Square Enix and Gas Powered Games Partner for Supreme Commander 2

Square Enix broadening its global influence by partnering with the Seattle-based developer.

By Kris Pigna, 11/12/2008

Square Enix has been talking about expanding their influence outside of Japan for over a year now, and today they're finally taking the first steps. The prolific RPG developer has announced that they've entered into a "strategic partnership" with Gas Powered Games, which has concurrently announced the development of Supreme Commander 2, the sequel to 2007's immensely complex real-time strategy game.

It's unclear whether Square Enix will actually be involved in development in any way, or if they'll just publish it, but we're assuming it's the latter. "We see great opportunities in European and North American markets, both of which are expected to be maintaining sustainable growth over these coming years," said Yoichi Wada, president of Square Enix Co., Ltd. "Therefore, it is crucial we create alliances with proven developers such as Gas Powered Games in order to serve these significant markets better by providing products and services in tune with customer tastes."

No details were provided on Supreme Commander 2, with the press release only stating that gameplay features, platforms, and a release date would be made available at a later time. "It is truly a great honor to join forces with as renowned a developer and publisher as Square Enix, Inc." said Chris Taylor, CEO of Gas Powered Games and the lead designer of the original Supreme Commander (pictured). "Everyone at Gas Powered Games is thrilled about this collaboration, and the results will surely delight video game fans around the world."

While seeing Square Enix partner with a U.S.-based developer isn't surprising, it does seem a bit odd that they chose Gas Powered Games as their first foray into "bringing Square Enix titles to a broader global audience," as Square Enix president and CEO John Yamamoto put it. Nothing against Gas Powered Games, but doesn't this seem like a case of one company trying to branch out of a relatively niche genre (RPGs) by dipping their toes into a different relatively niche genre (RTS)?

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So I don't know whether SE realizes this, but Supreme Commander should neve come within 500 feet of a console controller. I could barely control the game with my ridiculous amouts of hotkey and a mouse, but I just can't imagine what they are thining if they are thinking of a console version. Unless they are thinking of dumbing it down, in which case I hope SE goes bankrupt a months before SupComm 2 makes an appearence. SupComm 1 was an extremely satisfying game if you managed to rein it all under control.

Gas Powered Games... also makers of Dungeon Siege, no?

Fun game, although it was extremely unbalanced...

Yeah, was never a fan of DS as much as Diablo II though. They are also the ones making the really promising looking Demigod game coming out in a few months.

Already posted
http://www.vgchartz.com/forum/thread.php?id=48864&start=0+

Still, it's a different article of the one I posted

Aw, and i even did a search. in any case lock this, it's useless.