Final Fantasy XIV Producer & Director Naoki Yoshida Discusses DAWNTRAIL And More In Press Q&A

Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki Yoshida (aka Yoshi-P) sat down for an hour long Q&A session with various media outlets at Fan Fest in Las Vegas (including MMOs.com). Check out the the full list of questions and a brief summary of Yoshida's answers below.

Q) You mentioned the theme color for Dawntrail is gold; could you tell us what kind of guidance you provided to Mr. Yoshitaka Amano when you asked him to create the illustrated logo? – Akira Chigira, Famitsu

Yoshi P: During our conversation about the logo illustration, I expressed to Mr. Amano that our theme embodies adventure. We already went to the end of the universe to save the world after all.

The next phase of our Warriors of Light's journey takes them to a region we have named the New World, setting sail by ship. I made it clear to Mr. Amano that we aim to encapsulate the thrilling sensations of discovering untouched lands. Upon reaching the new continent, a monumental palace-like structure can be seen, an iconic feature of this new territory. Our intention is to capture that sense of fervent excitement and anticipation. While gold was discussed as a potential theme, it's notable that when we consulted with Mr. Amano, his medium of choice was monochrome (black and white).

Mr. Amano's unique style and thoughtful selection of colors are crucial to the integrity of his work, something we didn't wish to compromise. Therefore, the artwork was initially delivered in black and white, with our team later introducing the color. I must confess to a somewhat audacious request I made of Mr. Amano, (jokingly) asking him to incorporate a rainbow within his black and white composition! We deeply respect the techniques Mr. Amano employs in his artwork, drawing inspiration from his creative output. After much discussion and guidance, we are delighted with the final logo design. We eagerly await the unveiling of how the logo integrates with the cinematic aesthetic when Dawntrail is released!

Q) Endwalker brought an end to the story we’ve been following since the beginning of FFXIV. Dawntrail starts a whole new story. Do you already have an idea of how vast this story will be and how many more expansions will develop it? – Matúš Štrba, Sektor.sk

Yoshi P: I'd like to clarify a particular point. It was never our initial aim to create a single extended narrative from the inception of Final Fantasy XIV. Naturally, we incorporated some elements of foreshadowing, which we've done since A Realm Reborn. You may have spotted certain clues that suggest future developments. This is always done with the hope of exploring those elements further in the future. With each new expansion, we aim to weave these story threads together. We intend to adopt a similar approach with Dawntrail, revisiting elements we've foreshadowed in the past and exploring how they can be connected to the new storyline. The length of this arc will be somewhat dependent on the feedback and desires of our players. If players really like it and want it to continue, we will likely continue it.

We certainly aren't short of ideas, with enough to fill two complete expansion packs. However, I can't disclose any specific details about those ideas at this point, of course.

Q) Were you inspired by any specific cultures in the real world to create the regions featured in Dawntrail? – Ramón Baylos González, Areajugones

Yoshi P: The short answer is, yes. That said, we don't want to discuss this too much right now and reveal more information in the future. But yes, there is inspiration from a real world culture / location.

Q) What will be the features in Dawntrail that will help old players to get back to the game or even bring new players to the adventures in this new area? How can they avoid getting lost in the current lore and get up-to-date to play Dawntrail? – Jeancarlos Mota, IGN Brasil

Yoshi P: Currently, since patch 6.1, we've implemented a system that allows players to revisit the lore and various characters throughout the stories. We're also contemplating ways to accommodate players who wish to bypass the earlier content and dive straight into the latest offerings.

Interestingly, every time we announce a new expansion, this question arises. I'm sure you're aware, but even with the release of a new expansion pack, our previous content doesn't become outdated. We continually revise and enhance our content, which is largely narrative-driven. I do ponder whether newcomers would be keen to skip directly to the new expansion pack.

Our Duty Support system ensures NPCs accompany you during Main Scenario quests, meaning you don't necessarily have to play alongside other players and can run through the content quickly. We've made it possible to experience the game solo. I understand the comparison to TV series, where someone might want to jump into season 6, for instance. However, we've ensured the earlier 'seasons' are accessible to newcomers. We do want people to play through the story though.

Q) The way that Fan Fest rolls out development staff like rockstars is pretty unique, what do you and the development team feel like at events like Fan Fest, where you will so often be stopped and asked for photos, et cetera? – Sayem Ahmed, GLHF

Yoshi P: We don't necessarily parade our developers around as if they were rockstars. The intention isn't to bask in the limelight; we're game makers at heart. Developers aren't traditionally meant to be front and center in such a way. Sometimes, when I participate in livestreams, I come across comments like "Yoshida has aged," or "he's gained weight," which I assume is not particularly appealing to viewers. Given the nature of MMORPGs, I believe fostering a mutual understanding among players, media, and developers is crucial.

