Mizuguchi & Okamoto to develop for Xbox 2

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More Japanese Game Luminaries Pick Next-Gen Xbox Platform

Game Republic's Yoshiki Okamoto and Q Entertainment's Tetsuya Mizuguchi to create Exclusive Content for Microsoft Game Studios

TOKYO, Japan - 2nd March, 2005 - In another creative coup for its next generation Xbox platform, Microsoft today announced that esteemed video game developers Yoshiki Okamoto, President & CEO of Game Republic, Inc., and Tetsuya Mizuguchi, Creator and Co-founder, Q Entertainment Inc. have aligned with Microsoft® Game Studios to develop exclusive next-generation Xbox games. The announcement comes on the heels of last week's news that video game legend Hironobu Sakaguchi, president of Mistwalker game studio, has joined with Microsoft Game Studios to develop role-playing games exclusively for the next-generation Xbox platform.

For more than 20 years, Okamoto has been thrilling gamers with franchises like "Street Fighter" and "Resident Evil". Widely considered an industry pioneer, Okamoto is best known for his ability to conceive and drive completely new game genres. In July 2003, he founded Game Republic, where he and his team have next generation Xbox exclusive titles currently in development.

"My goal in creating these games is to make completely fresh and riveting experiences that gamers have never had before," said Okamoto. "With the next-generation Xbox platform, I can turn this vision into a reality." Mizuguchi, who founded Q Entertainment in 2003, is the creative force behind a litany of innovative blockbusters including "SEGA Rally Championship," "Rez" and "Space Channel 5". Gamers worldwide have long been attracted to Mizugchi's distinctive style that blends music and action.

"By combining various factors, including exciting storylines, action, graphics and music, I've created video games that have brought gamers the ultimate fun in gaming," said Mizuguchi. "Now, I hope to create games that will give gamers the most emotional and thrilling gaming experience possible - joy, thrills, sympathy and speed. The power and advanced technologies of the next-generation Xbox platform will enable winning games with powerful emotions, high-quality graphics and sound."

The addition of Mizuguchi and Okamoto further reveals Microsoft's strategy for attracting Japanese gamers. Perhaps more importantly, it underscores a growing preference among the world's most talented game developers for the next generation Xbox platform. Last week, the company announced that Mistwalker, a studio run by the legendary Hironobu Sakaguchi, will develop two exclusive titles for Microsoft.

"We are excited for Mizuguchi-san and Okamoto-san to develop next generation Xbox games unlike anything the world has ever seen," said Peter Moore, Microsoft Corporate Vice President, Worldwide Marketing and Publishing. "Gamers will be riveted by the experiences enabled by such creators when given the proper canvas and tools."

About Xbox
Xbox (http://www.xbox.com) is the video game system from Microsoft that brings people together for the most exhilarating game and entertainment experiences. Xbox delivers an expansive collection of breakthrough games, powerful hardware and the unified Xbox Live online service. The tag line, "It's good to play together," captures the spirit of Xbox as the social hub of the new digital entertainment lifestyle. Xbox is now available in North America, Asia, Europe and Australia.

About Microsoft
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For more information, press only:
Marie-Claire Suter
UK PR Manager - Xbox & PC Games
Tel: +44 (0) 118 909 4599
Email: i-maries@microsoft.com

Hawt. MS is making some pretty nice moves as of late.

This is excellent news. Why should the PS3 have the market cornered on games with better CG than gameplay?

This is taking a turn for the surreal.

What the hell is MS doing to shore up this kind of talent?

It can't just be money.

MS's head of operations or marketing or whatever in Japan is a former Square vice-president, who probably has a lot of contacts within the industry.

I've decided that at least 2/3rd's of Japanese are trying to kill the Japanese gaming industry once and for all.

Why do you say that Scourge?

Interesting that the US branch of MS gets rid of the people responsible for everything from Psychonats to Links while the Japanese branch is pulling stuff like this. I particularly like how, so far, it's all been game creators rather than big studios that MS has been focusing on so far.

It should be interesting to see how, or even if, Sony responds to this.

James

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Originally Posted by James

It should be interesting to see how, or even if, Sony responds to this.

They will have Square Enix. Why on earth would they need to respond in the genre of JRPGs?

... isn't squareenix going back with Nintendo?

I'm amazed Microsoft made virtually no effort to appeal to the Japanese market with the first Xbox. I know the US market is bigger but success in Japan attracts a lot of Japanese developers. I still don't think they have a chance there unless Mist Walker's games manage to generate Square Enix level hype which I doubt.

And speaking of Japanese Xbox games, has anyone played Magatama? I was hoping it would come out here.

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They will have Square Enix. Why on earth would they need to respond in the genre of JRPGs?

I was talking about the broader topic of recruiting name talent rather than the more specific instance of Okamoto's -edit- I meant Sakaguchi. Damn typo! -edit- Mistwalker Studios.

James

Okamoto's studio is Game Republic.