Enix

Enix was a Japanese multimedia publisher whose activities spanned video games, manga, guidebooks, character merchandise, and related technology and education ventures. The company originated on September 22, 1975, when entrepreneur Yasuhiro Fukushima established Eidansha Boshu Service Center as a publisher of advertising tabloids, particularly material connected with real-estate businesses. After an unsuccessful attempt to build a nationwide real-estate chain, Fukushima redirected the business toward the emerging personal-computer and video-game markets. A related company was renamed Enix Corporation in 1982, and the wider corporate structure adopted the Enix name in 1989. The name Enix combined references to the mythical phoenix and ENIAC, an early electronic computer. Enix initially operated primarily as a publisher rather than a large in-house development studio. It sought new creators through contests advertised in computer and manga magazines, helping identify designers and programmers including Yuji Horii, Koichi Nakamura, and Kazuro Morita. Horii and Nakamura had previously collaborated on The Portopia Serial Murder Case, and their work on a planned Family Computer role-playing game brought together Horii as designer, Nakamura's Chunsoft as developer, Koichi Sugiyama as composer, and Akira Toriyama as character designer. The resulting Dragon Quest, released in 1986, became a major Japanese console role-playing game and the foundation of Enix's most important intellectual property. Dragon Quest shaped Enix's business model. The publisher coordinated external development partners, managed franchise supervision, and expanded the property into sequels, spin-offs, merchandise, guidebooks, and other media. Rather than relying exclusively on a single game series, Enix broadened its publishing portfolio during the 1990s. It released or supported titles from studios such as Quintet, tri-Ace, Tose, Chunsoft, Heartbeat, and Cavia. Its publishing credits included ActRaiser, Star Ocean, Valkyrie Profile, and selected Western releases such as Riven and Tomb Raider III. Enix also built a substantial print business through the Gangan Comics family, launched in 1991, which became an important second pillar alongside games. The company developed international operations, including Enix America organizations, although its North American publishing efforts faced uneven sales and strategic retrenchment. Enix also participated in technology and education ventures, including a Chinese online and mobile-game development company and a partially owned game-development school. Its corporate approach was frequently characterized by outsourcing development while retaining publishing, production, and franchise-supervision functions. At the beginning of the 2000s, delayed releases, increasing development costs, difficulties in the manga division, and broader industry pressures encouraged Enix to consider a strategic combination with another major publisher. Discussions with Square, the company associated with Final Fantasy, eventually produced a merger agreement after Square's financial position improved following the success of Final Fantasy X and Kingdom Hearts. On April 1, 2003, Square Enix was formed, with Enix legally surviving the transaction and Square's businesses being integrated into the new company. Enix therefore ceased to exist as an independent corporate brand, while Dragon Quest, Gangan Comics, and several associated creative and publishing relationships continued within the Square Enix group.

Enix began in 1975 as Eidansha Boshu Service Center, a publishing business founded by Yasuhiro Fukushima to produce advertising tabloids related to real estate. A subsidiary created for real-estate activity was renamed Enix Corporation in 1982 after the parent company shifted investment toward personal computers and video games. Enix was named through a combination of the phoenix myth and ENIAC. Its early publishing strategy relied on identifying promising independent creators rather than maintaining a large internal development workforce. The company's contests for game proposals helped bring Yuji Horii, Koichi Nakamura, and other creators into its network. Horii and Nakamura collaborated on The Portopia Serial Murder Case before developing a console role-playing game. With Koichi Sugiyama composing and Akira Toriyama providing visual design, Dragon Quest was released for the Family Computer in 1986. Its success established a long-running franchise and a durable production relationship among its principal creators and external development partners. Enix extended the property through sequels, spin-offs, merchandise, toys, board games, card games, and guidebooks. During the 1990s, Enix diversified its publishing portfolio. It published Quintet's ActRaiser and subsequent Super Famicom projects, supported Chunsoft and Heartbeat on Dragon Quest-related games, and worked with Tose on the Dragon Quest Monsters spin-off line. Its relationship with tri-Ace produced Star Ocean and Valkyrie Profile. Enix also published or distributed selected Western console titles, including Riven and Tomb Raider III. The company pursued a multi-platform policy across Nintendo and Sony hardware rather than committing exclusively to one console ecosystem. Print media became a major part of the business. Enix began publishing Dragon Quest guides and subsequently created the Gangan Comics family, starting with Monthly Shonen Gangan in 1991. Additional magazines and book imprints followed, allowing Enix to develop manga properties and related media. The company also established overseas and affiliated operations, including Enix America entities, an educational institution for game development, and a China-based technology venture focused on online and mobile games. The early 2000s brought organizational and financial pressure. Delays affecting major releases, the rising cost of game development, and tension within the manga division complicated the company's position. A group of Gangan editors and creators left to establish Mag Garden in 2001, leading to competition and disputes concerning manga copyrights. Enix later reached an arrangement that included investment in Mag Garden. At the same time, the company explored a merger with Square or Namco as consolidation became more attractive in an increasingly expensive software market. Merger talks with Square were temporarily affected by Square's losses associated with the film Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, but improved results from Final Fantasy X and Kingdom Hearts helped revive negotiations. The transaction was approved after the share-exchange terms were adjusted to address concerns from Square founder Masafumi Miyamoto. On April 1, 2003, Square Enix was created, with Enix surviving legally and Square dissolving its separate departments and subsidiaries into the combined company. Enix's final releases before the merger included Star Ocean: Till the End of Time and Dragon Quest Monsters: Caravan Heart. Although the Enix corporation disappeared, its central franchises, publishing methods, and creator relationships became part of Square Enix's continuing business.

