Everquest 2: Square Enix to Publish EverQuest II in Japan

LOS ANGELES, CA - May 11, 2004 - Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix), an industry-leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment content including the world's most popular franchises FINAL FANTASY® and DRAGON QUEST, and Sony Online Entertainment Inc. (SOE), a worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online (MMO) gaming, today announced that Square Enix will be publishing SOE's EVERQUEST® II in Japan in early 2005. Square Enix and SOE will be working together to "culturalize" EVERQUEST II for the Japanese market, and Square Enix will handle distribution, marketing, customer service and hosting of the game.

"Sony Online Entertainment has been a great partner for FINAL FANTASY XI in the U.S. market, and we are excited to work with them again in offering EVERQUEST II to gamers in Japan," said Yoichi Wada, president, Square Enix. "By combining our sophisticated community management skills with SOE's great content, we believe EVERQUEST II will have a tremendous impact on the online gaming community."

"We're very pleased to be working with Square Enix on EVERQUEST II," said John Smedley, president, Sony Online Entertainment. "Square Enix is known around the globe for the quality of titles that the company publishes, and we're honored that they feel that EVERQUEST II lives up to the standards of their games."

Both companies will be working together to "culturalize" EVERQUEST II in order to maximize the game's appeal for the growing MMO player base in Japan. This is the first third-party title that Square Enix will publish and operate in Japan.