Sakaguchi reveals some details on Xbox 2 RPGs

Hironobu Sakaguchi has revealed a few details about the two RPGs that his development studio Mistwalker has signed on to produce for Xbox 2.

Speaking in an interview on Microsoft\'s Japanese Xbox website, Sakaguchi-san said that "One of the games will be realistic" with "stylish graphics" while "The other game will feature cute characters, and I hope it\'ll be an RPG that will raise people\'s spirits." He said his role on both would be as producer and scenario-writer.

The first title "will let you enjoy a sensation like walking through a spectacular movie, which is what I\'ve always been aiming for," the veteran developer said. "The story isn\'t about growing up, as with many RPGs. The main character is more the type that knows everything. I want to express how even that kind of a philosophical person would laugh at something simple in life or would cry from an everyday occurrence." The second, meanwhile, "will feature a main character that keeps on going forward, without ever giving up, no matter what kind of hardship presents itself."

"The two games will have very different atmospheres," he added. "I\'m planning to step away from the standard RPG storyline and create a tale that features laughter and crying--scenes that haven\'t ever been seen before. I want to make games with in-depth interactivity that will leave [gamers] with a sense of exhilaration after they\'ve played them."

Microsoft Game Studios, which will publish both titles, has yet to name either of them or comment on when we can expect to see them released. Xbox 2 is widely tipped to launch before the end of 2005.

Commenting further on his decision to ally Mistwalker with Microsoft\'s next-generation gaming platform, the former Squaresoft man said, "I wanted to work, to do everything that I\'ve imagined in a world without any limits," but admitted that he was also drawn to the fold by his prior relationships with Yoshihiro Maruyama, head of Xbox Japan, and Hiroshi Kawai, head of R&D for Microsoft Game Studios in Japan.

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The one that will feature the "cute" characters sounds like Final Fantasy IX which, correct me if I\'m wrong, was the last Final Fantasy Sakaguchi had direct involvement with.  Being that FF IX is easily my favorite out of the series I\'m very excited.  

I will say that the whole crying thing has me a bit weary, Tidus earns my "Most annoying character in an RPG" award with Yuna a close second.  I know that serious and emotional scenes can be done right though, Xenosaga did it wonderfully, so I\'ll remain hopeful.

Ex-Square Enix staff join Mistwalker

According to the latest issue of Famitsu magazine, two former developers at Square Enix are working under Hironobu Sakagichi\'s label Mistwalker, and they are participating in the creation of two role-playing games for Microsoft\'s next-generation console, commonly referred to as the Xbox Next.


Daisuke Fukugawa, who worked on PlayStation titles Final Fantasy Tactics and Legend of Mana, is in charge as project director for Mistwalker\'s Xbox Next RPG development. Fukagawa’s job is to organize what\'s happening in development alongside Sakaguchi, although it isn\'t clear if he\'s working on one or both of the RPG titles. Sakaguchi also has one of Square\'s very first 3D modelers working for his studio. Hiroshi Arai, a graphic designer who\'s worked on 3D games since Final Fantasy VII and had supervised the 3D modeling in Final Fantasy IX, is handling the modeling for one or both of the Xbox Next RPGs as well.

Sakaguchi comments in the interview that the developments on the two RPGs are going very smoothly, although its pre-production stages have taken some time. The games are being co-created by Mistwalker and Microsoft Gaming Studios. Mistwalker makes the game\'s contents such as its script and music, while Microsoft Gaming Studios works on the technical aspects, such as the actual coding. Over one hundred employees will be involved in the development of the two games.

Sakaguchi revealed that the two RPGs for the Xbox next are the only games that he is currently making for next-generation consoles, which hints that he doesn’t have anything going for the PlayStation 3 right now. Sakaguchi commented that he decided to make games for the Xbox Next because of his relations to staffs at Xbox Japan, and not because of the machine’s specs. Xbox Japan chief Yoshihiro Maruyama and Microsoft Game Studios Japan R & D chief Hiroshi Kawai were both former employees of Square. Sakaguchi also added that he has no interests in getting involved in the next-generation console war.

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I have a feeling that once the PS3 is announced they will get interested, however I hope they don\'t outright abandon X2 after those 2 RPGs are complete...