Square to help Ubisoft conquer Japan

Square Enix has announced a new partnership with Ubisoft Japan which will see the Final Fantasy publisher distributing Ubisoft titles exclusively in the territory. This arrangement is due to begin in April.

The company’s president Yoichi Wada said: The global video game market is expected to maintain sustainable growth thanks to geographical expansion and diversification of customer base.

By partnering with Ubisoft having a number of highly acclaimed titles, we can now work to provide high-quality overseas-produced games to Japan, thus invigorating the Japanese game market while strengthening our presence as a global leader in the video game industry.”

In an interview with Famitsu, Wada also revealed the partnership will not remain solely focused on distribution, suggesting Square Enix could become responsible for the localisation or marketing of Ubisoft’s games.

Speaking to MCV, Square Enix corporate communication representative Yuka Ejima said: Following the strategic partnership with Gas Powered Games and Frontier Developments announced last year, Square Enix has been implementing strategic initiatives to expand its product line-up and strengthen its presence as a global game publisher. The exclusive distribution agreement with Ubisoft games will be another key step to achieving our goals.”

Square Enix began publishing third-party titles in PAL territories in 2008, and published its first overseas-produced game in Japan during December 2008 with the release of Frontier’s LostWinds on WiiWare.