Hironobu Sakaguchi recently reflected on a pivotal moment in his career when Final Fantasy 7 transitioned from Nintendo consoles to the PlayStation. In a recent interview, he humorously admitted to “cheating” on Nintendo by choosing Sony’s console for the groundbreaking RPG instead of staying with the SNES or Nintendo 64, which had previously hosted earlier Final Fantasy titles.
The shift was driven by the technical limitations of Nintendo’s hardware, particularly the need for Final Fantasy 7 to utilize the PlayStation’s CD-ROM format, which could accommodate the game’s expansive content better than the cartridges used by Nintendo systems.
Sakaguchi expressed deep gratitude for both Nintendo and Sony in his career development. He acknowledged that his career began with the NES, and without it, he wouldn’t have achieved the success he did. However, he also credited Final Fantasy 7 and its success on the PlayStation as crucial milestones.
Despite his comment about “cheating,” he emphasized that both Nintendo and Sony played significant roles in shaping his path. Interestingly, Final Fantasy 7 would eventually be released on the Nintendo Switch, closing the loop on his long history with both companies.
In addition to reflecting on his past, Sakaguchi discussed his latest project, Fantasian: Neo Dimension. This new turn-based JRPG, set to release on December 4, was inspired by his recent replays of Final Fantasy 6, the last Final Fantasy game to appear on a Nintendo console before the series moved to PlayStation.
Playing Final Fantasy 6 again reminded him of the type of creative experience he wanted to capture in his own games, and it had a significant influence on the development of Fantasian, shaping its direction and emotional resonance.
Unlike his previous decisions with Final Fantasy 7, Sakaguchi assured that Fantasian: Neo Dimension would be released across multiple platforms simultaneously: PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. This is a departure from the exclusivity that Final Fantasy 7 had when it initially launched on PlayStation.
Sakaguchi made a light-hearted comment that this time, there would be no “cheating,” as the game would be available to all players, signaling a more inclusive approach to the release.
With Fantasian: Neo Dimension, Sakaguchi returns to the traditional turn-based JRPG style that made him famous. Fans are eager to see if the game can capture the same magic as Final Fantasy 6, while also introducing fresh ideas.
Despite the years since the launch of Final Fantasy 7 and the shift to PlayStation, Sakaguchi’s dedication to his craft remains evident, and this new project further solidifies his influence in the gaming world.
