Except we've had several announcements about what's going in.

During FFXIV launch there was announcement that he was going to be working on FFXIV and that his "replacement" was the FFXI battle director. We got Abyssea, Emperian armor, Emperian weapons, super XP, super pretty much everything.

http://www.ffxionline.com/forums/gen...01-2010-a.html
We would like to announce the appointment of a new director for FINAL FANTASY XI.

Former Battle Director Akihiko Matsui has assumed the post, and would like to take this opportunity to offer a few words of greeting to our players.


Dear Users,

It is both an honor and pleasure to give this address as the newly appointed director of FINAL FANTASY XI.

With the commencement of official service for FINAL FANTASY XIV imminent, the period ahead will prove to be a turning point for FINAL FANTASY XI. I have had the privilege of being part of the team since the project commenced some ten years ago, but to assume the mantle of leadership at this juncture is daunting indeed.

As director, I intend to work in close cooperation with all project members and involved parties to ensure that FINAL FANTASY XI will continue to hold allure for our players. For truly, nothing would please me more than to see Vana'diel remain a gathering place for those seeking high adventure and camaraderie.

I look forward to your continued support in the future.

Akihiko Matsui
Director, FINAL FANTASY XI
During the entire FFXIV development period Tanaka and team refused to listen to their beta testers. Things like a centralized AH, removal of the fatigue system, and several other game changes were requested repeatedly. Tanaka and crew said "yeah ... no". And thus FFXIV flopped.

While Tanaka is ignoring his beta testers, Matsui and his team have actually been listening to forum feedback and are looking for things the players like. Multiple updates ensue, many spells and abilities are added, epicness is made.

Then the whole Tanaka apologizing incident. Tanaka leaves as director of FFXIV and the "new" director is ... drum roll please ... Akihiko Matsui. The replacement director for Matsui is FFXI's abyssea designer Mizuki Ito. Level 95 update goes off, things seem ok. We haven't heard from Tanaka since his public apology for screwing up FFXIV. Then suddenly he started making press announcements and asserting that his "the man". FFXI developers have suddenly stopped listening to forum feedback from the players. A series of completely and utter crap is released. Interview comes out with Tanaka saying how much he hates what Matsui did even though it created revenue for him to screw up FFXIV.

Now myself, having lived and worked in East Asia going on eight years now, is pretty familiar with how business's "fire" people. Due to labor laws it's nearly impossible to fire someone once their a full time employee, they have to break the law basically. So what company's do instead is make people responsible for cataloging and maintaining "file 13" somewhere. Basically desk warming with no chance at advancement nor any form of responsibility, these people tend to retire the moment their eligible. In the west we just fire them and they leave with a nice exit package.

Somehow Tanaka managed to convince someone that he was still good for leading FFXI and they let him go back to running the show. Most likely has to do with under-staffing and the company not being able to afford having a high paid individual warming a desk in a corner. Tanaka will continue refusing to listen to players until 2Q FY2012 when the SE board reviews quarterly earnings statements. After over a year of red ink and losing millions on FFXIV their not going to be happy with more red ink and down profits from the cash cow that FFXI has been.