[OT, Videogames] Square and Nintendo reunite...

[Ristamar]

For those that know anything about the bad blood between Square and Nintendo (and for those that care), this is definitely a HUGE surprise...

Article on IGN, a follow up, and one at Planet Gamecube.

Here's a snippet from an article at IGN:

March 08, 2002 - The long-awaited news has finally struck. According to Nintendo of America and the morning edition of the Nihon Kezai Shimbun, Square's acclaimed Final Fantasy series will return to Nintendo consoles. Via a new agreement, GameCube and Game Boy Advance will see Final Fantasy branded software, a direct result of Nintendo's recently announced Q Fund where start-up developers can borrow money from the Big N to finance software.

 

[Maerdwyn]

Cool. That's a big boost to the Gamecube's chances for survival, IMHO.

 

[Tsyr]

It depends... It depends on if Square desides to drop other systems, and it depends on if Square plans to release unique titles for the 'cube or just ports of the other ones. I don't much care for the 'cube 't'all, so unless they activly drop other systems, I don't care there.

Now, FF games for the GBA... now that's promising.

 

[thundershot]

YES! FINALLY!!!!!! <spasms and twitches on the floor>

 

[Ristamar]

This news definitely ups the GameCube's attractiveness, no if's, and's, or but's about it. Plenty of people bought PS2's simply because of the Final Fantasy series, and for many, many others, it may have simply been the weight that tipped scale, finalizing their decision to purchase a PS2.

Square needed more sales, as the PS2 user-base alone wasn't quite cutting it. Nintendo undeniably needed more strong third party developers. At first glance, at least, this appears to be a win-win situation for Square and Nintendo.

Anyway, here's a quip from one of the editors over at PGC presenting an interesting perspective on the matter:

...But clearly, today’s big news has been in the works for quite sometime. All the clues were there. Why else would Yamauchi have set aside this money, with no real direction or plan? Why else would Nintendo have been delaying its “internet strategy” when Sega’s Phantasy Star Online is pretty much ready, and when games like Tony Hawk 3 and others could have used it?

The answer is now shockingly simple. XI.

That is, Final Fantasy XI, or Final Fantasy Online. Square has been very vocal about getting this title onto every console, and what bigger impact could a single game make than to have a company pinning it’s internet dreams on it, and turning around a company’s entire view of Square at the same time?

It’s all coming clear, now. Square wanted to get its tentpole online game on every console. Nintendo wouldn’t allow them on GameCube without some sort of a major concession. Then there’s the issue of the Sony stake in Square. A master plan was formulated.

Yamauchi starts Fund Q as a way to pay Square to develop for Nintendo, without the money coming from Nintendo directly. Square starts this “affiliate” in order to accept the money and develop for Nintendo without having to get into the Sony mess. Square gets FFXI on GameCube, Nintendo gets games from Square that leverage the GameCube/GBA link (did you miss that part of the news?), and Nintendo has a nearly guaranteed way to leverage the Internet on GameCube. And if it fails, Nintendo has a perfect scapegoat to blame for the “internet strategy” collapsing. And now, Nintendo can relatively “safely” release Internet-ready games like Mario Party, Mario Kart, etc. without having to figure out how to convince GameCube owners to buy into it...

 

[LightPhoenix]

Not surprising in the least.

There's no reason for Square or any company not to develop for multiple platforms. You increase the consumer base by a huge amount, which of course means more sales, and more profit. Porting is relatively minor in comparison.

Especially not surprising considering the gigantic flop of the FF movie, which put Square in a hard place. I would guess the fund was set aside because Square wouldn't commit after losing so much money.

LightPhoenix

 

[Ristamar]

Bizump.

 

[Welverin]

Not surprising in the least.

There's no reason for Square or any company not to develop for multiple platforms. You increase the consumer base by a huge amount, which of course means more sales, and more profit. Porting is relatively minor in comparison.

It is surprising, very surprising. It wasn't Square's decision to not make games for the GC and GBA it was Nintendo's. Yamauchi has been mad at Square ever since they decided to make FF7 a PS exclusive, a major reason the PS became the most successful 32 bit system.

So the fact that Yamauchi and therefore Nintendo have relented is nothing short of amazing. Particularly when you keep some of his comments from the last year or so in mind.

 

[Psion]

Oh, geez! Would someone put nintendo out of their misery already!

 

[LightPhoenix]

It is surprising, very surprising. It wasn't Square's decision to not make games for the GC and GBA it was Nintendo's.

Point taken about Nintendo, but the gate works both ways.

Nintendo has everything to gain by Square developing for them, as well as other platforms. The more people that play Square games on any platform, the more people who recognize the name and the more people who might buy a Square game put out exculsively for Gamecube/GBA.

What would surprise me is if Square developed solely for Nintendo, that would be an extremely poor marketing decision.

LightPhoenix