The stories in Final Fantasy XIV have recently taken a darker path. It almost seems like a farewell to the childlike style. The world in Eorzea is becoming increasingly cruel.
But what are the reasons for plunging into a dark age full of tragedies? About a year ago, we reported about an interview where Yoshida pointed out differences between the markets. At that time, it was said that the French, for example, prefer the kawaii style. This is a Japanese term that represents the typically innocent, cute aesthetic. In Germany, however, players prefer a dark atmosphere and are slightly averse to Japanese peculiarities, according to the game director.
Since Final Fantasy XIV has not yet made a big leap in the German market, an expansion that specifically targets this valuable market comes just in time, right? The latest updates and also Heavensward, which increasingly raise the dark fantasy aspect, suggest this. We personally asked Yoshida about this topic in France.
The Dark Path to Heavensward
This actually began a long time ago, says Yoshida. The course of the story up to 2.55 was already clearly outlined when work was still underway on 2.1. There is a gap of about a year between these updates. According to this statement, the tracks for a brutal Final Fantasy were laid relatively early after the release of A Realm Reborn: “It is not that we have adapted to market demand, we had this idea before (…) We wanted a seemingly peaceful story to lead to a tragedy that shows the world in a different light and paves the way for new things. This story was in our minds.”
They want to return to their roots, to a classic Final Fantasy. This world is not just full of colors and happiness. This is what they focused on during the development of Heavensward: “Our goal was to show with Heavensward that the world is not an easy place to live. That’s why it has become a bit darker.”
He also made it clear that this is a Final Fantasy title from a developer of Japanese origin. The elements mentioned have not been completely banished from the world, they still appear everywhere. It remains a diverse setting. Nevertheless: He is aware that Germans prefer realistic backdrops and that the latest Final Fantasy titles have become too childish for them. Therefore, “Heavensward is tailor-made for players, especially for German players, who found the latest developments too cute.“
For more information about the expansion, you can find our Heavensward preview and the thematic page for Final Fantasy XIV.
