NEW YORK, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- In recognition of the success of the FINAL FANTASY(R) series and in conjunction with the highly anticipated launch of FINAL FANTASY XII on October 31, 2006, NYC & Company, the city's official tourism marketing organization, dedicated to building New York City's economy will declare October 11, 2006 to be FINAL FANTASY XII Day. This prestigious honor highlights the impact that Square Enix Inc., the publisher of Square Enix(TM) interactive entertainment products in North America, and the FINAL FANTASY franchise have had on gaming and the digital entertainment community.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030403/SQUARELOGO)

"Square Enix is thrilled to accept the great honor that NYC & Co. has bestowed upon us," said Daishiro Okada, president and COO of Square Enix, Inc. "For FINAL FANTASY XII Day, we hope that New Yorkers and all FINAL FANTASY fans will unite to celebrate this esteemed occasion with us."

There are several events and festivities planned in the city of New York on FINAL FANTASY XII Day. Beginning at 11:30 a.m., NYC & Co. officials will hand over the declaration to Square Enix executives, Akitoshi Kawazu, executive producer of FINAL FANTASY XII and Okada at a ceremony located at the Times Square Visitors Information Center. The ceremony will also include the unveiling of the FINAL FANTASY XII cosplay costume winners selected from the official online contest and a brief press conference for media attendees. Additionally, the FINAL FANTASY XII trailer will be presented in Times Square and street team members will be roaming Manhattan, giving away limited-edition FINAL FANTASY XII tchotchkes throughout the day.

Following FINAL FANTASY XII Day, Square Enix will showcase FINAL FANTASY XII at DigitalLife (booth #1422) where attendees will be the first to get their hands on the complete version of the game. Eager players will be able to journey through the immense world of Ivalice and discover the magic that led to more than 2.4 million units sold to date since its release on March 16, 2006 in Japan for the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system. DigitalLife 2006 will take place at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City and will run from October 12 through 15, 2006. More information about DigitalLife can be found at http://www.digitallife.com/.

About FINAL FANTASY XII Story

As war looms on the horizon, the mighty Archadian Empire begins a campaign to subjugate its neighbors. The small kingdom of Dalmasca shares their fate, and it is here that our tale begins.

Two years after the fall of Dalmasca, the citizens are without guidance and direction. In the capital city of Rabanastre, the denizens gather and await the introduction of Archadia's new consul. To Vaan, a young man living on the streets of Rabanastre, the Empire is a hated enemy who took the life of his brother, the only family he had left. In an effort to exact revenge, Vaan hatches a plot to break into the palace and steal from the occupying imperials. There, he gets more than he bargained for as he runs into Princess Ashe, the sole surviving heir to the Dalmascan throne. Together, the two will embark on an incredible journey through Ivalice, tracing the mysteries behind the Archadian Empire's invasion. The choices they make will determine the very fate of the world.

Features - Completely new voiced cut-scenes added for the North American release - Newly implemented 16:9 functionality in the North American version allows for wide screen display - Gorgeous CG cinematics and cut-scenes in Dolby(R) Pro Logic II combined with real-time graphics rivaling those of next-gen titles - Shocking plot twists take players on an unforgettable journey - Active Dimension Battle (ADB) system, enables players to move seamlessly between exploration and combat - Highly customizable Gambit system allows complete control over character AI during battles - License board gives the player the ability to customize each character's skills and abilities

FINAL FANTASY XII will be available at North American retailers at a suggested retail price of $49.99 (USD). The Collector's Edition, offered exclusively at GameStop and EB Games stores as well as through the e-commerce sites GameStop.com and EBgames.com, will be available at a suggested retail price of $59.99 (USD).

FINAL FANTASY XII has been rated T for Teen by the ESRB. For more information about the ESRB, please visit: http://www.esrb.org/. For the latest updates on FINAL FANTASY XII, visit: http://www.finalfantasyxii.com/.

About Square Enix Co., Ltd. and Square Enix, Inc.

With headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix) develops, publishes and distributes entertainment content including interactive entertainment software and publications in Japan, North America, Europe and Asia. Square Enix brings two of Japan's best-selling franchises- FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 68 million units worldwide, and DRAGON QUEST(R), which has sold over 40 million units worldwide-under one roof. Square Enix is one of the most influential providers of digital entertainment content in the world and continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation.

Square Enix, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Square Enix Co., Ltd. with offices in Los Angeles, California and Seattle, Washington. It handles operations in North America, including development, localization, marketing, and publishing of Square Enix titles. More information on Square Enix can be found on the Internet at http://www.square-enix.com/.

DRAGON QUEST, FINAL FANTASY, SQUARE ENIX and the Square Enix logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Square Enix Co., Ltd. in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

CONTACT: Sonia Im, or Charlie Sinhaseni, both of Square Enix, Inc.,
+1-310-846-0400, pr@square-enix-usa.com; or Amy Jones, +1-310-550-3271,
amy.jones@ogilvypr.com or Monica Bouldin, +1-310-248-6114,
monica.bouldin@ogilvypr.com, both of Ogilvy Public Relations for Square Enix,
Inc.

Web site: http://www.square-enix.com/
http://www.finalfantasyxii.com/
http://www.esrb.org/