Square of Japan has posted an official statement on its investor relations Web site that comments on the recently announced agreement between Square and Nintendo. The company said that it's currently preparing to release games for the Game Boy Advance through a new development house tentatively named Game Designers Studio, which will be headed up by Akiyoshi Kawazu. Kawazu previously worked on early games in the Final Fantasy series in addition to the SaGa role-playing series. The new development house will receive capital from Hiroshi Yamauchi's Fund Q to start development on "a new type of game." Square also reaffirmed that this will not affect PlayStation 2 development in any way and that the PlayStation 2 will remain the main platform for both Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XII.

　　Nintendo of America has also reconfirmed the news, stating that Game Designers Studio plans to release one game for a Nintendo system before the end of 2002, and that the game will make use of the connectivity feature between the GameCube and Game Boy Advance. Nintendo of America also said that a Final Fantasy game would be a logical choice, but did not confirm that a Final Fantasy game was in development for either the Game Boy Advance or the GameCube.

　　A Nintendo PR representative in Japan has informed GameSpot Japan that a port of Final Fantasy Tactics is a likely candidate for the Game Boy Advance. Reinforcing that story, Famitsu is reporting on its Web site that Square representatives have also said that Final Fantasy Tactics is a possible candidate and that Square actually plans to release three to four Game Boy Advance games before the end of the fiscal year.

　　US Square representatives were unable to comment on the agreement or any of its details as of press time. We'll have more on this story as it develops.