Industry veteran Michael-Christopher Koji Fox, renowned for his expertise in Final Fantasy localization, has revealed that the series’ producer, Naoki ‘Yoshi-P’ Yoshida, appears to have grown weary of dark fantasy themes and aspires to explore lighter narratives in future installments. Fox, who has played a pivotal role in both Final Fantasy 14 and 16, shared his observations during a recent interview with Hi-Fi Rush director John Johanas.
Fox noted that Creative Business Unit 3 at Square Enix, responsible for Final Fantasy 14 over the past decade, has a proclivity for darker narratives, as exemplified in Final Fantasy 16. However, he believes the team is eager to revert to the series’ roots in their next project. “I look over at Yoshi-P every now and then, and you can kind of tell he as well is like, ‘I am done with dark fantasy, I want to do something light again,'” Fox remarked.
He playfully predicted that the “darkness and edginess fostered over the past five years” would be abandoned in favor of a more lighthearted approach. Fox emphasized the benefits of exploring diverse tones to maintain the team’s creative vitality. While the specifics of the team’s future projects remain shrouded in mystery, the potential departure from dark fantasy suggests a refreshing change of pace for the acclaimed franchise.
