In an interview with Ars Technica, Square boss Yoichi “Imperial Hot” Wada has said that in the future, post-FFXIII world, Square games will be much more timely when making the jump from Japan to the West.

“For the last three years, we have worked very hard to close the gap between Japanese release timing and North American and European release timing,” he said. “We tried to go for the global, simultaneous release [of FFXIII] but that was something that was inconceivable, in a sense. But we have been able to close that release window gap to three months. For us, it was a very big step forward.”

A flat world: Ars interviews Square-Enix CEO Yoichi Wada [Ars Technica]

Speaking with GI.biz, Wada said, “We’ve completed the master of the Japanese version, and for the US and European versions we’re just adding the final touches.

“The last stage of development has gone very smoothly this time.”

Excellent news! Then again, this game has been in development for nearly four years already… “final touches” could be a relative term in Square Enix lingo.

Square Enix hoping for “long platform cycle” [GI.biz]

The future? The future.

The PS3 already has motion controls with the SIXAXIS, but will be getting more exact motion controls with the wand-like controller. Microsoft’s answer to motion controls is Natal.

Square Enix’s Wada thinks the impact of motion controls might be “small”. In an interview with The Financial Times, the exec said, “Present game machines already have a lot of functions: they are a network terminal, a Blu-ray or DVD player, and a gaming machine. Compared to these three pillars, the [new motion] controllers are quite limited, so the impact may be small. They are an extension of the gaming function.”

This being said, Wada calls Natal’s user interface “fantastic” and he thinks it will become standard.

According to Wada, the machine that started the recent motion controller craze, the Wii, will be getting a new version in 2011 and possibly a new controller — we’re thinking this new controller with combine the traditional Wii Remote with Wii MotionPlus into a single controller.

Games groups eye next level [FT]

The businessman claims to have spent 30 hours over the course of four days after Dragon Quest IX was released this past July. But for Wada, it’s not simply a matter of “I like videos games”. The exec wants to see how gaming and gameplay has changed, what makes a hit and to think about how titles are made.

That means besides willingly taking a pay cut, Yoichi Wada claims to actually play the games. So imperial. So hot.

スクエニ和田洋一社長「ドラゴンクエスト９、発売日から4日間で約30時間を費やした。」 [オレ的ゲーム速報＠刃]

According to Square Enix honcho Yoichi Wada, the cheaper US$299 PS3 will spur game sales, but not enough for the company to revise this year’s financial forecast.

“In terms of the impact (the PS3 cut) will have on this financial year’s earnings, I don’t think there will be a major difference,” explained Wada. “But I expect there to be a big impact from next year.”

Next year being when Final Fantasy XIII is released exclusively on the PS3 in Japan?

UPDATE 2-Square Enix sees big impact from PS3 cut next year [Reuters]

When asked how the game’s creators felt about that, Square Enix boss Yoichi Wada offered this, “Because it’s the internet, well, that’s the internet for ya. We were telling the game creators ‘Don’t worry about that.’” Take that, internet!

“Regarding likes and dislikes, there are good opinions and bad opinions,” Wada continued. There’s no choice but to separate them. It’s not so simple as getting horrible reviews means horrible sales or getting great reviews means great sales. Customers are calmly looking at this from above and making their decision.”

売れ続ける「ドラクエIX」Amazonの不評は「そういうもんでしょう」と和田社長 [IT Media] [Pic]

A few weeks would put this announcement either close to the Tokyo Game Show or at the Tokyo Game Show. Previously, Square Enix gave the eagerly anticipated role-playing game a vague release window of “Winter 2009″. Only the PS3 version of the multi-platform game has been announced for Japan.

We do not expect to hear street date info for the Western version. That, and we’re just happy Square Enix didn’t make an online countdown clock for this announcement of an announcement. Well, yet at least!

The Square Enix exec also stated that “Development [of FFXIII] has been going favourably.”

「FF XIII」開発は「順調」　発売月は「あと数週間で発表」 [IT Media]

But Square Enix isn’t stopping there.

Square Enix president Yoichi Wada told the Japanese press, “We’re looking at reaching over 5 million copies of Dragon Quest IX shipped.” Wada went on to say that he hopes this will correspond to breathing life into the entire Japanese game industry.

In spring 2008, the exec hinted that it was possible to ship ten million copies of DQIX.

オレ的ゲーム速報＠刃:スクウェア・エニックス和田社長 『ドラゴンクエスト９』 の出荷は５００万本以上に達する見通し [オレ的ゲーム情報]

Speaking with Gamasutra, Square boss Yoichi “Imperial Hot” Wada says the two firms “are going to be creating a new IP together”, which will be the result of “a mutual understanding of each of the quarters” of both companies.

Not adapted IP, not modified IP, new IP. So… a bald teenager in tiny shorts carrying an enormous sword?

Square Enix, Eidos To Embark On IP Collaboration [Gamasutra]

Company honcho Yoichi Wada did stress that FFXIII sales were implied in the Square Enix financial forecasts. According to Japanese site Inside Games, when Wada was asked whether the PS3 version of Final Fantasy XIII will be released in this financial term, Wada reportedly replied, “Lord knows… That’s not true.” He then chuckled and added, “We’ll do our best!”

Seems like a rather off-handed remark, so we’re not sure how much to read into it. Though, Square Enix has had difficulty getting its big titles out on time…

『DQ9』『FF13』の発売日はどうなる・・・? スクエニ決算説明会 [Inside Games]