Chocobos, Surveys, & Sacred Crystals: Square Enix is Asking About Final Fantasy's Future, Mate!
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Square Enix is once again polling its dedicated fanbase about the future of the Final Fantasy franchise, with the survey closing fast on January 9th; it's a chance to weigh in on everything from combat systems to potential spin-offs like Final Fantasy Tactics, whose director hinted at sequels if sales are strong.
Right, so apparently, the cosmic threads of the Final Fantasy universe are once again tangling with the digital ether of fan surveys. You know that feeling when you try to cast a simple 'Cure' spell, but it accidentally summons a data daemon that starts asking about your preferred Moogle aesthetic? Yeah, that’s basically Square Enix's modus operandi when it comes to figuring out where one of gaming's most storied franchises is headed.
For those of us who've been around the block a few times, chasing after airships and questioning the naming conventions of protagonists (seriously, *Cloud*?), surveys from Square Enix are almost as much a series staple as a bloke called Cid, the chirp of a Chocobo, or that utterly delightful arpeggio motif that always gets stuck in your head. It’s a bit like a recurring boss battle, but instead of fighting, you're filling out tick-boxes and spilling your heart out about summon systems.
And fair dinkum, Square Enix has form here. They lobbied the fanbase *hard* for Final Fantasy 15 back in 2017 – trying to get a read on public sentiment for a game that had more development twists and turns than a chocobo racing through a labyrinth. Then there was that deep dive in 2015 to figure out what we *really* thought about Moogles (important stuff, that). Yoshi-P, bless his cotton socks, is practically a survey-wielding maestro when it comes to Final Fantasy 14, constantly polling players to keep that MMO ship sailing true. And let's not forget the recent revelation from 2024, discovered via another survey, that Final Fantasy 16 somehow wrangled in a younger audience than expected. It seems the digital wizards at Square Enix are always keen to peer into our collective gaming consciousness, probably hoping to find the magical formula for their next blockbuster. Or maybe they just ran out of ideas and thought, "Sod it, let's ask the internet!" (Kidding, mostly.)
So, keeping with this grand tradition of digital seances, the Japanese publisher is once again prodding us about the storied series with another poll. And here’s the kicker, mate: it's closing on the 9th of January. That’s not a whole heap of time if you've got big, universe-shattering ideas you want to drop on them.
What's the big question this time, you ask? Well, at the time of writing, the mainline series is basically a giant question mark floating in the ether. Yoshi-P, in an interview last year, admitted the team isn't even sure if the next big one will be turn-based or not. Bloody hell, that's a monumental decision for a series historically defined by its turn-based roots! Though, they *do* want to keep whatever emerges a 'cinematic experience' – which, let's be honest, is practically Square Enix's middle name these days. (Remember the cutscene count in *some* of their recent titles? It's a journey, alright.)
This is where you, the discerning gamer, come in. Do you yearn for the strategic depth of a classic turn-based combat system, perhaps something akin to the upcoming Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 or the stylings of Metaphor Refantazio? Or are you perfectly happy with the blistering, real-time action that's been more prevalent lately? The survey is your chance to raise your digital voice, to tell them what you'd like to see more (or less) of in the series going forward. It's an opportunity to poke the great Crystal of Creative Direction, if you will.
Now, I'm usually a bit of a gentle skeptic when it comes to these corporate outreach efforts. Are they genuinely listening, or just collecting data to validate decisions they’ve already half-made? It's easy to get cynical, to assume our feedback gets filed away in a dusty archive next to the plans for Final Fantasy versus 13. But then, every now and then, something pops up that reignites that spark of curious optimism.
For me, that spark came from the comments Kazutoyo Maehiro, director of the Final Fantasy Tactics remake, made last year. He basically laid it out plain: if that re-release shifted enough copies, it would "open the door" to a sequel and "prove the business viability of the strategy RPG genre." Fair play, Maehiro-san! That's not just corporate speak; that’s a direct challenge, a digital quest given to us, the players.
This is where the magic happens, mate. The survey has this lovely, wide-open field at the end where you can leave whatever comments you like. This is prime real estate for advocating for those beloved niche titles, those spin-offs that truly sing. Me? I've already popped my interest in more Final Fantasy Tactics-related titles right in there. Because honestly, the idea of more grid-based, tactical brilliance in the Ivalice universe? That's genuinely exciting. It shows how player interest and sales can actually, genuinely, influence future game development, not just within the mainline behemoth, but for the entire family of Final Fantasy titles. It's a direct connection between our collective wallets and our gaming desires, a rare moment where the economic realities of game development align perfectly with fan fervour.
So, if you've got a burning desire to see a certain combat system return, a particular sub-genre explored further, or just want to tell them to bring back *proper* airships that you can fly anywhere (not just along predetermined routes!), then hop on over to the survey link before the 9th. Use that open comment section wisely. Let your voice be heard. Just, you know, keep it civil. We’re digital wizards, not trolls.
Tags: Final Fantasy, Square Enix, Gaming Survey, JRPG, Tactical RPG
Original article: Eurogamer