Handhelds dominating - Squenix

Square Enix CEO Yoichi Wada has explained the thinking behind his company's decision to make the next instalment in the hit Dragon Quest series exclusive to Nintendo DS, GamesIndustry reports.

The previous Dragon Quest games appeared primarily on PlayStation and PS2, but Wada told the Financial Times that for the next title, "We chose the Nintendo DS because the widest array of people use it, including people who previously did not play games before.

"There is a new breed of gamers in the market - we have to make games for all kinds of people. In the old days, we could just focus on the PlayStation or the Game Boy, but the environment has changed completely."

Wada went on to suggest that Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are not well-suited to the current demographic: "There are too many specs - and you also need a high-definition TV, a broadband connection and a deep knowledge of gaming - these consoles are mismatched to today’s environment."

However he did not dismiss the next-gen consoles completely, stating, "In a year or two years they will fare better."