid-2006, we should see demos at the very least at E3.

Yeah, yeah, yeah!
MetalPhoenix79 12 May 2005 16:23
2/9
How big is this?! I wonder if this means that FF will come to the Revolution. I wonder if it will be something kinda like Everquest. Should be interesting either way.
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BustyKrusty 12 May 2005 19:24
3/9
Well,well this is great news for Nintendo.It doesn't seem like bags of cash were involved this time around though.And yeah i'm sure more developers will praise Revolution,wait and see.I believed this is gonna happen but this is sooner than i thought, anyway very clever. Along with GTA a bit of a blow to sony i imagine.
MetalPhoenix79 12 May 2005 20:40
4/9
What do you mean by "Also GTA"? I haven't heard about GTA yet.
soanso 13 May 2005 02:14
5/9
By the time Nintendo's Revolution comes out, if mid 2006 is correct, then it's going to be the last one out. And it's going to be the forth console released in something like 9 months. So how are they going to convince people NOT to buy an Xbox 360 or a ps3 or psp?
They are really going to have to do something special for that. But they've already come out and said that the new console might alienate some third party developers, though having someone as big and powerful as square-enix come out and praise you, maybe that's not quite the case.
At this point nintendo will be supporting 3 systems as well. so they must be getting pretty stretched
But I like the sound of nintendo's online plans better than microsoft's. their plan seems to put them in too much control for my liking.
BustyKrusty 13 May 2005 02:55
6/9
Grand Theft Auto was ported to PC and xbox after all wasn't it?I think it's a game Sony spent the most on to keep it "exclusive".
claudioalex 13 May 2005 04:25
7/9
This is huge news,

It is a matter of time that other companies like Namco and Campom get atached to the Revolution.

Expect to see this On line spicifications, and that Microsoft sells more then 112 Xbox in Japan
Warzone 13 May 2005 20:31
8/9
So a big shot company says they won't be skipping Nintendo's next machine outright. And that's big news?

I guess Nintendo *is* in trouble.
MetalPhoenix79 13 May 2005 21:15
9/9
Considering the history between Square and Nintendo it is big news.
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