Professor Layton Dev To Open Los Angeles Office

Level-5, the Japanese developer behind the Professor Layton series and two Dragon Quest games, plans to expand internationally, starting with a new Los Angeles office this September. The independent studio's United States branch will be called Level-5 International America, according to a Siliconera translation of a company statement. Next year, Level-5 will follow up with its first European office. Founded in 1998, Level-5 first came to prominence with its well-received Dark Cloud games. The company's profile grew even further when it was chosen by publisher Enix to develop Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King, followed by Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies. In 2007, the studio began taking on more duties in-house when it self-published Professor Layton and the Curious Village, which has spawned several sequels. Nintendo published the games outside of Japan, but Level-5's decision to grow its international operations may signal the company's intention to broaden its publishing reach.