Wada Discusses the future

[Depression Moon]

President and CEO of Square Enix Yoichi Wada was recently interviewed by Edge to talk about the future of the company.
One question asks about the set in stone certain style of Japanese development, which some might say has reached its peak with Final Fantasy XIII, and how he thinks these kinds of big-budget, long-in-development Japanese games stand up in the current climate.

“I believe Final Fantasy XIII is going be something special, and that it’s going to be well received by the audience. But whether we are going to continue to internally create this type of game remains to be seen, because I actually feel that the team that was involved with Final Fantasy XIII should next move on to create and generate some ‘next generation’ forms of play.
Internally and externally I feel there’s an expectation of Square Enix to offer something new, and I really think that the Final Fantasy team could create something completely different, but at the moment they’re strictly catering to the particular audience they have now.”

Click the link below to read the rest of the Edge interview with Yoichi Wada.
An Audience With: Yoichi Wada | Edge Online


Edit: Oops i made a mistake and put this in the general FF thread, maybe it should be in the general SE thread?

[Bastian]

I HATE it when these head honchos say they want to do something "completely new" with a franchise I love.

Seemingly unlike EVERYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD, I LIKE games to stay the same. That's why I hate FFVII, VIII, X, XI, XII and probably XIII so much: because they strayed too far from the formulas I loved. Hell, I think VI strayed a little too far for my tastes.

Yes, I know most people out there disagree. Most people are GLAD they tried something "completely new" with VII (since, revoltingly, it's everyone's fav FF). And so I'm sure that what ever S-E comes up with that is "completely new" will be what the next gen will come to love but will annoy people like me to death.

On the same topic, Miyamoto (the Zelda analog) insists that Twilight Princess was the "last Zelda game of that kind" and that the new Wii Zelda will be something "very different" . . . I'm sure such a statement is constructed to excite people, but it just depresses me, because I love my Zelda they way it was. I loved my FF the way it was (1-5) and I'm not keen on any "complete changes".

[Bolivar]

I HATE it when these head honchos say they want to do something "completely new" with a franchise I love.

Seemingly unlike EVERYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD, I LIKE games to stay the same. That's why I hate FFVII, VIII, X, XI, XII and probably XIII so much: because they strayed too far from the formulas I loved. Hell, I think VI strayed a little too far for my tastes.

Yes, I know most people out there disagree. Most people are GLAD they tried something "completely new" with VII (since, revoltingly, it's everyone's fav FF). And so I'm sure that what ever S-E comes up with that is "completely new" will be what the next gen will come to love but will annoy people like me to death.

On the same topic, Miyamoto (the Zelda analog) insists that Twilight Princess was the "last Zelda game of that kind" and that the new Wii Zelda will be something "very different" . . . I'm sure such a statement is constructed to excite people, but it just depresses me, because I love my Zelda they way it was. I loved my FF the way it was (1-5) and I'm not keen on any "complete changes".

Just curious, how many FF's did you play before VI? Did you really feel strongly about the formula after 2 games? Did you even think FFI was that good?

I was really surprised at what he said. He basically acknowledged that they've been catering to the same fanbase ever since FFVII, when FF used to be a series where they tried out new things.

Their biggest concern should be that they haven't made up to date games in many years now. I think the only current generation game they developed internally was The Last Remnant. Well, they have an engine now, all they need to do is start making some games. With the PS3 now in its 4th year and the XBox 360 in its 5th, they sure are late to the party, though. I remember when FFXIII looked amazing and was supposed to be the "first game to demonstrate the power of the PS3". Now, after Killzone and Uncharted 2 that statement is a joke. FFXIII looks like any other PS3/360 game after those 2. Now God of War III and Gran Turismo 5 make it look even worse. I'm not saying FFXIII will be underwhelming, but it looks like it should have been released 2 or 3 years ago.

[Slothy]

I HATE it when these head honchos say they want to do something "completely new" with a franchise I love.

That's not necessarily what he said at all. He simply said that he thinks the team involved could do something completely different, not that if they did it would necessarily be an FF title.

As for not liking change, I never understand that. I don't get how anyone can only like to play the same damn game a hundred times over with a different name and graphics each time.

[Mirage]

If you like the games the way they were before, why don't you just play the games that came out before?

I love it when things change. I want all the games I play to have gameplay that has progressed in one way or another :p. Maybe I'm strange, but I think the gameplay is the most important part in a game.

[Wolf Kanno]

What bothers me most about the interview is simply that it confirms the suspicions I've had about Wada being a strict bottom line business man with no real understanding of what creativity can do for a company. Creativity to him sounds like it = success/money as opposed to something that can be used as a stepping stone for future titles to make quality titles down the road.

I feel what really made the SNES/PS1 generation standout for Square was that they created multiple experimental titles that they used to build features into their flagship titles, nowadays they basically hide this experimentation behind the FF moniker cause they need the games to sell and in order to hold up to the bull "cinematic experience" that so many people foolishly decided is the definition of FF, they spend more time making the game look pretty and have awe inspiring cutscenes than pay attention to the core gameplay designs. DoC is a poor man's Devil May Cry with cutscenes that undermine the gameplay and a ridiculous fanboy plot but we can at least all agree its a pretty game.

While I appreciate SE trying new things, I still feel there is a major disparity in the quality of the titles they produce. I still feel that franchising the FF Titles was probably a major mistake as I feel its made SE come across as lazy as they are using the reputation of their flagship series to pull them through instead of consistently creating quality games which is the true reputation of the series they trounce upon. Why is FF a beloved series? Its not because its just a cinematic experience or because of innovation, they were all that and made with utmost quality. This third feature is what I feel is lacking in a good chunk of SE's games nowadays.

