Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest leaders support Square Enix’s multiplatform strategy: “Quality can shine on any platform.”

Square Enix has been gradually moving away from its exclusivity deals, and both Final Fantasy series producer Yoshinori Kitase and Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii are enthusiastic about the publisher’s shift towards multiplatform development.

In a conversation between these two legendary figures, they express that their primary goal as creators is to allow more players to experience their games. They note that developing for multiple platforms has become less complicated compared to the past, when significant technical differences between consoles posed challenges.

Horii emphasizes, “As a creator, I want as many people as possible to play, so going multiplatform is greatly appreciated. It was tough back when you couldn’t play a game on a different console. Now, global release dates are more common, although coordinating them can be challenging due to issues like simultaneous translations and voice acting.”

Kitase adds that multiplatform development “used to come with high barriers,” but those obstacles have diminished. “The perception was that to achieve the best graphics or polish, you had to push the hardware to its limits,” he explains. “Today, hardware specs are advancing, allowing for high-quality experiences across various platforms.”

He also highlights the impact of handheld gaming as a significant advantage for reaching a broader audience who may not always have access to traditional gaming setups. The upcoming Switch 2 port of Final Fantasy 7 Remake serves as a prime example of a high-quality game launching on multiple devices without major compromises.

Horii points out, “Now that we can do anything, it boils down to time and money. If you try to do everything, you’ll never finish. We developed Dragon Quest for the Famicom with just 10 people in about three months. Now, with hundreds of staff, it takes longer.” Kitase concurs but believes that “the motivation to let as many people as possible play outweighs the development challenges.”

Dragon Quest 7: Reimagined is set to launch on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on February 5, showcasing the commitment to bringing games to all platforms.

In a fun note, Horii mentions that Final Fantasy protagonists “speak a lot,” which he sees as a “key difference” between the two beloved JRPG franchises, suggesting that players aren’t necessarily stepping into the shoes of the protagonist.