Yoshi-P: FF14 is “my life work”

[kiotsukete]

In a recent interview, Yoshi-P said:
“I consider Final Fantasy 14 as my life work. So, I would like to continue developing 14 until I retire. And I would like to arrange it so that even after I retire, 14 will continue.”

Source:
https://www.si.com/videogames/features/final-fantasy-14-naoki-yoshida-interview

As a FF14 player since 1.0 (minus a ~2.5 year break), I of course have massive respect for Yoshi-P for successfully turning the game around into what it is today.

But I’m not sure how I feel about him continuing to direct FF14 until he retires. The whole “life work” talk sounds nice at first, but the problem with being so emotionally invested in something is that people tend to resist changing it too much because it becomes part of you.

Though FF14 players may disagree on how the game should change, I think most would agree that change is needed.

So as great as the past 10 years have been, and with all due respect to Yoshi-P, I feel like a new generation of leadership with fresher ideas may be needed if FF14 is going to succeed for another 10 years.

Just my 2 gil. What do you think?

[Lyth]

If I remember correctly, the JP retirement age is 60. That's essentially referencing his ten year plan and the three expansions (including Dawntrail) that he has planned to put out before then. I'm hoping one of those ends up being Corvos.

Whatever criticisms you may have around Yoshi-p's split focus away from FFXIV between other projects and targeting new markets, I think that anyone following up on his role will be significantly worse, in part because of the lack of an existing strong 'successor' within the team. If they bring in someone external to helm it, they won't have any attachments to it, because FFXIV wasn't career defining for them like it was for the original team. We'll probably see some very aggressive monetization come in after that as they try to forcibly extract every last bit of gold from the golden goose. I don't think the game will continue for long past that, before settling into maintenance.

I remember people demanding changes to the writing over how the Amaurot storyline ended. We got a new main writer. It wasn't better. It was much, much worse.

[Reimmi]

I don't necessarily want him off leading the game, but i do agree massively that the game needs some change. it's stagnated without any surprises these days

[BabyYoda]

I don't think Yoshi P understands how flop current system are, so out of touch

[JimCasey_RF6]

The world needs more people like Yoshi-P.

[Voidmage]

As disappointed as I am in the game and his interviews right now I don’t know if someone else would be better or just worse.
Honestly I just would love to ask Yoshida if this right now is how he wanted FF14 to be and what he thinks he should have handled different.

I really believe that he wants to continue and all but to me it seems that he is just tired at this point and doesn’t even notice how little he cares for this game anymore.
Tge whole studio makes a tired impression on me tbh be it from working too long on the same game or being held down by decisions from the bosses.

[Hanayumi]

In all likelihood FFXIV will be done once Yoshi P is. Servers might still be going for well beyond that, just no more big updates.

[Kes13a]

I think once he retires, if he s still involved with the game it could be better for the game.

if he retires, he would no longer be management and no longer have to do PR speak in interviews. also, he has said he doesnt enjoy the position he was promoted in to. I dont know, I just think he has to wear too many hats to try and keep up with anything, let alone playing his mmo enough to know whats fully going on. Executive Officer, Producer.. Director.... seems like a lot of work

[OgruMogru]

I think once he retires, if he s still involved with the game it could be better for the game.

if he retires, he would no longer be management and no longer have to do PR speak in interviews. also, he has said he doesnt enjoy the position he was promoted in to. I dont know, I just think he has to wear too many hats to try and keep up with anything, let alone playing his mmo enough to know whats fully going on. Executive Officer, Producer.. Director.... seems like a lot of work

As let down as I feel regarding the game right now, I feel bad for how thinly Yoshi-P is being spread. Straight up saying he hates the producing side of his job in interviews with no ambiguity.

[ZephyrMenodora]

Then he should start demanding higher standards for the people on his team.

They seemingly have gotten very lax lately.