A 2003 merger that united Japan's two biggest RPG franchises, Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, in one company
QUICK FACTS
Est. 2003 — best known for video games including Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest.
HISTORY
Square (founded 1986, spun off from an electric-utility subsidiary) released Final Fantasy in 1987, a role-playing game series that grew into one of the world's best-known video game franchises. Enix (founded 1975, originally a publisher of real-estate listings before pivoting to software) published Dragon Quest starting in 1986, a series widely credited with popularizing role-playing games in Japan and becoming its top-selling RPG franchise.
After Square suffered heavy financial losses from its 2001 CG film Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, the longtime rival companies merged in April 2003 to form Square Enix, bringing Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy — Japan's two best-selling RPG franchises — under one roof. Square Enix has since built further global franchises such as Kingdom Hearts and expanded into Western game development.
PRODUCTS
Flagship RPG series launched in 1987, one of gaming's most iconic franchises
Japan's best-selling RPG franchise, published since 1986
Action-RPG crossover series with Disney, launched in 2002
TIMELINE
This page is compiled from publicly available company history and is provided for general reference only. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please consult the brand's official website.