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A203D on 10 August 2012
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ishiki said:


I think he is great at developing games on at the grand scale like lost odyssey (which is great).

The last story, isn't that grand of scale... but bleh.


I guess we can disagree. I just think he misses the budget he got with FF, and won't get anymore unless he goes back, because those were the type of projects he was great with. I think SE misses him just as much for direction in keeping the franchise and the talent at Square, like Kitase and nomura, from going too excessively down indulgent paths if that makes sense.

Yeah, I've noticed your not a huge advocate of The Last Story. I havent played it myself. What did you not like about it?

I am honestly not sure what the situation is, since have I played neither of his games this gen. I only know that he still has a good reputation because of those games, so I'm sure they wouldve been more popular on PS3.

When we say SE, we are reffering to Yochi Wada and the shareholders (I think). The thing with those parties is that, I dont think they care what direction Final Fantasy takes, as long as it is finanically lucritive. Thats partly what the problem has been in my opinion. Thats why FF13/FF7 compilation has turned out the way it has; Wada is not a game designer, he relies on Kitase, Normua, et al, to maintain the series creatively. Wada dosent know if their doing the right thing, he only cares if that creative nature is finanically lucrative.

If you look at Wada, he is an excellent buisnessman, he has secured things like Deus Ex, Hitman, Tomb Raider, Dragon Quest, and now Sleeping Dogs (which looks awesome). I think the man knows how to play the game industry. His job was never about the artistic direction of the Final Fantasy series. I think in that respect he might not be interested in having Sakaguchi back, because as you said neither of Sakaguhi's games were finanically blockbusters. And Sakaguchi's artistic buisness methodology was not lucritive in the past. It led the company into bankruptcy.

The only reason I think that Wada would want Sakaguhci back is in a creative capacity NOT in any management capacity. So I think yes, him might want him back for the creative success of the FF brand. In that respect I can see Wada outsourcing things to Mistwalker, rather than bringing Sakaguchi back. And you have to remember Sakaguchi would have to answer to Wada. If Wada dosent think that Sakaguchi's artistic vision is marketable, he wont allow it to be done.

Would Sakaguchi ever want to have to jepordise his work to meet consumer demand and financial expectations? I dont think so. Hence why he chose the Wii over the PS3.

I dont think Kitase, Toriyama or Nomura want him back either. They have had more creative freedom and more indulgent tendancies because they no longer have a superior, Sakaguchi. Wada is not a game designer so those people dont answer to him artisically, they dont answer to Sakaguchi. Hence how they have been so indulengent this gen. Personally I dont think they want him back, they have their own work patterns, and they are heads of their own internal studios. Production Team 1 is essentially two development teams now. Would they want Sakaguchi back?? to make them one team again, to call the shots for them, I dont think so.

Wada still has one ace in the hole. Which is of course the FF12 production team. If FF15 fails, I can see Wada outsouring FF16 to Mistwalker. But with Hiroyuki Ito and Hiroshi Minagawa in control, I can see them staying very close to the Sakaguchi style of RPGs. Which is what Sakaguchi would bring to the table anyway.