Final Fantasy Creator Can't Stop, Won't Stop; Hopes to Create FF6's Spiritual Successor

Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Final Fantasy, is back in the game development arena, despite previous retirement plans. His new project aims to be a spiritual successor to Final Fantasy VI.

A New Chapter, Inspired by a Classic

Following the success of Fantasian Neo Dimension, initially released in 2021, Sakaguchi revealed his desire to create a new game, directly inspired by Final Fantasy VI. He initially intended Fantasian to be his final project, but the positive experience working with his team led him to pursue another venture. This new game, he states, will be "part two of my farewell note."

Development Underway

In a 2024 interview with Famitsu, Sakaguchi confirmed the project's progress, estimating a two-year timeframe for completion, based on a script finished a year prior. The trademark filing for "FANTASIAN DARK AGE" by Mistwalker in June 2024 fueled speculation of a Fantasian sequel, although this remains unconfirmed. The new game will likely maintain the fantasy RPG style of his previous works.

A Reunion with Square Enix

Mistwalker collaborated with Square Enix to bring FANTASIAN Neo Dimension to PC, PlayStation 4, 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch in December 2024. This marked a return to Square Enix for Sakaguchi, the company where he began his career and directed the first several Final Fantasy titles. He expressed the unique experience of revisiting his origins through this project.

Despite this collaboration, Sakaguchi maintains his focus on his new project and shows no intention of revisiting the Final Fantasy franchise or his past works, stating he has transitioned from creator to consumer.