Hironobu Sakaguchi, the legendary creator behind the Final Fantasy series, had previously considered retirement but has now announced his desire to develop another game inspired by Final Fantasy 6. Dive into the details of his upcoming project and the latest updates on its development.
The Successor to Final Fantasy 6
Following the success of his latest game, Fantasian Neo Dimension, released in 2021, Hironobu Sakaguchi has expressed his intent to craft a new game that serves as a spiritual successor to Final Fantasy 6. In a candid interview with The Verge, Sakaguchi revealed that Fantasian was initially intended to be his final project before retirement. However, the joy of working with an exceptional team led him to reconsider. "The fantastic team that was assembled to complete this project was so enjoyable to work with that I found it hard to part ways," he stated. This decision spurred him to embark on a new journey with the same team, aiming to "create something old but new at the same time." Sakaguchi describes this new endeavor as "part two of my farewell note."
Development on Sakaguchi's Latest Project
In a 2024 interview with Famitsu, Sakaguchi confirmed the ongoing development of his new project. "It's been about a year since I wrote the script, so I'm in a situation where I think I'll be able to get to a good point in about two years," he shared. Additionally, in June 2024, Mistwalker filed a trademark for "FANTASIAN DARK AGE," sparking speculation among fans that a sequel to Fantasian might be in the works. Sakaguchi emphasized that this new project will maintain the fantasy RPG style synonymous with his previous works, though no official title or detailed information has been released yet.
Reuniting with Square Enix for FANTASIAN Neo Dimension
Mistwalker collaborated with Square Enix to bring FANTASIAN Neo Dimension to a broader audience, releasing it across multiple platforms including PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch in December 2024. Initially launched exclusively on Apple Arcade in 2021, Fantasian has been hailed as one of the best games on the platform by critics and reviewers. Reflecting on his partnership with Square Enix, Sakaguchi noted, "It’s the place where I started my career, so coming full circle through the game I envisioned to be my final work was definitely a fascinating experience."
Sakaguchi's journey with Square, now known as Square Enix, began in 1983. He directed the first Final Fantasy game in 1987 and continued to helm the series until Final Fantasy 5, later serving as producer for Final Fantasy 6 through Final Fantasy 11. After departing from Square Enix in 2003, he founded Mistwalker, where he developed titles such as Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, and The Last Story. His most recent project, Fantasian, released in 2021, evolved into FANTASIAN Neo Dimension with the help of Square Enix in 2024.
Despite this successful collaboration, Sakaguchi remains firm in his stance on not revisiting Final Fantasy or his past works, stating that he has "switched to a consumer rather than a creator."
