Why They Rocked: The PlayStation 2 had strong showings from a number of developers this year, but none of them supported the PS2 with a lineup like Square Enix. Though the publisher's second parties offered up its own crop of titles with Game Arts' Grandia III and tri-Ace's Valkyrie Profile 2, it was the company's own internal studios that pumped out the most PlayStation 2 software.

Kicking things off in March was Tetsuya Nomura's big-name sequel Kingdom Hearts II. Overnight, it became a consumer sensation; becoming the second highest-selling videogame for any console in all of 2006. The game's colorful characters, great soundtrack, and family-friendly themes certainly worked their mojo. One month later, the company struck again with the latest expansion to Final Fantasy XI with Treasures of Aht Urhgan, and continued its contributions in August with the surprisingly-improved Final Fantasy VII spin-off, Dirge of Cerberus. But it was October's Final Fantasy XII that really put the company over the top. Boasting a great story and a revamped battle system, it was the year's best RPG -- cementing Square's place in the #1 developer's circle.

Runners-Up:  
Criterion Games
EA Canada

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