Square Reduces Forecasts

Despite huge sales of Final Fantasy VIII, Squaresoft has downgraded it earning forecast for the fiscal year ending March 2000. The company is looking at a 72 percent dip in profits to a forecast 13.8 billion yen. Square is expecting Final Fantasy VIII earnings to push profits back up in the next fiscal year to make up the shortfall. Square also announced that it would be delaying the release of Final Fantasy IX to avoid competing with Enix's Dragon Quest, which itself has been delayed until February 2000.