Romaji: Kabushiki-gaisha Sukuwea Enikkusu Hōrudingusu) is a Japanese based video game developer formed in 2003 when companies Square Co. and Enix merged. Prior to the merger, Enix was financially stable, though the same could not be said for Square, a company that was quickly losing money due to their unsuccessful movie venture and the creation of an online service for Final Fantasy XI. Square's president, Yōichi Wada, remained at his position of the new merger. The merger is perhaps most notable because of the franchises that each company owned - Square had Final Fantasy series, Chrono Trigger and the Mana series, while Enix had Dragon Quest, the Valkyrie series, and the Star Ocean series. On August 22nd, 2005 Square Enix announced the purchase of Taito, while, on April 22nd, 2009 Square Enix purchased Eidos. The Walt Disney Company had a collaboration with Square Enix with the Kingdom Hearts series.
Taito Corporation - In April of 2005, Square Enix announced that it had purchased Taito, creator of arcade title Space Invaders. Since the merger, Square Enix has published all of Taito's video games.
Eidos Interactive - In 2009, Square Enix purchased European gaming giant Eidos, creator of such titles as Tomb Raider and Deus Ex.
Square Enix has been notable for having the most third-party fighters represented in the Super Smash Bros. series with 4 (7 if counting Hero's alternate pallet swap characters). Aside from that, it is also the only company to incorporate direct non-video game branding and elements to the franchise, such as the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children film and Disney's credited involvement with Sora, as well as having an actor in the film and television field, reprise a role in the series.