• 2003

  Square Enix is formed

  [1]Enixen.wikipedia.org

  Enix and Square complete their merger on April 1, ending Enix's existence as an independent company.

• 2001

  Merger discussions begin

  [1]Enixen.wikipedia.org

  Enix explores a combination with Square amid rising development costs and industry consolidation.

• 1999

  Tokyo Stock Exchange First Section listing

  [1]Enixen.wikipedia.org

  Enix becomes listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

• 1996

  Headquarters move to Shibuya

  [1]Enixen.wikipedia.org

  Enix relocates its offices from Shinjuku to Shibuya in Tokyo.

• 1991

  Gangan Comics is launched

  [1]Enixen.wikipedia.org

  Monthly Shonen Gangan begins publication, creating the foundation of Enix's manga imprint family.

• 1989

  Corporate reorganization under the Enix name

  [1]Enixen.wikipedia.org

  The parent company absorbs related entities and changes its corporate name to Enix Corporation.

• 1986

  Dragon Quest is released

  [1]Enixen.wikipedia.org

  The first Dragon Quest launches on the Family Computer and becomes Enix's signature franchise.

• 1982

  Entry into video-game publishing

  [1]Enixen.wikipedia.org

  A subsidiary adopts the Enix name and begins publishing games for Japanese home computers and consoles.

• 1975

  Eidansha Boshu Service Center is founded

  [1]Enixen.wikipedia.org

  Yasuhiro Fukushima establishes the publishing company that would ultimately become Enix.

Japanese publisher centered on role-playing games, externally developed software, franchise management, and multimedia publishing.

• Console role-playing game franchise · 1986

  Dragon Quest

  Enix's defining franchise, created by Yuji Horii, Koichi Nakamura, Koichi Sugiyama, and Akira Toriyama. The original 1986 title helped establish the console role-playing game in Japan. Enix oversaw sequels, spin-offs, merchandise, guidebooks, and other extensions while relying heavily on external development partners.

• Role-playing game spin-off franchise · 1998

  Dragon Quest Monsters

  A Dragon Quest spin-off focused on collecting, training, and battling monsters. Enix developed the series with Tose and used it to broaden the commercial reach of the Dragon Quest universe beyond the numbered mainline games.

• Console role-playing game franchise · 1996

  Star Ocean

  Enix published Star Ocean beginning with the 1996 title developed by tri-Ace. The partnership continued through additional science-fiction role-playing games and became one of Enix's most important non-Dragon Quest relationships during the 1990s.

• Role-playing game · 1999

  Valkyrie Profile

  A Norse mythology-inspired role-playing game developed by tri-Ace and published by Enix in 1999. It demonstrated Enix's willingness to invest in original role-playing properties outside the Dragon Quest framework.

• Action and simulation game · 1990

  ActRaiser

  Quintet's Super Famicom title was Enix's first third-party console publication and began a notable publishing relationship with the studio. The game combined side-scrolling action with town-building and simulation elements.

• Manga publishing imprint family · 1991

  Gangan Comics

  A group of manga magazines and book imprints launched from 1991. Gangan expanded Enix into serialized comics and later supported commercially successful properties, including Fullmetal Alchemist, strengthening the company's multimedia profile.

• 2003

  Merger with SquareM&A

  Background

  Rising development costs and pressure on game publishers encouraged Enix to seek a combination with another major company. Square's financial position improved after later game successes.

  Action taken

  Enix and Square merged on April 1, 2003, creating Square Enix with Enix as the surviving legal entity.

  Aftermath

  Enix ceased independent operations, while its franchises and publishing assets continued within Square Enix.

  Source

• 1991

  Diversification into manga publishingStrategy

  Background

  Enix sought to reduce reliance on Dragon Quest and game publishing revenue.

  Action taken

  The company launched Monthly Shonen Gangan and built a family of manga magazines and book imprints.

  Aftermath

  Print publishing became a major business and helped establish Enix as a broader multimedia company.

  Source

• 1982

  Shift from real-estate publishing toward gamesStrategy

  Background

  After an unsuccessful effort to establish a nationwide real-estate chain, Fukushima pursued opportunities in the developing computer and console-game market.

  Action taken

  A related company was renamed Enix Corporation and began publishing game software.

  Aftermath

  The move created the business foundation for Enix's later role as a major Japanese game publisher.

  Source

1. 1Enixen.wikipedia.org