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Square Co., Ltd. or Squaresoft internationally is a Japanese video game company created in 1983 as part of a software development firm called Denyuusha .In 1985, Squaresoft began making games for the Nintendo Famicom (called the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America and Europe). Their early games were not very successful, and by 1987 the company was facing the possibility of going out of business. However, that same year, Squaresoft employee Hironobu Sakaguchi was given a chance to make a game that would either make or break the company. He named his creation Final Fantasy, a console role-playing game that revolved around four sacred crystals, one for each of the four elements in the fantasy world. Final Fantasy did much better than Sakaguchi had ever hoped, in both Japan and the U.S.; the game was followed by a sequel in 19881988 is a leap year starting on Friday (click on link for calendar). Events January January 2 Georgia celebrates its bicentennial statehood. January 9 Connecticut celebrates its bicentennial statehood. January 26 Australia celebrates its bicentennial day., marketed exclusively in Japan until Final Fantasy OriginsFinal Fantasy Origins is a Sony PlayStation video game from Square Enix. It is the re-release of remastered versions (or enhanced remakes) of the NES classics Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy II on the PlayStation platform. Final Fantasy I and II were orig. Localization was originally planned for the Famicom version of the sequel, but it was abandoned in favor of Final Fantasy IV. The name of Final Fantasy can also be figuratively used as a term for any product that saves a company from bankruptcy. Squaresoft has made fourteen other Final Fantasy games since, and has become a defining force in the role-playing genre.
Square has also made other widely known games such as Chrono TriggerChrono Trigger is a role-playing video game that was released in Japan on March 11, 1995 for the Super Famicom and in North America on August 22, 1995 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES); it was re-released in 2001 for the Sony PlayStation, Secret of Mana, Seiken Densetsu 3, XenogearsXenogears is a role-playing game for the Sony PlayStation. It was released by Squaresoft in February 1998 in Japan and October 1998 in the USA. Xenogears is a game about a young man who has no memories of his past and is suddenly thrown into a conflict th, Final Fantasy TacticsFinal Fantasy Tactics is a tactical role-playing video game for the Sony PlayStation, which combines thematic elements of the Final Fantasy system with an original game engine style. This game uses a completely different battle system than the other games, Brave Fencer MusashiBrave Fencer Musashi (also known as Brave Fencer Musashiden is a console role-playing game (RPG) published by Squaresoft in 1998 for the Sony PlayStation. The game involves real-time combat in a 3D environment, and features voice-overs for most dialogue., Vagrant Story, and Kingdom Hearts (done in collaboration with Disney Interactive). The company's Square Pictures division also made a CGI movie based on Final Fantasy called in 2001.
Square agreed to merge with Enix (another Japanese company best known for its popular Dragon Quest series) in 2002 so as to curb development costs and become more competitive. In April of 2003 the merger was completed, forming the new company, Square Enix.
