Final Fantasy Characters Showcase Prada 2012 Men’s Spring / Summer Collection in Collaboration First

Square Enix® and Arena Homme+ play with the realms of reality in an exclusive CGI shoot for the Prada 2012 Men’s Spring/Summer Collection

Posted by Staff
LONDON (April 4, 2012) – Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of SQUARE ENIX® interactive entertainment products in Europe and across PAL territories, today announces that two brands from different realms: fashion and video gaming, have come together in the latest issue of Arena Homme+ where characters from the recent game FINAL FANTASY® XIII-2 showcase Prada’s 2012 Spring/Summer men's collection as part of the 25th Anniversary celebration of the FINAL FANTASY series.

In the latest issue of Arena Homme+ which goes on sale on Thursday 12th April, a cast of characters from FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 including Lightning, Noel, Snow, Sazh and Hope are styled for action as they step out of their usual outfits and into Prada.

“Our Spring issue focuses on a world of direction and escapism, and having a visually stunning videogame franchise such as FINAL FANTASY work alongside us and a leading fashion brand like Prada to create something so unique is incredible,” said Max Pearmain, Editor of Arena Homme+. “I've always been interested by the power of videogames and their place in society, and the amount of work that's gone into this project blows my mind. We're incredibly pleased with the result.”

Yoshinori Kitase, Producer of FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 added, “The FINAL FANTASY series is known for its creativity and innovation; so working with Prada, a renowned fashion house with such beautiful clothing, was a very exciting opportunity. The images we have been able to create together are vibrant and unique.”

The CGI (computer generated imagery) transformation was a task that was undertaken by Square Enix’s world leading Visual Works studio in Japan, working alongside the FINAL FANTASY character designers. The 12 page feature includes key looks from Prada's S/S12 men's collection, regarded by many as one the best of the season, with key pieces including printed silk shirts and sharp modern suiting.

The article that accompanies the images in the magazine is written by British journalist and author Steven Poole. Steven is a literary columnist for the Guardian and a respected videogame industry veteran, primarily recognised for penning the well-known book on the aesthetics of videogames called Trigger Happy, as well as his monthly column in the UK’s world-renowned videogame magazine entitled EDGE.

FINAL FANTASY XIII-2, the latest instalment in one of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed video game franchises of all time is now available for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

NOTES TO EDITORS

Image copyright: “Produced for Arena Homme+ ©2011, 2012 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved. CHARACTER DESIGN: TETSUYA NOMURA”
Arena Homme+ RRP: £6.00

PRODUCT OVERVIEW
Release Date: Out Now
Age Rating: PEGI 16 (with violence indicator)
Genre: Role-Playing Game (RPG)
RRP: £49.99 / €59.99 (Standard Edition)
£59.99 / €69.99 (Limited Collector’s Edition)
£79.99 / €99.99 (Crystal Edition)
URL: www.finalfantasy13-2game.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/finalfantasy13game
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SQUARE_ENIX_EU

About FINAL FANTASY
FINAL FANTASY is an RPG series from Japan and has been highly acclaimed by our consumers across the world since the release of the first game back in 1987 for its state-of-the-art visual technology, unique in-game universes and rich stories. The franchise has been actively promoted in western markets and already achieved a cumulative shipment of over 100 million units worldwide.

About Square Enix Ltd.
Square Enix Ltd., a part of the Square Enix Europe business unit, develops, publishes, distributes and licenses SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO® branded entertainment content in Europe and other PAL territories as part of the Square Enix Group. Square Enix Ltd. also has a global network of leading development studios such as IO Interactive™, Crystal Dynamics® and Eidos Montréal. The Square Enix Group boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 100 million units worldwide, DRAGON QUEST® which has sold over 59 million units worldwide and TOMB RAIDER® which has sold over 35 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®. Square Enix Ltd. is a London-based, wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd.

More information on Square Enix Ltd. can be found at http://www.square-enix.com/eu/en/.

FINAL FANTASY, the FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 logo, CRYSTAL DYNAMICS, DRAGON QUEST, EIDOS, IO INTERACTIVE, SPACE INVADERS, SQUARE ENIX, the SQUARE ENIX logo, TAITO and TOMB RAIDER are registered trademarks or trademarks of the Square Enix group. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners. Square Enix Limited is a company registered in England & Wales under the number 01804186 whose registered office is situated at Wimbledon Bridge House, 1 Hartfield Road, London, SW19 3RU, United Kingdom.

About Arena Homme+
Launched in 1993, Arena Homme Plus is the world’s leading men's fashion magazine, and the original men's bi-annual title, working with leading international fashion photographers, writers, artists, stylist and commentators.
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