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Naoki Yoshida wants the next Final Fantasy to be more Fantasy, have less machines and no mecha

Shin

Banned
Final Fantasy XIV director and producer Naoki Yoshida had a lot to say about his MMO at the Paris Fan Festival, but he also shared some thoughts on what he’d personally like to see in the next Final Fantasy.

Will Nobuo Uematsu-san compose the theme song for Shadowbringers?

Naoki Yoshida, Director & Producer: “To be frank, I can’t give you an answer. There’s definitely a reason. As you may be aware, Uematsu-san has been feeling a bit under the weather. He recently said that he’s gotten better, but we can’t just have him immediately start working after recovering, and there remains a very important job for him with Final Fantasy VII Remake, and as much as I’d love to ask him to compose if he’s in tiptop shape, the call is theirs to make.”


For the future of online in Final Fantasy, as a director, what kind of elements do you think Final Fantasy XVI and Final Fantasy XVII should offer?

Naoki Yoshida: “Huh? Hmm, you guys are asking some tough questions [laughs]. That’s funny, I thought FanFests were supposed to be fun, but here we are with this super hard question [laughs]. First, if you’re asking whether the Final Fantasy series will get another MMO soon, I think the chances are unlikely so long as Final Fantasy XIV is doing well. On that note, personally speaking, I’d like to see a Final Fantasy that is straightforward fantasy, one that doesn’t have much machinery, and with no mecha in it. After all, we’re having trouble with the Garlean Empire being too powerful. Ah, okay, that was a bad joke [laughs].”

Credit: Siliconera

Obligatory:



Side note:
As someone that played the fixed up version of FF14 and participated in a handful of in-game events he was part of I have the utmost respect for this guy.
Simply put I'm in agreement with the thread title, perhaps FF needs to go back to actual fantasy and less robot/mecha and sci-fi, would love if he gets a chance to direct or oversee the project.
 
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Good one yoshi-p. The recent main line final fantasy have too much machines. I miss the old day of ffiv or ffvi where it is mainly fantasy with a touch of machinery
 

kingbean

Member
Did fans care for FF9 after 7 and 8 added all that tech stuff?

I mean I liked it just fine, but that's not the reason why.

I'd be okay with it being a bit more magic and old fantasy.
 

Fuz

Banned
Does he read GAF? This is exactly what I said about the FF franchise like a week ago (and probably before too).

Yoshida is good, anyway. They really have to fire Nomura, tho.
 
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Ar¢tos

Member
In 10 years I will be nearly 50, I doubt I will still be playing games when the next FF comes out.
To me the FF franchise ended with IX, and it was a near perfect glorious ending.
 

#Phonepunk#

Banned
Would love it

FFXV has some great monster designs that had the classic fantasy look while being photo realistic, like the goblins, I’d love to see that style pushed even further
 

Breakage

Member
I'd rather see an FF set in ancient Japan fused with a few futuristic elements. I'm not fond of Euro fantasy settings.
 
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ethomaz

Banned
I wanted that with FFXV too but it ended that Frankenstein that can barely be called Final Fantasy.

Hope next one they delivery.
 
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Jigsaah

Gold Member
Make another MMO and stop trying to copy the World of Warcraft formula. Go back to your FFXI roots. Thanks, k bye.
 

Shifty

Member
fuckin

no shit

Does he read GAF?
I feel like 'bring back the fantasy' is a more broadly-held desire than just GAF. I know some FF nuts outside the site that have been shouting about a return to FFIX for years.
 

Danjin44

The nicest person on this forum
For love of god can they please bring back turn based combat? For once I want to see proper turn based combat in modern FF game, If DQ and SMT/Persona can do it so can Final Fantasy.
 
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wzy

Member
By the time the next Final Fantasy actually comes out there will be a Mars colony populated entirely by sentient robots and it will still be garbage compared to anything they did in the 90s.
 

DunDunDunpachi

Patient MembeR
But can they do it? I feel like they've leaned on the fantastical technology in almost all the games. Airships, mechanical drills, and rockets to the moon are not "fantasy". Those are just as much a part of Final Fantasy as chocobos and moogles.

Do they mean "fantasy" more like FF12, or are we talking FF5/FF9 sort of medieval fantasy?
 

sublimit

Banned
Yup,i'd love to see more traditional Fantasy and less sci-fi/industrial/mech stuff. I mean i generally like these but i feel like we've seen them for far too long in FF games. The last FF that was based on a more traditional Fantasy setting was FFIX and i really miss that.
 

Fbh

Member
I'd be down for this if it results in something unique. Like for example the world of the Last Airbender with its elemental based societies and all of that.

If it's just back to medieval castles kings and knights then meh
 
I dunno, Final Fantasy is it its best when it is fusing (low) tech with fantasy. It just needs to balance it better like in previous games and seriously fix the entire FF aesthetic. FFXIII set it on a fucking trash path and I just cant place a finger on exactly what it is about it, but it's terrible. Im just so sick of seeing that weird crystal shit like this everywhere:

2742273-ffxiii-010-041+-+crystallized+waves+9.png
 
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Pejo

Member
100% agree with him, but I think the focus needs to go on making complete games with an interesting, self contained story, tons of world building. optional content, exploration etc. Like if you deconstructed IV/V/VI/VII/IX and took that as a shell then threw current gen graphics on top of it.

That's what FF needs.
 

OrionNebula

Member
But copy-paste gas stations and old-school 50’s diners are so much like Final Fantasy... are you sure you want to get rid of that??
 

