Square Enix planning new Canadian studio for 2012

by Alexander Sliwinski on Mar 16th 2011 5:00PM

Square Enix is reportedly negotiating with several Canadian provincial governments to open a second studio in the country. Squeenix already has Eidos Montreal (Deus Ex: Human Revolution), which it acquired in the buyout of the publisher in 2009. According to La Presse, the new studio would employ "at least" 100 people, with Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal up for potential locations.

Square is expected to determine the location of the second studio by the end of May, with offices opening in 2012 to develop games for "the new consoles from Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo," which will require more attention and staff, according to Eidos Montreal Director Stéphane D'Astous.

And the "Canadian shift" marches ever onward.

Via: GamesFocus.ca
Source: La Presse

Tags: business, deus-ex-human-revolution, microsoft, nintendo, playstation, ps3, Square-Enix, wii, xbox

Reader Comments (49)

Any man that smokes, drinks Jack Daniels and can shoot shrapnel out of his sword filled elbows is "cool" in my eyes.

@Negatron

If they're making it in Canada, then I think it's Seagram's.

@Negatron do u actually know what character this is? i really like the character design a lot.. would love to know what game this is from.

@Assmar

But Human Revolution's main setting is in Detroit.

@(Unverified)

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

are those holes in his chest for inserting materia? do you have to put them in a certain order? if you put them in a certain order are the powers magnified? is his weapon hand to hand? why isnt smoke coming out of the holes?

"why isnt smoke coming out of the holes?"
holy shit that is pretty perplexing

@greyson97

please dude, you think a bad ass like that would even know what you're talking about?

those are cigarette burns

@greyson97 - No you guys have it all wrong, think Neo from The Matrix - he also had bullet holes in him, bullet time my ass!

Yes, another studio to put into consideration for employment in my area is always nice. Lacking far too many in Canada.

Now let's hope this studio isn't dedicated to remaking every Final Fantasy 5-6 times per year.

@Mama Luigi - I wanted remakes!

You know, there are other Canadian cities besides Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. How about a semi-major dev studio in Kitchener, Halifax, Edmonton, St. John's, Ottawa, Victoria, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Quebec, Fredericton, Charlottetown... list goes on.

@mbarriault HALIFAX FTW we are CAnadas freakin ocean playground lol and we are 1 hour in the future above USA haha we would make the best games

@mbarriault

I've only been once, but Edmonton is mad depressing of a city. its too, grey. Nice hockey history though.

@jph89 It was nice when I was there, but it was 11 years ago and I was 13. The city is pretty plagued by gang activity.

@aussieCanuck I'd vote more for St. John's myself :P. We Newfies need some good tech industry.

@aussieCanuck

Another Halifax User BLASPHEMY !!!! LOL HALIFAX FTW !!!!

@mbarriault

Because those three cities (Especially Montreal and Vancouver) offer some pretty decent incentives to developers via tax cuts and the like to try and boost the software industries in those sectors.

There IS a major developer in my hometown here though....although I kind hate mentioning the fact St. Catharines has Silicon Knights these days.

@mbarriault

Imagineyou're trying to hire some really good talent. Which sounds better?

"hey move to van city, it's awesome here! and all of the women are gorgeous"

or

"Please move to yellowknife. Please?"

@eat it haha all the woman are gorgeous in van city........ i dnno about all that i think quebec has hotter woman then BC

@eat it

Yeah, like Toronto alone literally has more people than every province in Atlantic Canada combined. Would I love to see a game studio in Halifax? Yup. Is it a sensible business decision? Not unless the Nova Scotian government does some tax breaks or game design education overhauls.

@mbarriault

Seriously, why not in Alberta, we have the lowest taxes in Canada, not to mention business breaks, 1 million people, 1 hour away from the Rocky Mountains, no earthquakes or tsunamis (looking at you Vancouver - you are overdue)

@dpaul420
Talking about Calgary btw

@mbarriault Yeah, but those cities mentioned already have a large talent pool of people. It's easier to hire people who already live in a city than trying to convince people to move, or create a new talent pool.

They didn't choose those cities arbitrarily. They have proven themselves as game developer friends cities.

Well, with the exception of Vancouver, where a big developer seems to be closed every year.
But common Square, we could use a win here in good 'ol Vancouver.

@mbarriault

Edmonton is not plagued by gang activity, nor is it depressing and grey. Lordy. We already have Bioware here, bring on some more!

@mbarriault

@Uncle Jesse

*Gasp* Youre an Edmontonian?
*Heart swells with pride*
Anyways Edmonton is pretty gray and sad.

