One of the tropes that many people subscribe to in the gaming space is that someone who helps create a masterful franchise is going to work on that franchise for as long as possible. We can look at people like Shigeru Miyamoto, Hideo Kojima, and so many others and think that’s possible because of how dedicated those men and others are to the franchises they helped build or make popular. However, there are plenty who “got out while the getting was good” so they could make something else. That included Hironobu Sakaguchi, who you might know as the creator of the Final Fantasy series.
In a chat with Bloomberg, he noted that he was fine staying away from the franchise he created and that he was more interested in playing a certain game from that franchise rather than coming back to it to try and make a new entry:
“Now I almost live in Final Fantasy XIV,” he said. “If I take on the Final Fantasy brand again, I don’t know if I’ll be able to genuinely enjoy Final Fantasy XIV as much.”
That’s high praise indeed, and while we’re sure he’s struggling with the DLC, just as many other people are, it’s still good to know he’s enjoying his time as a consumer/gamer instead of just being a creator.
Furthermore, it should be noted that the games he helped create as a part of Mistwalker are apparently off the table, too. That’s also fine, as it shows that he has a forward-thinking mindset and wants to keep creating titles that make him and others happy. You might recall that at the most recent Nintendo Direct, he had a new game announced that paired him up with Square Enix once again. It’s a different franchise, but it’s still cool to see it come to life on consoles.
What also needs to be remembered about Hironobu Sakaguchi is that he’s a man who literally made the franchise that’s continuing on right now. He even stated in past interviews that the reason he made the original RPG the way he did was because it was his “final fantasy” to try and make it in the gaming space. Then, he was able to make multiple successes within the series after that. He doesn’t “owe anything” to the franchise, as he’s the one who made it possible for it to exist in the first place!
So, let him continue to make what he wants. He’s earned that right.
