Square Enix Forms Serious Games Subsidiary

During a press conference in Japan, representatives from Square Enix have announced plans to establish a new subsidiary company with book publisher Gakken, to develop and distribute edutainment style software. The new business is named SG Lab and will create interactive titles for educational bodies, as well as for sale to the public and private industry. Square Enix has donated 60 percent to a capital fund of ¥10 million ($85,000) for the new subsidiary, which is now advertising for business creating custom-designed software. Although an established field in North America, Square Enix will become one of the first Japanese publishers to commit to the serious games market, although it has given no indication as to whether SG Lab would seek to develop titles for the Western market as well as for the Japanese.