I hope the rumors are true sony,microsoft,perfectworld,EA and activison buys square.

[Tiggy]

Wrong. Play them again. oh and here, just in case you were wondering.

pause this video at the 0:00 mark
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQC76r3bC-g

And this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh68eFP3UnI

And this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQfsXVsXwXE

That was just a joint venture to publish a handful of games in the USA. Each of those was made by square in japan by square. You need to separate publisher from game producer.

[Alvarion]

OH! and JUST IN CASE my post wasn't enough. Here's a bit of a description for you of the little history of this company.... A little history lesson.

Under the terms of the agreement, Electronic Arts owned 30 percent of Square EA, and Square owned 30 percent of EA Square.

Square EA proved to be very successful, and during its five years of existence released a higher proportion of localized Square titles to the American market than ever before. EA Square, on the other hand, was somewhat less successful, and struggled to make an impact on the Asian videogame market, which has been traditionally difficult for American game developers to break into. EA Square had also developed a game, X-Squad, which was released for the PlayStation 2 during its launch.

Following the announcement of the merger between Square and former competitor Enix in 2003, Square purchased back Electronic Arts' stake in Square EA, and folded it back into Square Soft, Inc., its North American subsidiary, which was subsequently renamed Square Enix U.S.A., Inc. (now Square Enix, Inc.) and continues to publish Square Enix's titles in North America.

[Alvarion]

That was just a joint venture to publish a handful of games in the USA. Each of those was made by square in japan by square. You need to separate publisher from game producer.

Ok, and what makes you think that just because EA buys SE AGAIN that it wouldn't be the same?

[KenzieLynch]

If this is true only the Twelve can save us.

[Ri_ri]

It's bad enough that they turned into Square-Enix.

[etheran]

forgive me if this has already been said, but.. EA??!! LOL. expect FFXIV: ARR: Late night clubbing edition! etc etc etc... along with a transition into a freemium business model. No thanks, that does not belong here.

[Tiggy]

They failed the first time around and square purchased out there shares. What makes you think it wouldn't be the same? This time they would bring SE down with them. I'd have not one ounce of faith in this happening again. First, they didn't make a single good game. All they did was localize a few already successful games. Based on EA's history outside of Square I'd like it even less. They stifle innovation at every turn and only seek to make games "Accessible" with some sort of hamstringed multiplayer mode. They didn't do well the first time, and I'm afraid of what they'd try to do in the future.

I have no idea why you hold EA or the short lived Square EA in such high regards.

[Alvarion]

They failed the first time around and square purchased out there shares. What makes you think it wouldn't be the same? This time they would bring SE down with them. I'd have not one ounce of faith in this happening again. First, they didn't make a single good game. All they did was localize a few already successful games. Based on EA's history outside of Square I'd like it even less. They stifle innovation at every turn and only seek to make games "Accessible" with some sort of hamstringed multiplayer mode. They didn't do well the first time, and I'm afraid of what they'd try to do in the future.

I have no idea why you hold EA or the short lived Square EA in such high regards.

I don't necessarily hold them in high regards. Just made note that they had a hand in bringing some of the best ps1/2 titles to america. I figured I needed to bring to light the past because all of this doom and gloom is quite silly.

[Wildsprite]

forgive me if this has already been said, but.. EA??!! LOL. expect FFXIV: ARR: Late night clubbing edition!

this made me giggle a lot......and I guess the expansions will let you get new clothing and bricks for housing too right...lol

[Tiggy]

Do you really think square wouldn't have found another way to publish them if EA wasn't interested? I feel like you're trying to give EA more of the credit than they deserve here.

Also, a developer going to a new company is cause for doom and gloom. How many mergers or acquisitions in gaming actually worked out for the gamer? Honestly Square-enix is the only one I can really think of and even that had some side effects. At least they kept most of their IPs afloat.

A few for consideration...
Blizzard joined activation and entered the era of stupid decisions for their games. Prime example being the real money AH on Diablo 3. They only care about money now, but back in the day Blizzard was incredibly customer focused.
EA has purchased many, shuttered a ton, and stifled innovation for the few that remained afloat. They are a deathknell for IPs no matter how successful.

Square being purchased by anyone is an extreme cause for alarm. Things will change, and not necessarily in a good way. Historically...a bad way.