Could Hironobu Sakaguchi Return to Direct Final Fantasy XVI or XVII?

Hironobu Sakaguchi returned to a Square Enix stage after so many years. It wasn't to present a game of his own, but it certainly seems that a fracture has been, at least in part, healed.

Could this bring good things for the future? Giuseppe Nelva from DualShockers explains the dream of an old fan.

[-Foxtrot]

Would be nice but I'd rather he get his studio into console gaming again and create some multiplatform JRPG games like Lost Odyssey, which was the real FF13 last gen in my opinion. From the combat, to the music and the characters to the theme song (which wasn't a COVER SONG hint).

[Abriael]

He already is.

The announcement of his collaboration with silicon studio stressed that he's working with their tech, which is mostly high end console/PC related (I saw their rendering engine run on a PS4 myself, and boy, it's good).

That said, people working on two games at the same time is hardly unheard of, especially if he shared direction with Tabata.

[VenomUK]

Abriael said: "I will not lie: I cried. I really did."

Pull yourself together! I don't know if you are telling the truth or saying that in an attempt at dramatic effect or proving that you are more of a gamer. I consider myself a gamer and a bit of a Final Fantasy VII fan also a man and I do not cry when watching a video feed with a favoured game producer. If that's what brings you to tears than you must have lived a truly charmed life. Good day to you sir! ;)

[Abriael]

@VenomUK: I'm old, at my age you get sentimental.

But honestly, I'm just a wuss. And yes, I did cry. :D

[mikeslemonade]

I agree. Lost Odyssey was the real Final Fantasy 13. But no, the JRPGs should be exclusive to one system. Have we seen a single great JRPG that was multiplat? The answer is no.

[bouzebbal]

No FF16 before FF7 remake is out.

[no_more_heroes]

the only thing that stops me from taking my 360 out to play through it again is the Temple of Enlightenment.

I f***ing hated that place...

Otherwise, I loved LO.

I also never got anywhere near finishing the DLC underwater dungeon.

[DevilOgreFish]

Temple of Enlightenment was crazy, so true. i did it twice, the first time i said i wouldn't go that far again. so i did only a little bit of it on the second time. pretty time consuming it was if i remember correctly. great game though.

[naruga]

@ Foxtrot ..the whole structure , music , characters , plot and mechanics of LO really synthesized the true FF of the previous generation but the art direction itself (starting from the really uninspired protagonist) was unattractive even repellent ...i really didnt played the game extensively because i couldnt stand my hero's appearance (its like a manga-clueless westerner tries to create an anime character)...shame that Sagakuchi didnt gave some attention there ..also i have feeling that it was MS hand on this as they wanted characters/art to have also appeal on western markets

[Kyosuke_Sanada]

I honestly loved the character design. When I saw it, the look screamed Vagabond (which I found out later was exactly correct seeing that it was the same artist, Takehiko Inoue.) I was especially fond of the auction house as well, it was hilarious being outbid by a chicken! XD

[KentBenMei]

I agree and disagree. While I'd love to see him continue on his own path I think he needs to save Final Fantasy, if possible.

[TheOneWhoIsTornApart]

Final Fantasy doesn't need saving. Final Fantasy XV is a return to form. Also FFXVI is most likely in the works and I am betting Hiroyuki Itou is the one directing.

[KentBenMei]

@TheOneWhoIsTornApart:

Final Fantasy DOES need saving. FFXV being a "return to form" is an absolute joke. XV looks like a completely different game from a completely different franchise. Each Final Fantasy is different but familiar; XV is not a Final Fantasy.

You know there's something when the team needs to ask if we want Moogles in a f***ing Final Fantasy. You know there's something wrong when they ditch turn-based combat in a single-player mainline Final Fantasy. You know there's something wrong when all the characters are all Twilight guys wearing nothing but black. You know there's something wrong when you only control ONE character in a single-player mainline Final Fantasy. You know there's something wrong when they make Final FANTASY "realistic, and grounded."

I could go on, and on, and on. Did you know there was shooting elements in the game and it was inspired by FPS but they removed it? There's no direction in this game, it's all over the place. It was almost a musical for crying out loud. It's just another hack & slash open world piece of s*** masquerading as Final Fantasy.

A "return to form." Are you f***ing kidding me? Am I supposed to look at Final Fantasy 9 with its diverse cast of characters, colorful fantasy world, and fantastic art direction and then...look at 15 with it's Twilight boy band in black, dull "realistic" world with product placement, and absolutely no art direction outside of the characters looking vaguely anime but mostly realistic?

Am I supposed to believe this boring s*** is a "RETURN TO FORM?" Don't bother replying to me with nonsense like that, it's f***ing infuriating.

You're right Final Fantasy doesn't need saving; it needs a bullet to the head to put it out of its misery.

@_-EDMIX-_:

"He isn't a bad director, but that series took OFF when Ito and Kitase started directing them. The series is fine, in terms of JRPGs, they are only second to titles like Pokemon."

Pokemon after Crystal is trash. Even then the meat of their fun was in multiplayer back then, pal.

