Network now...FEATURE
The Great TGS Preview
FINAL PREDICTIONS 
I actually wrote this part of the column before the Nintendo conference, though in the interest of full disclosure, I'm going to say (with a big, selfish sad face) that I predicted Nintendo would announce New Super Mario Bros. 2 at their press conference. You know, the original has only sold 14.6 million copies -- I guess they're going to wait until it sells a bit more.
Next prediction: meta-announcement of Kingdom Hearts 3. They won't say the platform or the release date or any details. If Square-Enix fans are lucky, they'll get a logo, maybe where the "3" looks something like a Russian "Z", or a Greek sigma, so that if they decide afterward that the game isn't good enough, they can gut the gameplay out, rebrand it as "non-interactive software", and sell it as a side-story.
Next, I wish to predict that Microsoft's booth will prominently feature Gears of War 2, which will not get as much attention as it deserves because they have not yet taken my advice about getting Tetsuya "Kingdom Hearts" Nomura to design alternate heads for the characters. This means I will have plenty of time to play it by myself. All . . . by . . . myself.
Now for something positive, and definite: It's said that Keita "Katamari" Takahashi's next project, Nobynoby Boy, will be shown in video form at Tokyo Game Show.
I am predicting here and now that it will be awesome.
When it was shown as a tech demo last year, video footage indicated that some people in the audience burst into confused, hysterical laughter. This is most likely because some part of their subconscious minds understood how amazing the concept was.
To be honest, I'm not really sure what kind of game Nobynoby Boy is. Katamari was a game about "the joy of rolling a ball"; Nobynoby Boy is presumably about "the joy of stretching something". I trust Takahashi to know precisely where to go with this concept about as much as I trust Namco to commission a nauseating number of sequels.
My last prediction involves the other critical darling: Fumito Ueda, he of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. His team has been working on something over at Sony for several years now. If ever there were a time to announce it, this would be it. We've been waiting for news for so long now, and the time just feels so right: it'd be a shock if they didn't show something at this year's Tokyo Game Show. Might it be one of those "three unannounced PS3 titles" Sony is touting? I would put five dollars on it. Then again, you probably would, too. What would we do then? I guess you'd take my five dollars, and then I'd take yours.
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Copyright 2006 - 2009 Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court 30 Monmouth Street Bath, UK BA1 2BW
England and Wales company registration number 2008885
I agree that loving Final Fantasy and/or Dragon Quest as a kid has its own appeal with the "FINAL FANTASY VII IS GOD!" thing too.
However Square Enix does deserve the praise whilst meriting the hatred also. I find it really weird as a huge Final Fantasy fan as to understand the direction sometimes but with periodical releases what can a fan really expect?
I think this is the fatal flaw with the Square Enix. They are bringing out titles like they have a point to prove, but what that point is i am unsure. All i know is they need to spend time consolidating their games assets and spend the time to make these epic games they are so renowned for.
Its disheartening to see the huge companies that is Square and Enix actually competing within the merged company to do better than the other. It was also found that these companies actually try and do the opposite of each other to say "yeah we can do and you can't".
WHY?!
Merger is meant to be beneficial and prevent outright confrontation between companies that are working toward the one goal. So why do they persist in doing things the way they do? No wonder Hironobu Sakaguchi left Square with this pig headed willingness to compete at the fore front of the development teams minds. I understand that a bit of friendly competition can be healthy for the gamer and the companies but there seems to be a distinct lack of direction and co-ordination within the teams.
This is having a direct knock on effect on us - the fans - to the point where we just wonder, where to next? Will our beloved series rejoice and re-invent the FFVII days? Will it develop a truly compelling tale of mystique and adventure in the form of a revolutionary Dragon Quest? Spin-offs should not be endorsed and yet i do not want to miss something possibly glorious.
Square Enix, get it together and prove that you are still worth it.
" The "fans" put up with Square-Enix -- and this is the dead truth -- because
1. They loved Final Fantasy as a kid
2. They loved Dragon Quest as a kid
3. If they keep buying remakes, Square-Enix will announce the remake of Final Fantasy VII for the PlayStation 3.
Square-Enix painted themselves into a corner years ago; of late, all they've been able to do is ask for a smaller paintbrush, remove their shoes, and start painting the tiny spaces between their toes. "
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Mr. Rogers you certainly have a knack for comedic writing.
This 7 page journalistic mixer of snarkiness, comedy, and information is just what I needed to read before bed time.
I have to agree, this article is very well written. Delusional, but well written. Square-Enix with a meta-announcement, not so much. Star Ocean 4: The Last Hope for the Playstation 3 was a given. Because it is a beloved franchise and the Xbox360 has a floundering installed base in Japan, this was a gimmie. I expected even less from Square though.