Final Fantasy XV has been in development for over ten years as it was announced back in May of 2006. Since the long grueling wait for the video game launch, it has been revealed that the Square Enix development team is definitely feeling the pressure. During an interview, the video game director, Hajime Tabata has labeled some members as having the “Final Fantasy disease”.
4Gamer has posted an interview between Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada and Hajime Tabata, the game director for the upcoming Final Fantasy XV. Thanks to the translated interview from Kotaku, we’re finding out that there are a few members within Square Enix and outside of the development team that is stricken with what he calls the “Final Fantasy disease”.
According to Hajime Tabata, the Final Fantasy disease is a condition in which people can’t imagine anything other than their own views of Final Fantasy. This would clearly be an annoyance to deal with during the production of Final Fantasy XV.
“It refers to people within the company who can’t imagine anything other than their own view of Final Fantasy. Since the root is a strong self-affirmation, one’s own view of Final Fantasy takes more priority than the team’s success. If that view of Final Fantasy isn’t fulfilled, then they’re convinced that it’s bad for Final Fantasy. They think, ‘Since Final Fantasy is a special team, then we are also special because we are making it. When the new Final Fantasy comes out, everybody is going to be so into it.’ But that’s not the reality of the situation, is it?”
Apparently, there are a number of people within the company that sees Final Fantasy as a doomed IP if anyone was to step in and change any direction of the game. At the same time, there are those, much like Hajime Tabata, who are attempting to modernize the IP in hopes to save it from reaching its peak and facing a declined interest.
However, Hajime Tabata also went on to show that those outside of Square Enix is also infected with the Final Fantasy disease.
“Yet, I realized that when Final Fantasy XV news was made public, this wasn’t only inside the company. Everyone has FF disease.”
For now, Final Fantasy XV will be launching on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One worldwide on September 30, 2016.
