Hironobu Sakaguchi, the legendary creator behind the Final Fantasy series, had once contemplated retirement but now finds himself driven to craft a new game—a spiritual successor to the iconic Final Fantasy 6. Dive into the latest updates on his ambitious project and what it means for fans of his work.
Final Fantasy Creator To Develop His Final Game Again
The Successor To Final Fantasy 6
Following the success of his latest endeavor, Fantasian Neo Dimension, which debuted in 2021, Hironobu Sakaguchi is set to embark on a new journey. In a revealing conversation with The Verge, Sakaguchi initially planned for Fantasian to be his swan song. Yet, inspired by the joy and camaraderie of the team behind Fantasian, he now aspires to create a game that will stand as a successor to Final Fantasy VI. Sakaguchi describes this upcoming project as "part two of my farewell note," blending the old with the new in a way that resonates with his storied career.
Development On Sakaguchi’s Latest Project
In a 2024 interview with Famitsu, Sakaguchi shared that he's been actively developing his new project for about a year since scripting began. He anticipates reaching a significant milestone in approximately two years. The buzz around this new endeavor intensified when Mistwalker filed a trademark for "FANTASIAN DARK AGE" in June 2024, hinting at a possible sequel to Fantasian. While details remain sparse, Sakaguchi confirmed that his latest project will continue his tradition of crafting immersive fantasy RPGs.
Reuniting With Square Enix For FANTASIAN Neo Dimension
The collaboration between Mistwalker and Square Enix brought FANTASIAN Neo Dimension to a broader audience on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch in December 2024. Originally an Apple Arcade exclusive in 2021, Fantasian has been hailed as one of the platform's finest offerings. Reflecting on his return to Square Enix, where his career began in 1983, Sakaguchi found the experience "fascinating" as it marked a full-circle moment with the game he once thought would be his last.
Sakaguchi's journey with Square, now Square Enix, saw him direct the first Final Fantasy in 1987 and lead the series through its early iterations before transitioning to producer for Final Fantasy 6 to 11. Departing in 2003 to establish Mistwalker, he crafted notable titles such as Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, and The Last Story. Despite this recent collaboration, Sakaguchi has no plans to revisit the Final Fantasy series or his past works, preferring to enjoy them as a consumer rather than a creator.
