An interview with Final Fantasy XIV Producer Naoki Yoshida and Final Fantasy XI Producer Akihiko Matsui reveals Yoshida’s involvement with FFXI. The interview also touches upon his first project within Square Enix. However, Matsui reveals that Yoshida had a hand in revamping the installer for FFXI. According to Matsui, when the installer was being changed in 2019, they asked Yoshida to look it over.
FFXIV‘s Naoki Yoshida helped the FFXI team adjust the installer to be more accessible to players who were unfamiliar with the game. The interview mentions how the general userbase for MMOs has shifted and that the team has made adjustments for the new userbase. The FFXI team also adjusted the in-game chat feature based on recommendations from FFXIV Producer Naoki Yoshida. However, Yoshida’s involvement in the more modern incarnation of FFXI doesn’t stop there.
Yoshida mentions that he and Matsui discussed how they could make returning to Final Fantasy XI more appealing to players. Additionally, Matsui mentions that the FFXI team is looking to rebuild a close-knit community aspect within the game.
Regarding Yoshida’s first project within Square Enix, he talks about the game he was working on during the merger between Square and Enix. He talks about the Final Fantasy XI team’s influence on his project at the time as well as some complications that arose when developing the title.
Final Fantasy XI is available for PC. Final Fantasy XIV is available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.