With a game amassing a wealth of content and systems, it's important to discern what players, developers, and media want to see and report on, and facilitate that communication. Such mutual comprehension allows an MMO, essentially a game-as-a-service, to maintain its appeal.

While I'm flattered and privileged to be asked for photos, I'd like to mention one thing: I'm more than happy to oblige, as long as you're comfortable posing with a middle-aged man.

At the first North American Fan Festival, I remember being in the casino area when someone requested to lift me up in a princess-style carry. You might even find that picture online. In Japan, a girl once asked if she could perform a wrestling move on me, swinging me backward. As long as it's amusing and intriguing, I'm game. However, there's one thing I'd caution against. There was an instance when I posed for a picture with five others from the same Free Company. The photo was shared on their social media, with only my face visible and everyone else's anonymized. I questioned the point of such an upload. We were all having a great time. Although we must ask for permission before posting photographs, I would urge you to reveal your enjoyment and share your face in the photos.

Q) Can you tell us about some of the greatest moments you have experienced with FFXIV? The milestones you have reached as its Producer and Director or some of the experiences you have made as a player and a part of the community? – Eric Mittman, TAG24

Yoshi P: You may find this answer familiar. During our inaugural Fan Festival in Las Vegas, as we were attempting to reinvent Final Fantasy XIV following its initial failure, a technical hiccup occurred during the registration process, leading to rapidly growing queues.

Our then PR Director, observing the escalating frustration among the crowd, asked me to address the attendees directly and offer an apology for the inconvenience.

With that in mind, I stepped out, prepared to apologize and brace for an unfavorable reaction. But as I began to express my regret, the crowd recognized me and started to cheer and applaud, expressing their appreciation for the relaunch of FFXIV. Many fans thanked me for revamping FFXIV, and one young man even proclaimed that I was his hero. I'm simply a Japanese individual who came to create video games, so this response left me humbled and immensely relieved that our hard work had paid off. That moment remains etched in my memory, one I could never forget.

The pandemic has altered the way we connect, with media interviews now taking place over Zoom, and in-person Fan Festivals no longer feasible. However, following the Day 1 screening of the Dawntrail trailer, the excitement reminded me of the atmosphere during that first festival.

Q) Ten years on, what sort of balance do you consider when looking at fan feedback and requests versus your own philosophies for what Final Fantasy XIV should be? – Erren Van Duine, Nova Crystallis

Yoshi P: Explaining how I maintain balance is, indeed, not easily articulated in words. As a gamer myself and a Warrior of Light in Final Fantasy XIV, I can resonate with many of the feedback points. From a player's viewpoint, the focus generally seems to be on immediate alleviation of current inconveniences.

However, from a developer's standpoint, simplifying everything might seem advantageous in the short term, but from a broader perspective, it might not be beneficial. It could even upset the game balance. We also need to take into account the varying playstyles of our user base, with some preferring a more casual approach and others taking a more hardcore stance. If we were to consider and implement all feedback, it could potentially destabilize the game. Regrettably, there are times when we cannot accommodate certain content requests. As the game director, it falls upon me to evaluate and navigate these situations. Ultimately, there is no simple formula and it relies a lot on intuition.

Q) Are any crossovers between Final Fantasy XIV and Final Fantasy XVI planned? – Anastasia Kudinov, Eurogamer Germany

Yoshi-P: I've had a chance to discuss this with the producer of Final Fantasy XVI, who happens to have the same name as I do. We are discussing this and are close to announcing something, but there's nothing we can divulge just yet. Expect something on this before the end of the year though.

Q) Patch 5.3, released on August 11, 2020, overhauled a lot of the main scenario quests and duties from A Realm Reborn. Can you talk about what it was like revisiting that content and deciding what to keep, what to remove, and what to revise? – Quentin Humphrey, Operation Rainfall

Yoshi P: Actually, I don't feel there was anything that was eliminated which I would have preferred to retain. During the process of condensing the content, we adopted various methods to abbreviate it. We conducted a study to identify at which stages of the content players were most likely to drop off at. There were certain quests where we, as the development team, felt we had overdone and needed to scale back. We examined various NPCs, the quests they offer, their dialogue lines, and how it all ties into the core lore. Based on these factors, we made decisions on which characters could be eliminated. This proved to be the most challenging aspect.

