Press Clippings | E3 Promotional Materials

The Electronic Entertainment Expo (or E3) was North America's premier video game trade show; companies both big and small would show off their latest games, hardware, and accessories. Begun in 1995, this show took place every spring in Los Angeles until 2006. Beginning in 2007, at least two new shows have sprung up to take E3's place—the E3 Media and Business Summit (which, like the old E3, is industry inclusive) and the E For All Expo (which is open to the public).

Squaresoft—and later, Square Enix—was typicially one of the major exhibitors at E3, where they would hold press conferences and put their new and upcoming games (and other products) on display. What follows are some of Square Enix's promotional materials related to the Compilation of FFVII, covering the last three years of the expo.

2004 - Push Our Buttons

One year after the merger between Square Co. and Enix Corp., Square Enix displayed several new projects at E3, including a trailer for a little movie titled Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. Other titles included in their catalog for 2004 were Kingdom Hearts II, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, Final Fantasy XII, Samurai Legend Musashi, Star Ocean: Til the End of Time, and Front Mission 4. Square Enix Mobile was also introduced.

- Square Enix Mobile. Note the image of Cloud Strife to the lower right
- Advent Children two-page spread

2005 - Check your pulse

The introduction in Square Enix's 2005 catalog makes note of its successful franchises, the company's expansion into MMORPGs, and notably, the development of "polymorphic" content such as that which makes up the Compilation of FFVII. This accordion-style booklet contains information on Advent Children, Before Crisis, Dirge of Cerberus, and Final Fantasy VII Snowboarding; other titles covered included FFXII, KH2, Romancing SaGa, Dragon Quest VIII, Front Mission Online, and several mobile games. In addition, one of the pieces of "swag" Square Enix gave away at E3 that year was a Before Crisis mobile phone strap/screen cleaner.

- Dirge of Cerberus two-page spread
- Before Crisis two-page spread
- Some mobile games, including FFVII Snowboarding
- Advent Children two-page spread

2006 - Play Your Imagination

Square Enix's 2006 catalog was its most lavish yet, even coming with its own slipcover. Before Crisis, Dirge of Cerberus, DC: Lost Episode, and Crisis Core are featured within, alongside FFXII (yet again!), Valkyrie Profile 2, Dawn of Mana, Children of Mana, Final Fantasy III, Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime, and several others. Four of Square Enix's mobile phone products were featured in their own separate flyer: Final Fantasy I, Before Crisis, DC: Lost Episode, and Pokemate (a communication tool based on Nintendo's Pokémon franchise).

- Dirge of Cerberus and DC: Lost Episode two-page spread
- Before Crisis and Crisis Core two-page spread
- Before Crisis and DC: Lost Episode on separate flyer

Compiled by Reeve, May 2007.