Final Fantasy XVI PS5 PlayStation

Naoki Yoshida thinks the next mainline game in Square Enix's long-running series, presumably called Final Fantasy XVII, needs to be directed by someone new and younger; the series needs fresh blood to keep it relevant long into the future.

Interviewed by Sony's own Shuhei Yoshida on the Game Maker's Notebook podcast (thanks, Eurogamer), the two Yoshidas candidly discussed the lessons learned while developing 2023's Final Fantasy XVI. Shuhei prompted Yoshida, asking if he'd be directing the next game in the series, to which he said: "I've had the chance to work on two of these, 14 and 16, so maybe it's time for someone new, instead of having the same old guys handle the next one."

Yoshida says it's essential to consider the series' heritage, "to look to the future and bring in a younger generation, with more youthful sensibilities", ensuring the nearly 40-year-old franchise continues to stay relevant, and to "make a new [Final Fantasy] with challenges that suit today's world".

Interestingly, when the topic turned to combat, Yoshida signalled the seemingly inevitable way the series must move forward: "I'd like to see Square Enix use this gained experience [from 16] to continue challenging ourselves in the action genre, to make what we haven't made yet, with even greater storytelling, emotion, and impact."

What do you think the Final Fantasy series needs to do to stay relevant for another 40 years? Is fresh blood required, or does the prospect of change terrify you? Make way for a new generation in the comments section below.

[source youtube.com, via eurogamer.net]