Tokyo Game Show 2021 concluded over the weekend, and we’re still learning great nuggets of information from the various streams and interviews during the event. One highlight was a Famitsu-hosted interview with Naoki Yoshida and Hironobu Sakaguchi, two developers who represent the present and past of the Final Fantasy series, respectively. Yoshida is currently heading the development of Final Fantasy XVI and has been the driving force behind the resurrection of Final Fantasy XIV Online since A Realm Reborn. Sakaguchi is, of course, the creator of Final Fantasy and has most recently released the mobile RPG Fantasian.
Some news slipped about Final Fantasy XVI when the topic switched to why Sakaguchi and Yoshida were drawn to the RPG genre. Yoshida questions what to even call Final Fantasy XVI since so many games have RPG elements. He reveals that Final Fantasy XVI has an “expansive” skill tree. After mentioning the one present in Fantasian, a skill tree that gives players the sense of the game opening up for character growth, Yoshida says XVI has something similar.
Also mentioned in the discussion, Yoshida confirms the scenario for FFXVI is complete, and the team is working on finishing side quests and working on the 3D models. He brings up the team’s small size during scenario planning and the ramp-up in staff needed when building the rest of the game. Sakaguchi presses him lightly for a time frame for release, but unfortunately, Yoshida holds that bit of information back. Thanks for putting on the journalist hat for a minute, Sakaguchi. We appreciate the effort.
Check out the rest of the interview in the video above to watch an interesting conversation between two game dev luminaries who happen to sit on opposite ends of one of gaming’s biggest franchises.
