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Mar 27, 2007

HEROES PREPARE FOR THE DAWNING OF A NEW MANA

Press release from SquareEnix about new games, Dawn of Mana and Heroes of Mana

DAWN of MANA and HEROES of MANA Announced for North America

Los Angeles (Mar. 26, 2007)

Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix™ interactive entertainment products in North America, announced today that DAWN of MANA™, the next installment in the esteemed WORLD of MANA™ series, will ship to retail outlets across North America on May 22, 2007. This exciting PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system exclusive is the highly anticipated follow-up to SECRET of MANA™, the timeless classic that originally mesmerized North American audiences in 1993. For a limited time, Breath of MANA™, a sampler disc that contains selections from the soundtrack originally released in Japan, will be available at Amazon.com, Game Crazy, GameStop and EB Games as a gift with the purchase of DAWN of MANA. Also scheduled to arrive in late summer 2007 is HEROES of MANA™, an exciting real-time strategy game developed exclusively for the Nintendo DS™. Both entries in the WORLD of MANA series continue the legacy of the Mana name, as they provide fresh and unique takes on the familiar universe that has captured the hearts of fans around the world.


"The two latest entries in the WORLD of MANA series push the boundaries established in past titles to provide players with a new gaming experience inside a familiar setting," said Koichi Ishii, creator of the WORLD of MANA series. "DAWN of MANA sets itself apart from action-RPGs of the past as an action-adventure game with an emphasis on action while HEROES of MANA, a strategy RPG, introduces entirely new real-time strategy elements to the series."


Steeped in the rich tradition of the beloved Mana franchise, DAWN of MANA fuses innovative physics-based combat, lovable characters, and a compelling narrative that reveals the stunning genesis of the Mana universe. Freed from the limitations of two-dimensional graphics, DAWN of MANA brings the world of Mana into 3D for the first time while preserving the atmosphere that fans have come to know and love. New characters and environments join familiar monsters and elemental spirits from previous Mana titles, and are fleshed out through the wonders of cutting-edge rendering techniques that encapsulate the signature beauty and subtlety of the acclaimed series. Accompanying the visuals is a soul-stirring title track from acclaimed composer and Grammy and Academy Award winner Ryuichi Sakamoto, who has composed music for many notable Hollywood productions.


Breathing new life into the vaunted Mana franchise, HEROES of MANA takes the beloved series into an entirely new dimension. Generals will plan, plot and strategize their way to victory on the battlefield. Command an army of heroes, creatures and beloved rabites with the use of the Nintendo DS Touch Screen, and experience an all-new perspective on the ever-evolving battle for the Mana Tree. Skilled players can see how they rank among other players around the world through the Nintendo Wi-Fi ranking system. HEROES of MANA is being developed by BROWNIE BROWN Inc. and is currently slated for a late summer release.


DAWN of MANA has been rated T (Teen) by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). For more information on DAWN of MANA please visit http://na.square-enix.com/dawnofmana/. HEROES of MANA has not yet been rated by the ESRB. For more information about the ESRB please visit www.esrb.org.


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

Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix), with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, develops, publishes and distributes entertainment content including interactive entertainment software and publications in Asia, North America and Europe. Square Enix brings two of Japan's best-selling franchises - FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 75 million units worldwide, and DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 41 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.

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