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Square Enix Creates Separate Branding For Mature Titles In Japan

Perhaps in anticipation of bloodier releases from Eidos, publisher Square Enix will form a new internal label titled "Extreme Edges" to handle the primarily Western titles that earn mature ratings in Japan.

Leigh Alexander, Contributor

April 27, 2010

1 Min Read
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Square Enix will form a new internal label reportedly titled "Extreme Edges" to handle the primarily Western titles that earn mature ratings in Japan, according to a Famitsu translation on Japanese gaming website andriasang. Now that it's acquired Eidos and as such will publish internally-developed Eidos games, a separate distinction within Square Enix's branding for bloodier Western titles will make it easier for consumers to identify CERO-D and CERO-Z titles at a glance. Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada told Famitsu that he hopes that the new label, launching May 6, will also help reject the idea that Japanese video gamers are averse to buying Western products. CERO-Z is equivalent to the ESRB's "Adults Only" rating -- the publisher has not, however, yet released any game that falls under this classification. The establishment of a new branding label may suggest that it plans to, however. However, when Square Enix president Yoichi Wada revealed the new label to Japanese publication Famitsu, he didn't specify whether the company specifically expects CERO-Z titles in the pipeline from Eidos or otherwise. Square Enix often localizes and/or publishes Activision titles like Modern Warfare 2 in Japan, titles which tend to achieve a CERO-D (17 and up) rating in the region. It plans to handle the publisher's Blur and Singularity in Japan as well.

About the Author

Leigh Alexander

Contributor

Leigh Alexander is Editor At Large for Gamasutra and the site's former News Director. Her work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Variety, Slate, Paste, Kill Screen, GamePro and numerous other publications. She also blogs regularly about gaming and internet culture at her Sexy Videogameland site. [NOTE: Edited 10/02/2014, this feature-linked bio was outdated.]

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