Final Fantasy Creator Aims to Craft FF6's Spiritual Successor

Hironobu Sakaguchi, the legendary creator behind the Final Fantasy series, had once considered retiring but now finds himself inspired to craft another game—a spiritual successor to the beloved Final Fantasy 6. Dive into the details of his latest project and get the scoop on its development progress.

Final Fantasy Creator to Develop His Final Game Again

The Successor to Final Fantasy 6

After the triumph of Fantasian Neo Dimension, initially launched in 2021, Hironobu Sakaguchi is set to embark on a new journey. In an enlightening interview with The Verge, Sakaguchi revealed that Fantasian was meant to be his swan song. Yet, the joy of working with an exceptional team has reignited his passion, leading him to announce a new game aimed to be "a successor to Final Fantasy VI."

Sakaguchi shared that the camaraderie and creativity of the team made it impossible for him to step away entirely. Now, they're gearing up to create "something old but new at the same time," which Sakaguchi humorously refers to as "part two of my farewell note."

Development on Sakaguchi's Latest Project

In a 2024 interview with Famitsu, Sakaguchi confirmed he's deep into the development of his new project. He mentioned that it's been roughly a year since he penned the script, with the goal of reaching a significant milestone within the next two years. The buzz around a potential sequel intensified when Mistwalker trademarked "FANTASIAN DARK AGE" in June 2024.

While the project remains shrouded in mystery, Sakaguchi hinted that it will echo the fantasy RPG style of his previous works. No official title or detailed information has been released yet, keeping fans eagerly awaiting more news.

Reuniting with Square Enix for FANTASIAN Neo Dimension

The partnership 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 exclusive to Apple Arcade since its 2021 debut, Fantasian earned high praise from critics and fans alike.

Reflecting on his return to Square Enix, where his career began in 1983, Sakaguchi remarked, "It’s the place where I started my career, so coming full circle through the game I envisioned to be my final work was definitely a fascinating experience."

Sakaguchi, who directed the first Final Fantasy in 1987 and went on to helm the subsequent four mainline titles, eventually left Square Enix in 2003 to establish Mistwalker. There, he created notable games like Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, and The Last Story. Despite this reunion, Sakaguchi remains firm on not revisiting the Final Fantasy series or his past projects, stating he has "switched to a consumer rather than a creator."