Final Fantasy’s Yoshinori Kitase Teases What’s Next for Square Enix, Says Company Will Prioritize New Games Over Remakes
Yoshinori Kitase, the veteran Square Enix developer closely associated with the Final Fantasy series, has indicated that the company intends to focus on creating new games rather than relying primarily on remakes going forward. In an exclusive conversation with this outlet, Kitase discussed the publisher's direction after the release of Final Fantasy VII Revelation, the next instalment in its ambitious reworking of the 1997 classic, which is still months away from launch. His remarks suggest that while remakes have been a major part of Square Enix's recent strategy, the company's longer-term priority is to build original experiences. The comments carry weight because Kitase has been a central creative figure at the company for decades, having worked on titles including Final Fantasy VI, VII and VIII. His comments also touched on a wide range of subjects, including Star Wars, the acclaimed Clair Obscur, battle-focused games and more.
The context here matters, because Square Enix has leaned heavily on its back catalogue in recent years. The multi-part Final Fantasy VII remake project has been one of its most visible undertakings, reimagining the original game across several releases. That approach has helped the company reconnect with longtime fans and introduce the story to newer players, but it has also raised questions about how much of its resources are devoted to revisiting the past rather than charting new territory. Kitase's latest remarks appear to address that debate directly, signalling that the balance may shift once the current remake project reaches its conclusion. The comments come at a time when the publisher is under scrutiny over its overall pipeline and long-term creative identity.
Kitase is understood to have framed the move as a natural progression rather than a rejection of remakes. He acknowledged the value of the remake work in bringing classic titles to modern audiences, while indicating that new projects would take precedence in the company's planning. He also shared his perspective on a range of external influences, including the Star Wars franchise, and offered thoughts on Clair Obscur, the widely praised role-playing game that has drawn attention for its distinctive approach to the genre. His comments on battle-focused games touched on how combat design continues to evolve across the industry. These observations reflect a developer who is actively watching what peers and competitors are doing rather than working in isolation.
Reaction within the industry and among fans is likely to be closely watched, given how central remakes have been to Square Enix's public identity in recent years. Some players have welcomed the idea of fresh titles, arguing that the company's greatest strength has always been its willingness to experiment with new worlds and systems. Others may feel anxious that beloved older titles could be left without the same treatment in future. The remarks also carry implications for how the publisher allocates development resources across its studios, which is a decision with significant commercial consequences. Analysts and fans alike will be looking for concrete signs of the new strategy in upcoming announcements rather than statements of intent alone.
This fits into a broader trend across the global games industry, where publishers are weighing the commercial safety of remakes and remasters against the creative and reputational rewards of original work. Remakes offer relatively predictable returns because they arrive with built-in audiences, but they can also consume studio capacity that might otherwise go into new intellectual property. Square Enix has a long history of launching new franchises alongside its flagship series, and its health depends on continuing that tradition. The current moment is also shaped by rising development costs and longer production cycles, which make each greenlight decision more consequential. Kitase's comments therefore sit within a wider conversation about risk, creativity and sustainability in big-budget game development.
Historically, Square Enix has moved between these two poles with notable results. The company built its reputation on original titles across the Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest franchises, and later expanded into new properties that achieved lasting followings. In more recent years, remakes and remasters became a significant part of its release slate, sometimes drawing criticism that the company was overly dependent on nostalgia. Comparable situations exist elsewhere in the industry, where publishers have alternated between revisiting established catalogues and investing in new ideas. The lesson from those cases is that the most durable publishers tend to do both, using remakes to fund and inform new creative risks. Kitase's framing appears to align with that model rather than abandoning remakes entirely.
What happens next will depend largely on how quickly the company can bring new projects to market and how it positions them publicly. With Final Fantasy VII Revelation still months from release, fans can expect the immediate conversation to remain focused on that title and its reception. Beyond that, the publisher will need to demonstrate that its new-game priority translates into concrete announcements, which is the clearest test of any stated strategy. Kitase's willingness to discuss the topic openly may be a signal that more details will follow in the months ahead. For now, his comments establish an expectation that Square Enix intends to be known for what it creates next, not only for what it revisits.
