Square Enix announced that it will release Dragon Quest VIII: The Journey of the Cursed King in Europe later this year, following a November 15th, 2005 release in North America. This marks the first time Square Enix's flagship series will hit European retail store shelves. At a special event in London, series mastermind Yuuji Horii emphasized the role the merger between Square and Enix has played in bringing the series to Europe. Enix alone would not have been able to release the game in all territories, Horii explained.

Prior to the merger, Square already had major overseas operations in North America (Square Electronic Arts LLC) and in Europe. In the past Square Enix president Youichi Wada has repeatedly mentioned his company's desire to use these assets to broaden the appeal of Enix franchises such as Dragon Quest and Star Ocean abroad.

Dragon Quest VIII: The Journey of the Cursed King will be available in Europe sometime in April.

• GamesIndustry.biz