Vawn

Banned
Does he read GAF? This is exactly what I said about the FF franchise like a week ago (and probably before too).

He must. Because you have to be the first person who ever said Final Fantasy needs to go back to fantasy. I assume they'll put your name in the credits and give you a percentage of the profits.
 
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I'd like the next Final Fantasy to be a good game that plays like a Final Fantasy. Whatever aesthetic that uses is fine with me. It's been about 18 years now since I felt like I played the last FF that felt like one and so it's probably just a wishful thought.
 
itd be the first final fantasy in a long while that I was interested in before release thats for sure. theyd still ahve to put out a compelling tale and worthwhile gameplay
 

Fuz

Banned
He must. Because you have to be the first person who ever said Final Fantasy needs to go back to fantasy. I assume they'll put your name in the credits and give you a percentage of the profits.
Are you really this dense?
I wasn't serious.
 

zeorhymer

Member
I don't care what the next FF will be like as long as it's not a bullshit multiverse crossover lore that no one understands unless they've read the manga, watched the anime, played the prequels, or played some game on a different system type of deal.
 

BRZBlue

Member
Square Enix basically owes Yoshi-P a life-debt for what he managed to do with FFXIV, basically turning it from a disaster to an incredibly profitable game for the company, winning back goodwill from the fans, and managing to keep it the second most popular subscription MMO for years.

He honestly "gets" videogames, he was an avid player of western games, and that translated a lot into his philosophy and design. Square would do well to listen to whatever he has to say, he honestly deserves to be put on a mainline FF, but I won't want to lose him from FFXIV. He's so important to that game.
 

Hanon

Banned
my problems don't have anything to do with how the game looks, my problem has to do with how long they make final fantasy games.

fyi ff6 had tech/machines in it,
 

Werewolf Jones

Gold Member
Did fans care for FF9 after 7 and 8 added all that tech stuff?
Final Fantasy IX is the best game in the franchise. Easily. Also near the end of the game it does go a bit more... I'll stop there.

If this dude spearheaded the next FF and had Hiroyuki Itou involved, got rid of Nomura and pulled up a fresh composer then I would be extremely hopeful.
 

Airbus Jr

Banned
Same here

Tired with the futuristic crap in final fantasy game

15 is final fantasy game based on modern time reality and it already felt like GTA game

Bring back the pure medieval style just like FF9 we really miss those game
 
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sublimit

Banned
Final Fantasy IX is the best game in the franchise. Easily. Also near the end of the game it does go a bit more... I'll stop there.

If this dude spearheaded the next FF and had Hiroyuki Ito involved, got rid of Nomura and pulled up a fresh composer then I would be extremely hopeful.

Is Hiroyuki Ito still in SE? I wish he made a comeback with FFXVI.
 
Yeah Im down for that. I loved FF15 so for me its not about the characters as much as it is the world that gives off this fantasy feel. Even though FF15 had all this tech and mecha, I loved starting that game up every day just so I can go into that world with that music.
 

Ten_Fold

Member
I would be down for that, heck at the very least keep the tech really low I don’t want it all futuristic. I think ff6-8 did a good job of it.
 

sublimit

Banned
Think he's stuck in the mobile division which is crazy considering he has directed two of their best games for their flagship title.
I remember he worked on a mobile game but that was ages ago right?(2012 i think?)

Honestly if SE has a man of Ito's caliber still working at their mobile trash division then they are the worst idiots in this industry.
 
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Make another MMO and stop trying to copy the World of Warcraft formula. Go back to your FFXI roots. Thanks, k bye.

I rather they concentrate on a quality singler player experience instead of a mmo. We don’t have enough single player high budget jpgs on the market imho. Also, less machinery is fine, but I don’t think it should go back to a full medieval age like so many rpgs now. Maybe make it a nice blend of old school with futuristic.
 
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Airbus Jr

Banned
I rather they concentrate on a quality singler player experience instead of a mmo. We don’t have enough single player high budget jpgs on the market imho. Also, less machinery is fine, but I don’t think it should go back to a full medieval age like so many rpgs now. Maybe make it a nice blend of old school with futuristic.

Think it should went back to full medieval style this time

We already have a lot of retro steampunk or hi tech final fantasy game recently (6,7,8,10,12,13,15)

Really missed the good old days of old school FF when final fantasy game look like Lord of the Ring and don't look like Watch Dog/GTA/Cyberpunk
 
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Sub_Level

wants to fuck an Asian grill.
They really have to fire Nomura, tho.

got rid of Nomura

FIRE NOMURA

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ollieb...ipped-5-million-units-worldwide/#3010029214e2

Nomura is one of Square's biggest assets from a purely financial point of view. A guy like Sakaguchi might have had ten times the talent but he almost burned the company to the ground with bad decisions. Best you can hope for is that Nomura isn't involved in the next FF or that he willingly leaves, because he isn't getting fired lol
 

sublimit

Banned
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ollieb...ipped-5-million-units-worldwide/#3010029214e2

Nomura is one of Square's biggest assets from a purely financial point of view. A guy like Sakaguchi might have had ten times the talent but he almost burned the company to the ground with bad decisions. Best you can hope for is that Nomura isn't involved in the next FF or that he willingly leaves, because he isn't getting fired lol

There's no way hre's involved in the next FF,at least not as a director. FFVII Remake should be more than enough to keep him busy for a veeeeery long time.
 
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Dr. Claus

Vincit qui se vincit
Nomura is a fantastic director and should not be fired. Y'all who are asking such are asinine.

As for FFXIV - the core game is so much better than FFXI it isn't even funny.
 
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