Supreme Commander 2 Announced News

In what will be music to the ears of RTS fans everywhere, Japanese publisher Square Enix and American developer Gas Powered Games have officially announced that development on Supreme Commander 2 has begun.
 
Best known for its expertise in Japanese RPGs (most notably the Final Fantasy series), Square Enix has now taken the plunge into the Western markets by forming a strategic partnership with Chris Taylor's Gas Powered Games.

This partnership is likely to extend beyond the Supreme Commander sequel and marks new ground for Square Enix, a publisher which has previously worked exclusively with Japanese developers. The RTS genre is also virgin ground for the publisher, although many of its RPGs do employ a heavy use of tactical gameplay.

"It is truly a great honour to join forces with as renowned a developer and publisher as Square Enix, Inc.," said Gas Powered Games' CEO, Chris Taylor. "Everyone at Gas Powered Games is thrilled about this collaboration, and the results will surely delight video game fans around the world."

Square Enix's decision to wade into the Western gaming market exemplifies a growing trend for Japanese publishers and developers. Organisations such as SEGA and Capcom have increasingly employed this strategy over the last few years as the Western market has gradually become the predominant gaming money-spinner.

"We see great opportunities in European and North American markets, both of which are expected to be maintaining sustainable growth over these coming years," said Yoichi Wada, President and Representative Director of Square Enix Co., Ltd. "Therefore, it is crucial we create alliances with proven developers such as Gas Powered Games in order to serve these significant markets better by providing products and services in tune with customer tastes."

Square Enix and Gas Powered Games have not revealed any details on Supreme Commander 2's release date or expected platforms, but we'll be sure to wing this info off to you as soon as we get word.