Every year, the large platform companies hold press conferences just prior to the Electronic Entertainment Expo to gain their share of the limelight, before being drowned out in loud techno and booth babes. Normally, publishers and developers wait until the show floor to show-off their upcoming titles. This year was an exception. In what could be described as a huge calculated risk, Square Enix pulled out all the stops with their first momentous press conference independent of the actual E3 tradeshow. To say the event was a *mere* success would be a gross understatement. The entire production surpassed almost all of the other press conferences held prior to the E3 tradeshow.

The event itself was impressive, as Square Enix announced an incedible number of titles for the North American market across all platforms as well as delving into new markets and media. To make the even even more memorable, they also presented the first historic North American concert of video game music with Nobuo Uematsu's Dear Friends: Music from Final Fantasy.

Today we finally present our Dear Friends Feature to share with you, our readers. I think you'll find the scope and breadth of Square Enix's new lineup as well as the majesty of Uematsu's concert to be enlightening. We hope you all enjoy the feature as much as we enjoyed putting it together for all of you. Cheers!

• Square Enix 2004 Press Conference & Concert