"Its FFXIII moving 7 million units vs Lost Odyssey moving less then half a million. Yet um "the franchise is starting to sink" compared to what bud?"

Lost Odyssey was a new JRPG exclusive to the 360 while FFXIII was a multiplatform game from an established series and it sold on name alone because it was s***. You know for a f***ing fact that you're being disingenuous, at least be stealthy about it, pal.

Lost Odyssey > FFXIII

"Factor that the previous FF titles sold MILLIONS more solely on PS1, PS2 etc."

Factor in that even on PS1 it was an established series from a renowned developer selling on a much more popular console for RPGs than 360, etc, pal.

"I think its just do to them being lessor games"

Lost Odyssey stomps all Final Fantasy after X. Blue Dragon was not perfect but better than XIII at least.

"Sorry bud but the FF series takes off when Ito and Kitase took over."

LMAO, yeah, didn't take long for it to take off--right down a cliff, pal.

FF's trash after X. X's the only good FF where Sakaguchi's only credit is executive producer without him doing scenario, directing, or such. It's a miracle we got one last, good Final Fantasy from Square without Sakaguchi in prominent roles involved in story and directing. It's all downhill now.

[TheOneWhoIsTornApart]

I had absolutely no idea you were going to respond to my comment with the most hyperbolic and ridiculous nonsense I have ever heard. You are completely in the dark about this game if you actually think the nonsense you just sh** into this comment section. FFXV IS a Final Fantasy no matter what you think. Sorry to burst your bubble. Your immature tirade was funny though I will give you that.

[PhoenixUp]

I don't think Sakaguchi would abandon his dev team Mistwalker. I'd like to see him create more new IPs. Titles like Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey and The Last Story were great games that showed the talent of the team.

Also I'm fairly certain that Hiroyuki Ito will be directing FFXVI.

[Abriael]

He doesn't need to abandon his team. Square Enix does work with directors as external contractors. They're doing it with Yoko Taro.

[Agent_hitman]

He should be back as Producer and a Director for the next FF games, seriously the franchise is starting to sink, they really need to fix it asap.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Not really, him no longer directing was around the time FFVI released. The series took off after FFVI, FFVII etc.

Some of the BEST FF titles of all time were not directed by him and thank god for that.

He isn't a bad director, but that series took OFF when Ito and Kitase started directing them. The series is fine, in terms of JRPGs, they are only second to titles like Pokemon.

Consider this...how great where his titles after Square?

Exactly bud....

Its FFXIII moving 7 million units vs Lost Odyssey moving less then half a million. Yet um "the franchise is starting to sink" compared to what bud?

You think JRPGs just go on moving HUGE MILLIONS like its a normal thing? Really? That is like saying GT5 moving 10 million units is um "starting to sink" LMFAO!

Um...sure buddy, yet you'd say send in a member of another team that is selling less to solve the non-issue.

How well did Blue Dragon do?

They don't need to fix jack bud, they've been working on FFXV for almost 10 years now while making FFXIII, clearly they didn't just have this master plan to just make all FF series like FFXIII if you again consider FFXV was in development for years now.

Yet bring in the person that nearly destroyed the series? That after leaving Square had his own damn games sell CRAP? LMFAO! THIS IS WHO YOU WANT DIRECTING A MULTI MILLION UNIT SELLING SERIES?

O_o?

[phoenixwing]

Not to rain on your hate parade but the low sales I attribute to being on the 360 as the main problem for not selling.

[_-EDMIX-_]

"the low sales I attribute to being on the 360 as the main problem for not selling"

Edit.

I see you are talking about his titles on 360.

The only thing I can say about that is ,even titles on PS3 that were exclusive to it, didn't move huge millions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wi...

Ni No Kuni only moved 1.1 million units.

@Kyosuke- you could be right, it could have done 2 million or more on many more platforms.

But factor that the previous FF titles sold MILLIONS more solely on PS1, PS2 etc. FFXIII was the first multiplatform release of a FF game in the series history, so I'm not too sure that is the only reason his titles moved small units on 360.

I think its just do to them being lessor games, even his games he directed as FF games didn't move the same units as when Ito and Kitase took over as directors.

[Kyosuke_Sanada]

Fully agreed with you Phoenix. Even though it was an exclusive, it still managed to move almost a million units (910k give or take) and if it was multi platform like Final Fantasy XIII, it may have done 2 million + easily.

LO was easily the better game of the two due to it's exploration, superior gameplay and way less convoluted story telling.

[MWH]

to advertise that Sakagushi wasn't the driving force behind the franchise' success is plain hate for this guy.

and, Square and the FF name are established brands that helps sales significantly despite the overall quality of their games.

Sakagushi is a respected gaming Hall-of-Famer, deal with it, bud.

[_-EDMIX-_]

@MWH- "Sakagushi is a respected gaming Hall-of-Famer" thats nice.....

Sorry bud but the FF series takes off when Ito and Kitase took over. Sakaguchi may have started it, but its clear other directors did better as FFVI and beyond seem to be more remembered, celebrated and over all SOLD BETTER then the ones Sakaguch directed.

Sorry bud..."deal with it"

Simple math is against you.