Q) Endwalker’s story is full of emotional topics that are often difficult to broach for many writers and players, such as existentialism and loss – can you talk about any inspirations and difficulties in taking these on? – Victoria Rose, MMORPG.com

Yoshi P: In all honesty, we apply the same philosophy every time we create an expansion, not just for Endwalker. Take Shadowbringers as an example, where we had those who wished to unify the fragmented worlds. The Ancients aspired to restore the status quo, whereas the Warrior of Light and his allies are rooted in the present, accustomed to their respective worlds. They all have their distinct ideologies that they strive to uphold, and I don't believe there's a definitive right or wrong answer.

Endwalker encapsulates all these narratives and brings a closure to the Hydaelyn/Zodiark saga - at least, it marks the end of the first chapter. We've been accompanying players on this journey through the story. It's indeed a complex theme, but I believe you'll notice that we've carefully considered it and brought it to a conclusion we're content with. Attempting to encapsulate all of these narrative threads within just Endwalker would have likely been an insurmountable challenge.

We acknowledge that it's a complex subject to tackle. I want to reaffirm that it was certainly challenging, but I also hope you have the chance to interview our scenario writer, Natsuko Ishikawa, to gain her insights.

Q) Would you consider implementing cross-regional Data Center visiting, or even a cross-regional Data Center Duty Finder queue system? – Michael Damiani, Easy Allies

Yoshi P: From the technical side the ability to freely travel between North America, Europe, Japan, and Oceania data centers are already built. That said, we haven't opened it up yet as the culture between different regions can very significantly. Is it okay for us to suddenly open the floodgates and let players visit different regions and mingle together? We don't have the confidence to determine that yet, but it's something we're continuing to study and discuss in meetings.

Q) After Variant and Criterion Dungeons, do you plan on working on more 4-player endgame content like this? What was the feedback so far and does it mean we won’t have new 72 players content in the future (big fan of Bozja here)? – Cassim Ketfi, Frandroid.com

Yoshi P: The structure of the Variant and Criterion Dungeons system is currently quite robust. We aim to keep rolling out more content in this style and we'll continue to listen to player feedback. You can anticipate further additions similar to the Variant and Criterion Dungeons in future updates.

Naturally, we persist in our discussions and creative brainstorming for unique battle content. For large-scale battles like Eureka, we're still keen on creating content within that realm. We're committed to generating new challenges in this field. Please look forward to details regarding components of the Variant and Criterion Dungeons in tomorrow's Letter from the Producer.

Q) Ideally, I’d love to buy Final Fantasy I and put it in an arcade cabinet in my house. Being able to play the first few Final Fantasy games in Final Fantasy XIV would be amazing, even if it was in the cash shop only. Can we ever expect something like this? – Omer Altay, MMOs.com

Yoshi P: We started exploring this idea about a year and a half ago. With the launch of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series, we thought it would be exciting to incorporate these games into FFXIV, perhaps playable at the Gold Saucer or within player estates. We did conduct tests, but we discovered that the Pixel Remasters run on middleware. Therefore, to incorporate them into FFXIV, we would need to develop a system capable of playing the middleware. Our FFXIV team is extremely dedicated, but this level of integration might be a stretch. If we had a couple more exceptionally skilled programmers, this might be feasible.

So, if there are any highly skilled engineers amongst the Warriors of Light reading this and you're up for this challenge, we'd love to receive your job application. That's half in jest, but also half serious. As FFXIV is essentially a Final Fantasy theme park, we're always looking for ways to incorporate more of the franchise's elements. Most importantly though, I need to clarify the question's mention of these features potentially being available only via the cash shop. So if we put it in the cash shop, don't get upset with me! If we do implement this, we may make Final Fantasy 1-3 available for free and sell the others.

Q) Inverse: Have you thought about expanding FFXIV into other mediums, like anime or a TV series? Would you like to see that personally?

Yoshi P: If given the opportunity to oversee production and supervision, I would certainly be thrilled to work on a TV series based on Final Fantasy XIV. However, my current responsibilities as the Producer/Director of FFXIV, the head of Creative Business Unit III, and a board member means that I probably won't be able to take on the additional role of a TV series director.

While I may not be able to personally undertake this project, we remain open to potential collaborations. We are always willing to entertain proposals from enthusiastic teams interested in expanding FFXIV into other mediums like anime or TV series. In fact, we've had previous approaches about such projects, but the pandemic unfortunately disrupted those preliminary discussions before they could mature into substantive plans.

However, if the FFXIV team ever decides to pursue such a project, our primary concern will be preserving the image players have of FFXIV. We are committed to delivering only high-quality content that meets our standards. Although we don't have any concrete plans at the moment, rest assured that if we do move forward, maintaining quality will be our top priority.