Hironobu Sakaguchi, commonly recognized for creatingFinal Fantasynear the start of his influential tenure at Square Enix, has announced he is working on a new game. The unnamed title should come fromMistwalker, the studio he founded after parting ways with his former employer (though his ties to Square and toFinal Fantasyremain strong enough thatHironobu Sakaguchi started a free company inFinal Fantasy 14to pay tribute to his early days in the industry).Mistwalkeritself has been no slouch in the JRPG genre where Sakaguchi made his name. Since its founding in 2004, the studio has producedBlue Dragon,The Last Story,Lost Odyssey, and more. While its output isn’t the most prolific, it’s clear the company is still going strong;Fantasianis considered one of the best games on Apple Arcade, in addition to being the studio’s most recent release.RELATED:Final Fantasy Creator is Taking On Final Fantasy 14’s Hardest RaidIn a remark toFamtisu, Hironobu Sakaguchi joked that he had thought he might retire in 2023. However, he added that he has decided to “give this another go.“Sakaguchi has discussed retiringin the past, but must find it difficult to leave the industry he loves. In addition to vowing that he will never stop playingFinal Fantasy 14and encouraging players to meet him in Eorzea, he mentioned that he has begun writing the scenario for an unannounced new dark fantasy game. His remarks were singled out byFamitsueditor-in-chief Katsuhiko Hayashi, who Sakaguchi retweeted this week.
When Mistwalker is ready to release its next game, which may or may not be the one Hironobu Sakaguchi referenced, the title could come to virtually any platform. The studio’s early output favored more traditional platforms of the time, such as the Xbox 360, Wii, and DS. Since then, its games have released for iOS and Android devices. Early 2021 releaseFantasianreviewed favorably. So far, it is available exclusively for Apple devices, despite continued interest from gamers who might enjoy playing it on other hardware.
Wherever and whenever the next fantasy game from Hironobu Sakaguchi arrives, it will likely receive an enthusiastic response from loyal fans. Although the company already has a rich history,there are no current plans to remake early Mistwalker gamesbecause such efforts would tie up resources better spent on exploring new projects. Though disappointing in some respects because it means favorite stories don’t benefit from a fresh coat of paint and streamlined mechanics, Mistwalker’s drive to always create something new may allow dark fantasy to ensure a bright future for the respected developer.
