Independent Japanese developer Level-5 has announced that it will be opening a new office in Santa Monica, California, USA this September and will also expand with a European branch next year.

Level-5 is best known as the developers of the Professor Layton series which have been a hit on Nintendo DS consoles and have resulted in a film adaptation in Japan. However, the company is also known as the developer of several popular RPGs including the White Knight Chronicles series (PS3), the Dark Cloud series (PS2) and Dragon Quest VIII/IX.

Although Level-5 has developed quite a reputable name as a developer, it has often sought to use other companies such as Sony and Nintendo to publish its products overseas. For example, the Professor Layton series is published under Level-5's name in Japan but under Nintendo's name in North America and Europe. Level-5's announcement of new offices in North America and Europe could signal that it is ready to take on more localization and publishing responsibilities in Western countries. Professor Layton games in particular release much later in the West than it does in Japan and so the new office could mean quicker localization times.

Source: Siliconera