Yo, SE, Is it true?

[Cairdeas]

Not exactly true, Square Soft did publish a bunch of their games and for other companies too Like Breath of Fire which they published in NA for Capcom(1994). It was only in 2003 that Square and EA did a joint venture where EA would publish Square's games in NA and Square EA's games in Asia.

Here's a list of games published under the Square Soft Brand name.

http://www.allgame.com/company.php?i...&tab=published

Uh, a Huge chunk of those games were published by Square EA not Square Soft

[Abriael]

As a gaming writer I'm always amazed how a slow news day makes some feellow writers go all out in rather baseless speculation, and how much some take that speculation seriously.

The filing for the Square trademark doesn't indicate much by itself, it's most probably just one of those very common defensive trademarking moves that companies do to avoid other upstart companies to use brands similar to theirs.

Many commonly refer to Square Enix as "Square" so it's only natural for them to file for the trademark, otherwise anyone could create a softco, call it square, and cause cofusion. With defensive trademarking SE covers it's rear from such an occurrence.

Not saying that it's impossible for them to rebrand, but it's very unlikely (rebranding an established big business costs a LOT, and SE isn't exactly finding money hanging from trees nowadays), and a trademark filing is really too little to go out on a leg and spread rumors.

Guess some "writers" aren't creative enough to just write some decent editorial or opinion piece when it's a slow news day.

[Cairdeas]

As a gaming writer I'm always amazed how a slow news day makes some feellow writers go all out in rather baseless speculation, and how much some take that speculation seriously.

The filing for the Square trademark doesn't indicate much by itself, it's most probably just one of those very common defensive trademarking moves that companies do to avoid other upstart companies to use brands similar to theirs.

Many commonly refer to Square Enix as "Square" so it's only natural for them to file for the trademark, otherwise anyone could create a softco, call it square, and cause cofusion. With defensive trademarking SE covers it's rear from such an occurrence.

Not saying that it's impossible for them to rebrand, but it's very unlikely (rebranding an established big business costs a LOT, and SE isn't exactly finding money hanging from trees nowadays), and a trademark filing is really too little to go out on a leg and spread rumors.

Guess some writers aren't creative enough to just write some decent editorial when it's a slow news day.

I love when people say SE is not making money as if they only make video games. >.>

[Abriael]

I love when people say SE is not making money as if they only make video games. >.>

SE is making money, BUT it's not exactly their best period, money-wise. Engaging in a rebranding operation of little value (it actually makes the name more generic and less recognizable, and it's not even a return to the past of nostalgic value, as it'd be missing the "soft" ) that would cost a crapton of money (it's not just a matter of changing a logo), when you're not making money in excess, wouldn't make much sense.

Not that it would make much sense even if they were bathing in 1000 yen bills, considering that, again, a rebranding like that would be absolutely ineffective under any point of view.

I put this rumor at a 1% possibility, for the effort, and honestly it makes me chuckle that someone that deems himself a gaming writer would not know of defensive trademarking, which is very, very common in the gaming industry.

[Onidemon]

Uh, a Huge chunk of those games were published by Square EA not Square Soft

Reallly..... care to say which ones and preferably post links with proof because all i see is games published by Square... the oldest games in that list are 3 years before the Square EA joint venture...


EDIT: so bottom line you're wrong, Square Soft was not only a developer, they did publish quite a lot of games under that brand name ...so ya...

[Cairdeas]

Reallly..... care to say which ones and preferably post links with proof because all i see is games published by Square... the oldest games in that list are 3 years before the Square EA joint venture...


EDIT: so bottom line you're wrong, Square Soft was not only a developer, they did publish quite a lot of games under that brand name ...so ya...

Specifically off the top of my head I know Parasite Eve.
VII, VII, Tactics, The Bouncer, Brave Fencer Musashi, Ehrgeiz: God Bless The Ring and some of the others I believe.

Also, You have to understand A lot of the games actually published by Square Electronic Arts were labled "Squaresoft" because that was part of their contract. But the boot up screen for the game itself would always say "Published by: Square Electronic Arts" This was especially true on the software they made in house or by half owned developers like Dream Factory

[trinta]

Specifically off the top of my head I know Parasite Eve.
VII, VII, Tactics, The Bouncer, Brave Fencer Musashi, Ehrgeiz: God Bless The Ring and some of the others I believe.

So far, I've looked up Parasite Eve, VII, and Brave Fencer Musashi, and what I'm finding says all were published by Square Soft in Japan (I know Wikipedia isn't always right, buuuuuuuut....). VII seems to have been published by Sony in the US, and the other two were published by Square EA in the US.

So to say that Square EA published a lot of those titles. Yes, they did, in the US--but it looks like Square Soft was its own publisher domestically for those titles.

[Omnispirit]

Over time, the edges of this so-called SQUARE have become worn around the edges with name change after name change that even Namingway has no longer become excited with making a new name. The SQUARE has become a circle now with its neverending remakes. I understand the profit, but it leaves people without time to make something of quality.

But I digress, Keeping it simple with SQUARE will be easier on the paperwork for its employee's all over the planet.

[Cairdeas]

So far, I've looked up Parasite Eve, VII, and Brave Fencer Musashi, and what I'm finding says all were published by Square Soft in Japan (I know Wikipedia isn't always right, buuuuuuuut....). VII seems to have been published by Sony in the US, and the other two were published by Square EA in the US.

So to say that Square EA published a lot of those titles. Yes, they did, in the US--but it looks like Square Soft was its own publisher domestically for those titles.

For their own developed games yes. They didn't publish very many if any (Besides BoF) other developers games unless they owned a huge chunk of that developer (DreamFactory)

[trinta]

So Square Soft wasn't a "developer only" name, as you said? That's all I'm getting at.