Final Fantasy 9 Lead Recalls How the PS2’s “Overpowered” CPU Sparked Military Concerns

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Final Fantasy IX was famously developed by a specialized team based in Hawaii. In the late 90s, this meant a constant exchange of physical data and correspondence between the islands and Square’s primary offices in Japan.

“Near the end of our tenure in Hawaii, there was a plan to send over PS2 testing equipment so we could verify that FF9 would run correctly on the new hardware,” Aoki noted. “However, because the PS2’s processor was so incredibly advanced, there were fears it could be utilized for military purposes, leading to strict export restrictions.”

While Aoki didn’t clarify whether the military ever officially blocked the tech, the logistical hurdles were substantial. “The equipment took an exceptionally long time to reach us,” he said. “It was an incredibly stressful and difficult situation to navigate.”

Reflecting on that era, Aoki noted that Square possessed a “kind of recklessness,” with the team moving to Hawaii without a finalized strategy, leading to some developers even buying custom-themed license plates for their new island lifestyle.