Summary
In a new interview,Final Fantasyseries creator Hironobu Sakaguchi confirmed that he is working on a spiritual successor to the widely acclaimed 1994 RPGFinal Fantasy 6. Despite initially teasing his retirement following his last game’s release, Sakaguchi is now eager to bring the best parts ofFinal Fantasy 6back to life for a new audience.
Joining Square in 1983, Sakaguchi’s early years at the company were somewhat tumultuous, with the creator stating that his initial idea forFinal Fantasywasn’t fully supported by other members of staff. The game designer’s dedication to the title was so powerful that he promised to leave Square ifFinal Fantasyfailed, pledging to go back to university and find another career path. Thankfully, the game was a huge success, kickstarting one of the most well-known franchises in gaming history. WhileSakaguchi began teasing his retirementas far back as 2021, the creator is still hard at work, with his next title promising to deliver something many fans have wanted for decades.
Talking toThe Verge, Sakaguchi confirmed that work on his next game has started, with the mystery title slated to be somewhat of a spiritual successor toFinal Fantasy 6. WhileFantasian: Neo Dimensionwas originally slated to be the creator’s last title, Sakaguchi noted that the team behind the game was so fun to work with that he wasn’t ready to leave just yet, gathering the same group together to create his next work. “It’s generally going to follow a similar style to my previous works, and it’ll be something that can be a successor toFinal Fantasy 6in a good way - our goal is to create something old but new at the same time,” Sakaguchi said. “It’ll be part two of my farewell note.” While nota fullFinal Fantasy 6remake, many fans are excited to see what this currently unnamed title will bring.
Hironobu Sakaguchi Working on Spiritual Successor to Final Fantasy 6
Many fans of the long-running franchise considerFinal Fantasy 6to be one of the best, with the title said by many to have revolutionized the role-playing game genre. Released for the SNES in 1994, the game was the first in the franchise to be directed by someone other than Sakaguchi, with Yoshinori Kitase and Hiroyuki Ito taking the helm.Final Fantasy 6proved to be groundbreaking due to its darker and more mature themes when compared to past entries, and its large cast of characters and overarching story still strikes a chord with audiences today.
Whether Sakaguchi will truly retire after releasing his next game remains to be seen. While the creator has noted that he won’t be returning to theFinal Fantasyseries, he has been an outspoken fan ofFinal Fantasy 14over the past few years. Humorously,Sakaguchi’s Free Company inFinal Fantasy 14is a reference to Square Enix, with the developer serving as “Vice President.”
Final Fantasy 6
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The War of the Magi caused magic to disappear from the world. A thousand years later, humanity relies on machines - until they find a young woman with mysterious powers. The magicite system allows players to customize which abilities, magic spells, and summons the party members learn. All the playable characters have their own stories, goals, and destinies. Journey through their interwoven fates in this sweeping melodrama.The pinnacle of the FF series at the time of its release, FFVI remains critically acclaimed and beloved to this day.
