Hironobu Sakaguchi, renowned for his pivotal role in creating the beloved Final Fantasy JRPG series, is currently busy working on a fresh project. The legendary developer recently provided an update through his social media platform, raising the anticipation of fans and the gaming community at large.
In a new post on X, Sakaguchi shared a photo of himself visiting the Ise Jingu Shrine in Mie Prefecture, Japan. He thanked the shrine “for the start of my new project and for my good health during my physical checkup.”
伊勢参り。
新作制作が開始できたこと、人間ドックが良好だったことにお礼を。Ise Jingu Shrine.
I thanked the shrine for the start of my new project and for my good health during my physical checkup. pic.twitter.com/t4WGqYQ5WN— 坂口博信 (@auuo) November 7, 2023
This is not the first time that Sakaguchi has announced work on a new game. Last year, the Mistwalker CEO revealed that he planned to develop a “dark fantasy game.” However, he has not shared details on the projects that he has been working on.
It is unclear whether Sakaguchi is working on a new project or the previously mentioned dark fantasy game. Fans are also hoping that Mistwalker started development on the widely expected PC port of Fantasian, a mobile RPG for iOS. Sakaguchi previously said that he is interested in working on a PC port or a potential sequel for the game. A PC port for Fantasia was also spotted on Steam last August, however, there has been no official announcement for the PC version.
“We have received many requests to release the game on PC too, and there have also been requests for a sequel,” Sakaguchi said, “so we would like to continue working as hard as possible to meet their expectations.”
The Final Fantasy creator previously said that Fantasian would be his last project. He shared in 2021 that he hasn’t “given much thought to the next steps for the company or where we want to go.” He also revealed that he wanted to go on a vacation in between projects.
Sakaguchi helped create the original Final Fantasy game in 1987 and worked on the series up until Final Fantasy X-2. He also worked on the ill-fated Final Fantasy: Spirits Within movie that went on to be a box office bomb. The game creator left Square Enix in 2003 to found his own independent studio, Mistwalker Corporation. The studio is best known for developing Blue Dragon for the Xbox 360 and the Terra Battle series for mobile.
While Sakaguchi has long left Square Enix and Final Fantasy, his name continues to be attached to the franchise and the storied studio. The award-winning JRPG franchise recently celebrated a huge sales milestone on the backs of the strong sales of Final Fantasy 16, but it wasn’t enough to save Square Enix from its financial woes. The hope is for next year’s lineup, headlined by Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, and an emphasis on proven AAA titles, to help the company thrive amidst tougher competition.
