Here is a AI translation of Mr. Fujito's interview with 4gamer.net.
here is the Link to the article.

**4Gamer:**
Thank you for today.
In May of this year, the scenario "Embrace of the Eclipse" concluded, and it was announced that there would be no introduction of major content in the future.
As for the future, it has been stated that the focus will be on "building and maintaining a comfortable playing environment." Could you please provide more specific details about what will be done?

**Thumbnail Image of Gallery No.009 / [Interview] The Future of Vana'diel, and Preserving Its Legacy. An Interview with Hiromu Fujito, the Third Producer of FFXI**

**Hiromu Fujito (Hereinafter referred to as Fujito):**
Within the layered specifications that we have built up through previous updates, our goal is to revisit and streamline parts that are inconsistent or have become separate due to the management of past systems. The game's appearance won't change significantly, but it will be updates that gradually improve aspects that players might have thought "would be better this way."

**4Gamer:**
So, are you not going to make any system adjustments?

**Fujito:**
No, we are also planning to support seasonal event-related excitement. As we mentioned in the "Vana'diel Gathering" released in May, we are also working on planning events where everyone cooperates across different worlds.
We're also considering some experimental things, but in terms of gameplay, I think many people may not feel that they are doing anything special. We are working in collaboration with the community team on this, but please allow us a little more time for specific discussions.

**4Gamer:**
Since Mr. Fujito took on the role of the new producer, has there been any change in the composition of the development team? Like changes in the number of personnel.

**Fujito:**
There hasn't been any significant change. The number of full-time members dedicated to "FF11" has decreased, but in return, they are also involved part-time. In terms of operating the game, we have been able to secure the necessary number of people.

**4Gamer:**
So, there are many part-time members.

**Fujito:**
As I mentioned before, "FFXI" fundamentally can't receive updates to its core development environment. It's based on the PS2 framework from 20 years ago, and we have no choice but to continue working with that environment. However, the development equipment for it is no longer being produced. It's like dealing with antiques, and getting newcomers to learn old technology from scratch now involves a significant risk for them. So, we are assuming that experienced individuals will cover this aspect.

**4Gamer:**
Considering there won't be any new PS2 games developed from now on.

**Fujito:**
I think there will come a time when the service for "FF11" will end, but when that time comes, the technology they are familiar with from, say, 30 years ago won't be able to keep up with the new technology.

For full-time members, learning new technology in parallel is challenging, and it significantly raises the risk in their lives.

**4Gamer:**
"FF11" is important, but the future of the members is also important.

**Fujito:**
Yes. That's why many of the current members are assigned to other projects or departments, or temporarily moved to different divisions, to absorb the latest technology. As a result, the workforce has decreased a bit, but it doesn't mean we can't do new things at all.

**4Gamer:**
Previously, we heard about the progress of server replacement. Can we consider that the service will continue for several more years?

**Fujito:**
Of course, there's no immediate plan to end the service. Because we're investing a lot of money to replace the servers! (laughs)
The servers for "FF11" have become so old that maintenance contracts can't be secured anymore. We held on until the last minute, but around the 20th anniversary last year, we had to make a choice between "ending the service" or "replacing the servers."

**4Gamer:**
You were faced with a difficult decision.

**Fujito:**
The consideration of whether to continue the service of "FF11" had actually been ongoing for several years. However, revenue is still strong, which is one of the reasons why we decided to replace the servers and continue to guarantee the hardware aspect.

**4Gamer:**
With the replacement, how long can the servers be maintained physically?

**Fujito:**
I think this replacement will allow us to continue for another 10 years. By the way, we're running old software on the new hardware by emulating it, since the hardware specifications have improved. But that seems to be quite challenging.
In our YouTube series "Creating Square Enix," the server personnel from the Information Systems Department discuss the difficulties they faced during the previous server replacement. If you're interested, I recommend checking it out.

**4Gamer:**
We can see the 30th anniversary coming!

**Fujito:**
Yes, indeed! (laughs) Since there are fixed monthly costs to maintain the servers, we need to at least make a minimum profit. Currently, we feel that things are going well enough, but if possible, we would like to reach the timing for the next server replacement.

**4Gamer:**
Of course, players would also hope for that. It's amazing for a game to continue for 30 years.

**Fujito:**
When I think of titles that have been in service longer than this one, I immediately recall predecessors like "Ultima Online" and "EverQuest." However, "FFXI" is the first MMORPG that started from a console gaming platform and also has the distinction of being developed in Japan. So, in that context, it's like a pioneer.

**4Gamer:**
The two previous titles were based on PC, which might make renewal easier. If those continue, we might see a 40th anniversary. It seems plausible (laughs).

**Fujito:**
As I mentioned earlier, the development environment for "FF11" is based on the PS2, and specific development equipment is required to verify its behavior. During the initial development, middleware was created specifically for it, and it used a dedicated file format.

At this point, there are already hundreds of thousands of files, so converting everything for use in a different system would require an enormous amount of effort. If we were to do it, it would cost the same as creating a new game, if not more. In that case, it would be more reasonable to create a new game instead.

**4Gamer:**
There are voices wishing for an offline version of "FFXI," but that seems challenging.

**Fujito:**
Whether it's an online version or an offline version, if creating "FFXI" anew could bring in more customers than we currently have, there might be a possibility, but probably not. This is from a business perspective and is quite difficult.

**Collaboration events and exhibitions have materialized the flow of "passion"!?**

**4Gamer:**
Next, I'd like to ask about the 20th-anniversary project. The collaboration event "Fantasia's Utayabito" between "Granblue Fantasy" and "Final Fantasy XI" was very well received and is still fresh in memory. Are there any other collaboration plans in the works?

