Highlights
- Yoshida enjoys playing incognito in Final Fantasy 14.
- Final Fantasy 14 developers lead double lives as players, hiding their identities to preserve anonymity.
When Final Fantasy 14 director Naoki Yoshida isn't running around Hydaelyn as a Lalafell Black Mage named Yoshi'p Sampo, he's using alternate characters to interact with fans in-game. While that may sound like a dream come true for any creator, Yoshida finds those interactions bittersweet, as he is unable to communicate via voice chat or even accept invitations to lunch with his friends in Final Fantasy 14.
It isn't unheard of for game directors to join in on the fun, especially for streams and live events. But when Yoshida wants to escape fame for a moment, he loads up a different character and experiences the game from the eyes of a consumer. Apparently, that's exactly how he likes it, but the lifestyle does get lonely at times, as he can't sustain his friendships for long due to the restrictions of celebrity status.
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Yoshida spoke to TheGamer about how "80-95 percent" of Final Fantasy 14's development team live double lives as both creatives and consumers. They keep their identities hidden from fellow players to preserve anonymity, but that doesn't mean they can't join in on the harmless fun. Yoshida claims to enjoy participating in community activities and making friends. "A lot of people have been playing together with me, and they don't even realize it. I might even be on their friend’s list, and they don't know about it," he said.
Final Fantasy 14 Director Naoki Yoshida Can't Make Long-Lasting Friendships In-Game
Naturally, Yoshida remaining anonymous presents its own challenges, as he can't afford to get too comfortable with his online friends. This downside to community interactions makes Yoshida sad as he can't join voice chats or accept dinner invites. He continued: "I have so many friends in-game, but when they all say, ‘Oh, let's go for dinner I cannot join them, and that makes me sad. I can't even voice chat with them." The life of a game director can be a lonely one, as Yoshida's unfortunate isolation from his community has proven, but at least he can sleep peacefully knowing his multiplayer RPG is a massive hit.
Following the success of Final Fantasy 16, Naoki Yoshida revealed in an interview that Square Enix is actively working on multiple unannounced games. Yoshida also confirmed that fans can expect details on at least two of these games soon. Fans can look forward to the latest expansion for Final Fantasy 14 coming on July 2, 2024, while players who pre-purchased the update enjoy early access from June 28.
Final Fantasy 14
Final Fantasy XIV's original release was less-than-stellar, with many fans blasting the game for its array of issues. This prompted developers to cancel the MMO and rebuild it as Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. Since then, the title has seen a massive resurgence and has quickly become one of the best MMOs ever made, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers online at any given time.
