Square Crumbled After Hironobu Sakaguchi's Departure, Claims Uematsu

Nobuo Uematsu, the renowned composer behind the Final Fantasy series, shared insights on the impact of Hironobu Sakaguchi's departure from Square Enix. On a recent podcast, Uematsu emphasized that the company "collapsed" after Sakaguchi left, citing a drastic decline in morale and leadership. Sakaguchi’s influence was crucial during the formative years of Square, akin to a student club where he united the team with a strong vision. Despite the ongoing success of the Final Fantasy franchise, particularly with titles like Final Fantasy XIV, Uematsu noted that the series has struggled to replicate the golden era overseen by Sakaguchi from the 80s to 90s.

Uematsu stated that after Sakaguchi left Square Enix, the company's morale and structure deteriorated significantly, describing it as a collapse of leadership and organization.

Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of the Final Fantasy series, played a pivotal role in shaping the role-playing game genre. His work on the first five titles laid a strong foundation for Square, which later merged with Enix, reshaping the game industry landscape. Sakaguchi eventually founded Mistwalker, where he continued to innovate within the RPG genre, creating titles that resonate with fans seeking nostalgia for the beloved Final Fantasy era.