The director of the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV is working on a new game for the next gen (likely PS5, Xbox Series X). Here you can find all the information we currently have about it.
This is the head of the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV: The Square Enix developer Naoki Yoshida gained recognition through his successful reboot of the failed MMORPG FFXIV Online and has since taken on the roles of director and producer of the game. He is also the creative head and responsible for the practical aspects.
Although Yoshida is primarily known for FFXIV, that is not his only area of responsibility. Since 2019, he has been leading the newly formed 3rd Development Division of Square Enix, which focuses on MMOs.
Yoshida and his team are now working on a new, yet to be announced major project for Square Enix.
The next core project after Final Fantasy XIV
What do we know about the game? That Yoshida is working on an unannounced major project is not new. The work on the new game was confirmed over a year ago. Here is what we know about it:
- It is a large AAA project
- It is being developed for the next generation, so likely PS5 and Xbox Series X
- It is being developed by the 3rd Development Division under the leadership of Naoki Yoshida
- It is the next core project of the 3rd Development Division after Final Fantasy XIV
- The early development phase is over, and the game has entered the large-scale development phase
There is also a first concept artwork for the project that should strongly remind FFXIV fans of the city of Ishgard:
Several new positions have also been advertised that promise work on major projects in Yoshida’s 3rd Development Division. They are looking for the entire range of developers:
- Game System Designer
- Enemy Designer
- Environment Artist
- Animator
- Game System Engineer
- several other positions.
Unfortunately, the job postings do not reveal what type of game this could be. However, it underscores the scale of the project.
Final Fantasy XIV-2, a new MMO or something completely different?
There is still a lack of information about what game the major project by Yoshida will be. However, there are several options.
What indicates an MMORPG? After the restructuring of Square Enix in 2019, Yoshida became the head of the 3rd Development Division with a focus on MMORPGs. This naturally includes FFXIV, but also FFXI and Dragon Quest Online.
Since the new game is supposed to be one of the core projects of the 3rd Division, it makes sense that it would be an MMO.
Final Fantasy XIV has many years under its belt, and you can see it in the game. Upon closer inspection, the assets and textures look pixelated.
According to Yoshida, a overhaul of the game would require a lot of time and resources and delay the cycle of new updates, which he wants to avoid. Therefore, there will not be any major graphical updates for FFXIV for the time being. As was the case with Blade and Soul, which switched to Unreal Engine 4.
It is therefore possible that a new MMORPG is in development that meets the graphical standards of the next gen.
What speaks against an MMORPG? There is a statement from Yoshida during an interview at the Paris Fan Fest that speaks against a new MMORPG and especially an FFXIV-2.
He said that such a game is unlikely as long as Final Fantasy XIV is doing well financially. And FFXIV is currently doing better than ever.
Square Enix recently released the report to its investors for the financial year 2020. In it, the MMO division recorded a new record year both in revenue ($370M USD) and in net profit ($180M USD).
The MMO division is therefore only slightly behind the mobile sector ($190M), which has so far been at the top in Digital Entertainment.
Although the MMO area also consists of FFXI and the Dragon Quest MMORPG, the FFXIV expansion Shadowbringers accounted for the majority of the financial success.
In an interview with MeinMMO, Yoshida also commented on the expansion Shadowbringers:
If we had to categorize the current storyline of the “Hydaelyn and Zodiark” saga, then yes, this storyline is slowly coming to an end. […] I want to emphasize that this is not the end of Final Fantasy XIV.
He compared FFXIV to a TV series. The more popular it becomes, the more likely it is to continue receiving new content, just like new seasons in TV series.
The MMORPG by Yoshida has seen a steady increase in player numbers and revenues since its reboot in 2013. Therefore, from this perspective, it is unlikely that a “FFXIV replacement” could be in development.
A leak talks about Final Fantasy XVI
When Yoshida announced that he is working on a new AAA game for the next gen, the rumor mill began to churn among FF fans.
What hints are there? The main reason for this was the director’s statement to a question at the Paris Fan Festival. The question was about what Yoshida would like to see in the next main game of the FF franchise, namely Final Fantasy XVI.
He responded that he would like to see more actual “fantasy” elements. The release of the first concept artwork featuring a fantasy castle and dragons for Yoshida and his team’s new next-gen project seemed to confirm this.
Several days ago, there was also a leak about Final Fantasy XVI, claiming that the game will be officially announced in the summer of 2020. The game’s director is said to be none other than Naoki Yoshida.
However, it is also questionable whether Yoshida will take on such a massive project as the next main Final Fantasy. Currently, the large single-player games in the FF series are being developed by the 1st Development Division under Yoshinori Kitase.
Whether there is any truth to the leak remains to be seen this summer.
