The release of Fantasian on Apple Arcade in 2021 marked a significant moment in the career of Hironobu Sakaguchi, a legendary figure in the gaming world. However, it appears that he is not ready to step away just yet.
Fantasian serves as a nostalgic return to Sakaguchi’s roots, offering a throwback roleplaying game experience crafted by the creator of the iconic Final Fantasy series. The game features innovative gameplay mechanics and a captivating world constructed from intricate handcrafted dioramas. In December, Mistwalker studio unveiled Neo Dimension, a revamped version that expands the game’s reach to additional platforms and introduces exciting features, including voice acting. This new iteration is published by none other than Final Fantasy company Square Enix. Despite initially intending Fantasian to be his final project before retirement, Sakaguchi now expresses the desire to create another game in a similar vein, which he envisions as a “successor to Final Fantasy VI.” This sixth installment of the Final Fantasy series is particularly significant as it was the last to utilize pixel art before the franchise transitioned to 3D graphics.
In the wake of Neo Dimension‘s launch, I had the opportunity to engage with Sakaguchi in a dialogue about the development of Fantasian, the lasting appeal of turn-based RPGs, and his future aspirations.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
There have obviously been a…
