Following a benchmark 2000 fiscal year for Enix due in part to the wild success of
Dragon Quest VII, which sold more than 4 million units in Japan, Enix expects 5.2 billion yen lower sales than previously estimated for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2001.
Overall, sales this year are expected to fall by half to 23 billion yen, with net profits diving 65 percent to
7.1 billion yen.
A significant reason for sales being downgraded is the delaying of anticipated titles such as Star Ocean 3 for the PlayStation 2
and Dragon Quest Monsters I & II, the upcoming PSone remake of the popular Game Boy Color series. The title has been delayed from its original March 31 date
to a nebulous Spring 2002 release in Japan. The
recent departure of Enix's Heart Beats development team has also left Dragon Quest VIII with a muddled future. Although the company has designated a new team, the project
remains in early production with very little concrete information known.
Considering the recent announcement that Enix's
popular Dragon Quest IV remake for PSone is no longer being considered for a North American release, the
chances of Dragon Quest Monsters I & II getting localized are equally, if not more slim. Nevertheless, RPGamer will continue to follow
both titles in the event that something pans out for either game.
|