Final Fantasy Creator Aims to Craft FF6's Spiritual Successor

Final Fantasy Creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, once on the brink of retirement, has reignited his passion for game development and is now set to create a spiritual successor to the beloved Final Fantasy 6. Dive into the latest details about his upcoming project and the journey that led to this exciting decision.

Final Fantasy Creator to Develop His Final Game Again

The Successor to Final Fantasy 6

Following the success of his 2021 release, Fantasian Neo Dimension, Hironobu Sakaguchi has expressed a renewed desire to craft a new game inspired by Final Fantasy 6. In an interview with The Verge, Sakaguchi revealed that while Fantasian was initially meant to be his swan song, the joy of working with his talented team has inspired him to embark on a new adventure. He aims to create a game that serves as "a successor to Final Fantasy VI," blending the old with the new in a project he affectionately calls "part two of my farewell note."

Development on Sakaguchi’s Latest Project

In a 2024 interview with Famitsu, Sakaguchi confirmed he has been actively developing his new project for about a year, estimating another two years until it reaches a significant milestone. The filing of a trademark for "FANTASIAN DARK AGE" by Mistwalker in June 2024 has sparked speculation about a potential sequel to Fantasian. Sakaguchi's vision for this new game remains rooted in the fantasy RPG genre, though details about the title and specifics are yet to be officially announced.

Reuniting with Square Enix for FANTASIAN Neo Dimension

The collaboration 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 launched exclusively on Apple Arcade in 2021, Fantasian earned high praise and was hailed as one of the best games on the platform. Reflecting on the partnership, Sakaguchi noted the sentimental value of working with Square Enix again, describing it as "coming full circle" since starting his career there in 1983.

Sakaguchi's journey with Square Enix saw him direct the inaugural Final Fantasy in 1987 and helm the subsequent four mainline titles, before transitioning to a producer role for Final Fantasy 6 through 11. Departing in 2003 to found Mistwalker, he has since developed notable titles like Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, and The Last Story. Despite the recent collaboration, Sakaguchi remains focused on new creations rather than revisiting his past works, stating he has "switched to a consumer rather than a creator."