XIII, beyond its graphics and new combat system is mostly using the X model which to me was a gameplay model that should never be used cause it lacks creativity and is terribly limiting and was only justified cause it was an early PS2 game and Square's second title for the system. Having a next gen retrace back to an inferior model (despite being in development hell for close to a decade) to me is hardly progress and kinda tells me that the current FF teams priorities are not where they should be.

[Bastian]

I HATE it when these head honchos say they want to do something "completely new" with a franchise I love.

Just curious, how many FF's did you play before VI? Did you really feel strongly about the formula after 2 games? Did you even think FFI was that good?

I played I, IV and then VI. And then I played VII and stopped because I hated it. Then I played V and III and II and loved those so much more.
Yeah, I like even I MUCH better than VII. VII was just too much of a change for me in basically every way possible. I REALLY prefer the medieval settings in 1-5 (and 9). That's why VII and VIII and such are such turn offs to me.

As for not liking change, I never understand that. I don't get how anyone can only like to play the same damn game a hundred times over with a different name and graphics each time.

Because it's not the same game. There's a different plot, different characters, different overworld, different dungeons. That's enough difference to keep me happy. Hell, FFIV:TAY even had mostly the exact same overworld/dungeons/characters and I STILL love it. Much more than VII and later games.

If you like the games the way they were before, why don't you just play the games that came out before?

Because I already have. :P Well, FF-wise. That's why I'm just now getting int DQ. They are at least more similar to old FF than new FF is to old FF.

I love it when things change. I want all the games I play to have gameplay that has progressed in one way or another . Maybe I'm strange, but I think the gameplay is the most important part in a game.

You're not strange, you just have different priorities from me. The most important things to me are story and aesthetic. I have a very specific aesthetic I like (high fantasy) and as long as the story is halfway decent, I'll play it.

[Slothy]

As for not liking change, I never understand that. I don't get how anyone can only like to play the same damn game a hundred times over with a different name and graphics each time.

Because it's not the same game. There's a different plot, different characters, different overworld, different dungeons. That's enough difference to keep me happy. Hell, FFIV:TAY even had mostly the exact same overworld/dungeons/characters and I STILL love it. Much more than VII and later games.

In the strictest sense, changing plot, characters, overworld, dungeons, etc. but leaving the gameplay untouched would mean it literally is the exact same game just with a different setting.

Regardless of what you may think, I would bet money that you'd get sick of nothing but derivative titles after a while.

[Bastian]

How much do you wanna bet? :P Because I seriously get annoyed when major changes to gameplay are introduced-

Er . . . wait. No, I love the "Bands" thing FFIV:TAY added . . . but I bet I would have liked the game just as much without it. FF 1-5 had pretty much identical gameplay. IV is where they introduced strange new ideas (button combos for Sabin? Ugh.)

[Slothy]

Er . . . wait. No, I love the "Bands" thing FFIV:TAY added . . . but I bet I would have liked the game just as much without it. FF 1-5 had pretty much identical gameplay. IV is where they introduced strange new ideas (button combos for Sabin? Ugh.)

Actually, the only gameplay similarities I-V had were that they were turnbased, featured job systems, and had similar abilities such as magic. How they handled their respective job systems, character development, the usefulness of the different abilities, and the strategy that went into playing each game was drastically different. Far from identical gameplay.

[VeloZer0]

He is referring to game world style. Which, although my preferences don't align with Bastian's, is something I certainly understand. I'm decidedly not a fan of whatever style that I see FFVIII/FFX/FFXIII being done in. (Don't have an art background so I can't really put a name to it )

[Slothy]

He is referring to game world style. Which, although my preferences don't align with Bastian's, is something I certainly understand. I'm decidedly not a fan of whatever style that I see FFVIII/FFX/FFXIII being done in. (Don't have an art background so I can't really put a name to it )

He outright said 1-5 had identical gameplay, not world style. Since he's made the distinction between the two in previous posts I think he would have said he was referring to the world style in the last post I quoted if he were actually referring to it.

[Wolf Kanno]

Some people just like old school. DQ is a testament to the tried and true path. Though I don't share the same feelings as Bastion does, I can sympathize as I've seen some great world design/battle systems get ruined by the need for "innovation". Yet for me, though I do love the old school styles best represented by the DQ series, though it may keep me entertained it can't absorb my full attention like a new battle system will. Though to be fair to FF, VI-VIII + XII are all basically different interpretations of V's Job class system while FFIX and X are basically warped versions of IV with some elements of V thrown in for good measure.

Even XIII's system basically sounds like Xenogears battle system utilizing a very streamlined version of XII: International Zodiac Job system seeing as how the A.I. sets are actually based around FF job systems. Honestly, SE is basically been trying to remake the wheel for the last 16 years.

[Bastian]

Actually, the only gameplay similarities I-V had were that they were turnbased, featured job systems, and had similar abilities such as magic. How they handled their respective job systems, character development, the usefulness of the different abilities, and the strategy that went into playing each game was drastically different. Far from identical gameplay.

Hm. I think we're using "gameplay" differently or looking at it in two different ways. What I'm saying is that I liked the 4-5 character parties where you select Attack/White/Black etc for each person, and that the spells are fairly similar (at least same names) and such. The fine details can change a bit here and there and that doesn't bug me.

Yeah, I guess 1-5 don't have "identical" gameplay. But I certainly wouldn't call it "drastically different." I don't remember which FF it is, but I would say the one where you have larger parties and don't individually control what each person does is when it "drastically changed."

[VeloZer0]

Well, 3 has become the quasi-standard since FFVII, so I don't know where you are going with the larger party sizes being a change. It has actually gotten smaller. As for individually controlling characters, the only game that gave you the option to not individually control them was XII, a long way from V.