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SQUARE ENIX LAUNCHES FINAL FANTASY® SOUNDTRACKS ON ITUNES®
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May 10, 2005
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SQUARE ENIX LAUNCHES FINAL FANTASY® SOUNDTRACKS ON ITUNES® |
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Original Videogame Soundtracks Available for the First Time on iTunes and in the U.S.
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LOS ANGELES, California (May 10, 2005)
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Square Enix, Inc., a leading interactive entertainment
company known for its FINAL FANTASY®
and DRAGON QUEST™ franchises,
announced today the availability
of sixteen FINAL FANTASY soundtracks
on the iTunes® Music Store.
This is the first time any of
the soundtracks from the acclaimed
videogame series will be sold
in the United States, and the
first time original game soundtracks
will be available on the iTunes
Music Store. The dedicated FINAL
FANTASY page on the iTunes Music
Store will feature music from
FINAL FANTASY I through XI, Music from Dear
Friends, and two Black Mages
albums.
"We're expanding our business sphere beyond the traditional videogame
in many ways," said Ichiro Otobe, President and COO of Square Enix,
Inc. "I'm excited to bring FINAL FANTASY music online by collaborating
with Apple, an innovator in this arena. The iTunes Music Store is
the perfect platform for our videogame soundtracks, which began
as an early form of digital music."
"I am thrilled that our soundtracks will finally be available to
all the supportive American fans who have enjoyed our music over
the years," said series composer Nobuo Uematsu.
FINAL FANTASY is one of the best-selling
video game franchises in the world, with more than 60 million units
sold worldwide. The first FINAL FANTASY was released in 1987 in Japan
and 1990 in North America. Spanning multiple platforms, the long-running
series has introduced the world of cinematic role-playing games (RPGs)
to millions of gamers around the world. The collection available
on iTunes will span music from the sounds of the first primitive
consoles to the latest orchestral compositions.
An accomplished composer and
musician, Nobuo Uematsu has been
responsible for the sweeping, epic scores in the FINAL FANTASY series.
Well known for its ability to stir emotion in players, his music
has changed gamers' perceptions and the standards of video game music
forever. The music has led to a successful line of soundtracks and
solo projects for Uematsu and has been brought to new life in live
orchestral concerts since 2002. The music from the game series has
grown to such popularity that veteran composer Uematsu was named
as one of the "Innovators" in Time Magazine's "Time 100: The Next
Wave - Music" feature. The Black Mages made their debut in February
2003 with a self-titled album comprised of FINAL FANTASY battle music
arranged in a rock style. Uematsu leads the band, performing as organist.
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About Square Enix Co., Ltd. and Square Enix, Inc.
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Headquartered 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 60 million units worldwide, and DRAGON QUEST™,
which has sold over 35 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, CA and Seattle, WA. 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.
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© 2005 SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD. All Rights Reserved.
SQUARE ENIX and the SQUARE ENIX logo, DRAGON QUEST, FINAL FANTASY
and other names of products mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Square Enix Co, Ltd. in Japan and/or other countries. The names of companies and products mentioned herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
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