@mbarriault

I highly doubt Square Enix would start a studio in downtown Saskatoon.

But if they did, my resume would be first at their door.

@aussieCanuck Nova Scotia has a game developer that employs more than 100 people already. HB-Studios has been around for more than 10 years, has two studio locations in Nova Scotia, has made more than 30 games, many for EA Sports.

Not that Nova Scotia couldn't use more, I'm just saying that it isn't as absurd as some posters here seem to think. :)

why if it will only last for a year before the world ends?

@PR0F3TA

i don't even know why that required a question mark?

@PR0F3TA

So you could ask yourself a question?

Does every article with 2012 in the title have to have another stupid comment about the mayan callander reseting...

Glad to see this is occuring; but Square Enix? Leave the Final Fantasy-esque BS back in Japan. There is no market for it in Western gaming.

@DasMadHatter

Tells us how you really feel.

@DasMadHatter

i don't even like FF nor have an interest in it but there are millions of AMERICAN gamers who are, you can't even deny that.

@DasMadHatter

I think the idea is to hire westerners and make more games for westerners. Though the plans for this studio could change significantly depending on the events of the next week

@DasMadHatter

But their is plenty of market for Batman games.

Derp.

http://i.imgur.com/YayVy.jpg

Don't make one in Quebec or your gonna have to sell double the amount of games you do now to cover our taxes here. Taxes in PQ is insane.

come to Moncton NB were a great place to start a buisness

Toronto please. Need more game devs here.

I think it is fair to say that Edios was an outstanding purchase for Square Enix. If they are planning a full branch expansion, obviously something is going right.

Hello government tax credits.

All your games are belong to us!

London is also a very smart choice. Loads of local talent to pull from, lots of options for living spaces, friendly competition, a great community of multiple cultures, close to major markets. We need more because there are a ton of places in Canada that deserve this.

Also, some troll was basically wishing a tsunami on Vancouver in this thread? That's pretty douchebaggy.

That character looks hot. Think imma buy this game lol jk, but Imma check this out, see what's it about.

@Alaxas17 - Arh, the guy looks like some backstreet thug.

@XenoSilvano Why dirty a perfectly clean shotglass when you can drink straight from the bottle? The little things. Also his armour attaches to flesh and he has an array of air-holes on his chest but hes got bandages on? Badass.

Vancouver is prolly a bad idea. Town is the most expensive in Canada, from what I hear. BC overall has absolutely shit property value and housing costs. I guess it's a good time to be a dirty dirty property and/or building owner.

Oh, but minimum wage is going up to 10 per hour (at 9 right now). So prolly everything gets even more expensive, and your employees need more dough to get by.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Square Enix planning new Canadian studio for 2012

Reader Comments (49)

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:05PM Negatron said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 6:10PM Assmar said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 8:25PM (Unverified) said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 8:43PM philmcfail said

Posted: Mar 17th 2011 3:21AM Da Mr said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:11PM greyson97 said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:33PM Unvrfd said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:38PM eat it said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 6:01PM XenoSilvano said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:12PM Mama Luigi said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:56PM XenoSilvano said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:14PM mbarriault said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:23PM aussieCanuck said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:24PM jph89 said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:26PM mbarriault said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:27PM mbarriault said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:32PM HardBoiled2009 said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:32PM xHaldirx said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:44PM eat it said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:58PM aussieCanuck said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 6:15PM Colin said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 6:37PM dpaul420 said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 6:37PM dpaul420 said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 6:45PM omgJOHN said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 6:56PM Uncle Jesse said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 8:59PM King Johngie the Fourth said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 9:08PM Alexisonfire said

Posted: Mar 17th 2011 10:13AM Toop said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:14PM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:16PM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:33PM xHaldirx said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 6:36PM Qehb said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:16PM DasMadHatter said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:25PM jph89 said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:31PM PR0F3TA said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:46PM eat it said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 7:54PM TheRepublic said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:32PM FernandoRocker said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:39PM monkey with glasses said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 5:40PM leafsfan1971 said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 7:39PM Typhonic said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 7:50PM TheRepublic said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 8:33PM refinedsugar said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 10:27PM MrGreen said

Posted: Mar 16th 2011 10:33PM hENNIFER said

Posted: Mar 17th 2011 3:29AM Alaxas17 said

Posted: Mar 17th 2011 10:01AM XenoSilvano said

Posted: Mar 17th 2011 5:41PM hENNIFER said

Posted: Mar 17th 2011 10:36PM Its X with Guns said

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