Square Enix - Lawsuit Launched against French Distributor For Illegally Selling Square Enix Properties – Press Release

Square Enix has begun legal proceedings against a French distributor called SAKURA. They alledge that SAKURA has been selling merchandise which are counterfeits of Square Enix trademarks, like Final Fantasy ans Full Metal Alchemist. An Injunction is being seeked to prevent further sells of the disputed products.

Press Release

PARIS, FRANCE (July 2, 2009) — Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. and Square Enix Co., Ltd. (collectively “Square Enix”), announced today that they had filed, on May 28, 2009 (French local time), a lawsuit in the Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris against la société SAKURA (“SAKURA”), a Paris-based company specializing in the importation/distribution of merchandise based on Japanese-produced content. Square Enix denounces SAKURA for the commercialization of products counterfeiting Square Enix’s FINAL FANTASY® and FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST® trademarks and copyrights to the FINAL FANTASY series.

The defendant SAKURA sells its products at a retail location going under the tradename of “KONCI” in Paris as well as via its Internet site, which Square Enix suspects of marketing pirated products all over the EU territory. In this lawsuit, Square Enix is seeking an injunction against the importation and distribution of pirated products, and compensation for potential damages arising from SAKURA’s activities. The case is currently pending.

“We are actively pursuing those who commit intellectual property infringement against our company,” said Yasuhiko Hasegawa, Square Enix’s General Counsel. “In parallel with our campaign against the manufacturing, distribution and sale of counterfeits, we will continue to aggressively exercise our intellectual property rights, including the filing of lawsuits, to prevent any infringement of our rights involving the unauthorized use of our games, music, movies, images, and other elements protected by intellectual property law.”

While Square Enix will continue to take decisive action against infringement of its intellectual property rights, Square Enix will keep bringing its official merchandise to its fans in the European market. For more information about distribution of Square Enix’s official merchandise in the European territory, please access the following URLs:

http://ssl.square-enix-shop.com/eu/index.php
http://www.square-enix.co.jp/se-shop/eu/

Square Enix is making a presentation at Japan Expo 2009 to take place in Paris from July 2 to 5, 2009.

About Square Enix Co., Ltd.
Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd., with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, develops, publishes and distributes entertainment content including interactive entertainment software and publications in Asia, North America and Europe. Square Enix brings two of Japan's best-selling franchises – FINAL FANTASY, which has sold over 85 million units worldwide, and DRAGON QUEST® which has sold over 47 million units worldwide – under one roof. Square Enix is one of the most influential providers of digital entertainment content in the world and continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation.

About Square Enix Co., Ltd. and Square Enix, Inc.
Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd., with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, develops, publishes and distributes entertainment content including interactive entertainment software and publications in Asia, North America and Europe. Square Enix brings two of Japan's best-selling franchises FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 85 million units worldwide, and DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 47 million units worldwide under one roof. Square Enix is one of the most influential providers of digital entertainment content in the world and continues to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation.

Square Enix, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. with offices in Los Angeles, California. It handles operations in North America, including development, localization, marketing and publishing of Square Enix titles. More information on Square Enix can be found on the Internet at http://www.square-enix.com.