**Fujito:**
As of now, we're not considering anything like that. In fact, the collaboration project for the 20th anniversary wasn't something we proposed ourselves. Instead, it started from the feeling of, "Isn't it already exciting enough without collaborating with us?" (laughs).

**4Gamer:**
Collaborations often involve requesting popular and well-known titles.

**Fujito:**
It seems the folks at Cygames were dedicated "FFXI" players. Through the program featuring Eriko Kato, we knew there were people playing, but when they approached us with the collaboration proposal, I was like, "Is there something going on...?" and was quite suspicious (laughs).

**4Gamer:**
So, you were skeptical (laughs).

**Fujito:**
It was an unexpected proposition, so I was surprised. As we continued to discuss it, their enthusiasm became evident, and I realized they were serious about it. The project took about two years from its inception to develop. Most of it was created on their side, and our role was mainly in supervising.

**4Gamer:**
So, it was Cygames' enthusiasm that drove the project.

**Fujito:**
Also, this surprised me a bit, but they even produced a web program solely for introducing the content of "FFXI."

**4Gamer:**
I watched it, and it was truly a program solely about "FFXI."

**Fujito:**
They didn't even mention "Granblue Fantasy" in the collaboration episode (laughs). I confirmed multiple times whether it was really okay that there was hardly any talk about "Granblue Fantasy." I thought that those who don't know "FFXI" might not be able to follow, but their dedication was quite impressive. For "FFXI" veterans, it was probably the ultimate program.

**4Gamer:**
It really felt like they genuinely love "FFXI." In the future, if there are passionate proposals, could collaborations with other works also be possible?

**Fujito:**
Collaborations need to be mutually beneficial; otherwise, they won't make sense. Considering that we don't have a lot we can offer, it's realistically challenging. It's enough if people have the feeling of liking it, even if it's not a collaboration.

The Future of Vana'diel, and Preserving Its Legacy. An Interview with Hiromu Fujito, the Third Producer of FFXI**

**4Gamer:**
Characters from "FFXI," like Scholar Shantotto, also appear in other Square Enix titles, right?

**Fujito:**
Yes, that's right. Recently, we've received requests from titles like "Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia" and "Final Fantasy Record Keeper" to continue having characters from "FFXI" make appearances.

**4Gamer:**
Scholar Shantotto is quite popular among players as well. She's been helpful to adventurers since the early days.

**Fujito:**
"FFXI" doesn't have many NPCs with original faces. However, Scholar Shantotto has a very distinctive personality and is highly popular among players. So, she's serving as a representative face of "FFXI."

**4Gamer:**
Regarding the "FFXI Vana'diel Treasure Exhibition," in our previous interview, there was a sense that organizing offline events would be difficult. However, now it's been unexpectedly decided to hold the event. Could you share the background that led to this decision?

The Future of Vana'diel, and Preserving Its Legacy. An Interview with Hiromu Fujito, the Third Producer of FFXI**

**"FFXI Vana'diel Treasure Exhibition" Special Site**

**Fujito:**
This also ties into the earlier discussion about "enthusiasm." The person in charge of planning and organizing the "Vana'diel Treasure Exhibition" at Movic is a massive "FFXI" fan, or rather, they have almost all the goods, books, and packages released so far. They're incredibly dedicated, even going to the extent of finding and acquiring goods that are no longer sold through overseas auction sites.

**4Gamer:**
So, this was another proposal brought by someone from another company who was a fervent "FFXI" fan.

**Fujito:**
Exactly. He's the one who planned merchandise like the watch that was released last year. Within the context of producing merchandise, we had discussions like "It would be great if we could do something." But around last summer, he approached us with the idea of organizing a real-life exhibition.

4Gamer:
"FFXI" fans tend to be quite active.

Fujito:
During the 20th anniversary and at a time when we were considering changing producers, it took some time before we delved into concrete discussions. Despite that, as we both approached the talks with a positive outlook, we ended up deciding to hold the event.

4Gamer:
I checked the official site for the Treasure Exhibition, and there are many interesting goods that haven't been seen before. Personally, I really liked the Hecteyes Multi Stand. I wonder if this also stems from a deep love for "FFXI."

Fujito:
The Movic representative has a strong attachment to "FFXI," or I should say, a deep understanding of it.

4Gamer:
Previous merchandise was fantastic, but this time, even with something like a T-shirt, there's a variety of designs. There's a neon-sign-like Guild icon design, English logos, monochromatic celestial maps, designs reminiscent of trendy photo T-shirts, and even logo designs like those from band tour T-shirts. It's like they're catering to different clothing preferences. There's meticulous attention to detail, and that brought a different kind of interest.

Fujito:
It's clear that the deep love for the work translates into the design of the merchandise. Also, goods designed by professionals have a certain distinct charm. It was a good decision to trust their sensibilities.

4Gamer:
Could you also tell us about the contents of the exhibition at the Treasure Exhibition? We've heard that there will be unreleased materials and sculptures. Could you give us an idea of the scale?

Fujito:
The venue's size isn't enormous, so if you're just looking around, you could probably see it all in about 30 minutes. The exhibition includes development materials, primarily character concept illustrations and setting texts, with a majority being previously unreleased. Some of the sculptures that were displayed at places like the "Vana'diel Cafe" will also be part of the exhibit, but there will be even more items that haven't been shown before. It's a rather rare exhibition even in the industry. However, I'd say you should experience it in person at the venue. There are many items being shown for the first time, so I encourage you to take your time and explore.