Legendary Creator Hironobu Sakaguchi Rejects Final Fantasy Return

Square Enix recently announced a collaboration with Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi for the Nintendo Switch release of his RPG Fantasian: Neo Dimension, marking their first joint project in 30 years. However, Sakaguchi clarified he would not be returning to the Final Fantasy series or other past games, preferring to enjoy them as a player rather than a developer. Despite his disinterest in reviving older titles like Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey for modern consoles, he expressed a desire to bring back Terra Battle, a 2014 strategy game for iOS and Android that was later delisted. Sakaguchi, who started his career at Square Enix (then Square) in 1983 and created Final Fantasy, left the company in 2003 and subsequently founded Mistwalker. Fantasian Neo Dimension, previously an Apple Arcade exclusive, will be released on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam this winter.

Fantasian: Neo Dimension will be available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.

Hironobu Sakaguchi's creation of Final Fantasy was a pivotal moment in gaming history. The franchise began in 1987 and saved Square from bankruptcy, leading to a series that has sold over 185 million copies globally. Notable titles Sakaguchi produced include Final Fantasy VI and Chrono Trigger, both highly acclaimed within the RPG genre. After parting ways with Square Enix, he founded Mistwalker and continued to influence the RPG landscape, underscored by his collaboration with the renowned composer Nobuo Uematsu.