Deals that shook the industry: 9/10

On April 1, 2003, one of the two biggest video game publishers in Japan, Enix, legally absorbed the other, Square. The latter’s stockholders received 0.85 shares of stock in the new company compared to Enix stockholders receiving a one-to-one trade.

Despite this, many top officials within Square assumed leadership roles in the new corporate hierarchy, including Square president Yoichi Wada, who was appointed president of the new merged corporation.


WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?

Enix games were finally given regular European distribution. So while titles like Valkyrie Profile never saw a European release on the PSOne, its PSP remake and PS2 sequel all did reach these shores thanks to Square Europe’s foothold in the market.

Dragon Quest – one of the biggest franchises in Japan – got its first European gig with Dragon Quest VIII, which sold better in Europe than it did in the States and Canada, with outside-Japan sales surpassing a substantial and impressive million units.

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[Industry news] Pacific Standard Creative Launches as New Division of Pacific Standard Sound, Merging World-Class Film, Television, and Video Game Capabilities

Pacific Standard Sound (PSS), the award-winning sound design and full service post production and sound company whose work spans some of entertainment's most iconic properties, today announced the launch of Pacific Standard Creative (PSC), a new division purpose-built to serve the evolving storytelling and production needs of video game development studios, advertising agencies, trailer houses, and independent productions who demand world-class sound without compromise. Pacific Standard Creative will be helmed by industry veteran Eric Marks, who brings more than a decade of audio and engineering leadership, as well as two years as the Vice President of the Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE).