Square Enix: Hironobu Sakaguchi does not see himself returning to the helm of Final Fantasy – News

Bloomberg was able to approach the sacred monster during an interview where Sakaguchi candidly discusses his relationship with Final Fantasy. After his voluntary departure from Square Enix in 2001, inspired by the cruel flop of the animated film Final Fantasy: The Spirits WithinTHE game designer claims to have consciously kept his distance to avoid influencing his successors. He preferred to work in his Mistwalker studio without resuming contact. But this voluntary self-sufficiency gradually evaporated over the years.

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Hironobu Sakaguchi explains that he reconnected with his former disciples at Square Enix, such as Yoshinori Kitase (already director of Final Fantasy VI at the time), during the celebrations of 30 years of Final Fantasy. The first crack in a social dam that has since burst. Especially now that Sakaguchi is downright addicted to Final Fantasy XIV.It was first an attempt at courtesy.“to prepare for an event in 2021,” he recalls. “Now I practically live there. […] Sometimes I see a colleague who logs on Final Fantasy XIV and who sends me: “Hey, our meeting has started!” *”.

A tender passion that discourages Sakaguchi from returning to work on a Final Fantasy.If I tackle this franchise again, I don't know if I could still enjoy it. Final Fantasy XIV as I do today“, noting that he went from “creator to consumer“* in this case. There is no question of returning to Blue Dragon or Lost Odyssey either, even for a modern port. If Sakaguchi were to delve into his archives again, it would only be to resurrect the mobile game Terra Battle, released in 2014 and then pulled the plug in June 2020. A small tactical success that attracted 1.8 million curious people at the time.

For the time being, Sakaguchi says he is refining the script for a new project and refuses to comment on the Fantasian Dark Edge trademark, which is hypothetical following Fantasian. “For now, let's say it's something new.“The veteran also slips in being a grandfather since last fall.”[Chez Mistwalker]everyone is afraid – maybe ironically, maybe not – that this happy event will affect the script. Everyone tells me “Oh no, please don't change anything…” “It is that Sakaguchi had already embarked on a major rewriting of Final Fantasy VI when he became the father of a little girl. Which seems almost obvious in hindsight.