Final Fantasyhas always been the flagship of Square Enix, and legendary composer Nobuo Uematsu recently revealed that the company almost collapsed after series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi left in 2003. Inspired by classic RPGs likeUltimaandWizardry, Sakaguchi spearheaded the development of the originalFinal Fantasyalongside an “A-Team” of Square’s top staff members in the late 80s. The results were a breakout hit that spawned a massively popular series of JRPGs that has continued to this day.
Part of what made the originalFinal Fantasysuch a big hit was the work of Nobuo Uematsu, a composer who would continue to make music for the series all the way up to 2006’sFinal Fantasy 12and return for future installments liketheFinal Fantasy 7 Remakegames. He recently sat down for an interview with Hironobu Sakaguchi to discuss their time working together at Square Enix and the impact their work has had on both the company and gaming as a whole.
On the latest episode of the NOBIYO To Isshoni (Together with NOBIYO) podcast (as translated byAutomaton), Uematsu explained how Sakaguchi was “the big boss” at Square, and that the company felt more like a club of university students when they were working in Hiyoshi, Japan. He says thatSakaguchi was always able to manage his staffin this kind of environment despite not having a proper corporate organization. Everyone listened to Sakaguchi, who Uematsu says had the ability to attract people around him even if he would be strict and bossy at times.
Square ‘Almost Collapsed’ After Hironobu Sakaguchi Left
Sakaguchi’s leadership was so strong that Uematsu revealed that Square struggled after he left in 2003. He described the situation as “awful,” and that the organization all but “collapsed” in the wake of Sakaguchi’s departure. Even Uematsu himself considered leaving the company, and many key members actually did so during the final year beforeSquare’s merger with Enix. Uematsu described the situation as the staff not knowing who to follow or what goals to work towards, but he also praised Square Enix for getting back on track afterward.
Nobuo Uematsu would eventually leave Square Enix in 2004 to work as a freelance composer, and he would reunite with Hironobu Sakaguchi for projects likeBlue Dragon,Lost Odyssey, andThe Last Story. Their most recent collaboration was 2024’sFantasian Neo Dimension, whichUematsu considers to be his final game. As for Square Enix andFinal Fantasy, both are still going strong with a thirdFinal Fantasy 7 Remakeentry in development and rumors of a similar remake ofFinal Fantasy 9being planned.
Final Fantasy 16
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An epic dark fantasy world where the fate of the land is decided by the mighty Eikons and the Dominants who wield them.This is the tale of Clive Rosfield, a warrior granted the title “First Shield of Rosaria” and sworn to protect his younger brother Joshua, the dominant of the Phoenix. Before long, Clive will be caught up in a great tragedy and swear revenge on the Dark Eikon Ifrit, a mysterious entity that brings calamity in its wake.
