FF14 Collab Does Not A FF9 Remake Make, Says Director

Final Fantasy 14’s producer and director has recently weighed in on the persistent rumors about Final Fantasy 9’s potential reimagining. Read on to learn more about what he had to say about the matter.

FF14’s Yoshi-P Shuts Down FF9 Remake RumorsNo Connection Between FF14 Collaboration and FF9 Remake, Said Yoshida

Naoki Yoshida, the ever-popular producer and director behind Final Fantasy 14, recently addressed the ongoing rumors surrounding a potential Final Fantasy 9 reimagining. This comes on the heels of the recent FF14 collaboration event, where he hinted at a deeper reason for Dawntrail’s references to the beloved 1999 Japanese role-playing game.

Theories swirled online that the FF14 event might be a precursor to a reimagining announcement. However, Yoshida has definitively shut down this speculation, emphasizing the independent nature of the collaboration.

"The original concept that we had for Final Fantasy XIV is that it serves as a theme park for the Final Fantasy franchise," Yoshida said in a recent interview with JPGames. "We wanted to incorporate Final Fantasy IX because of that."

He further clarified that the timing of the collaboration wasn’t influenced by any potential reimagining project. "We had never thought about doing Final Fantasy IX in relation to any sort of Final Fantasy IX Remake—we had never thought about it in that commercial sense," he stated, acknowledging the marketing logic behind the speculation.

Despite the lack of connection between the FF14 event and a reimagining, Yoshida’s passion shines through when discussing FF9. "But of course in our development team as well, we have a lot of staff who are huge fans of Final Fantasy IX," he admitted.

He then pointed out the sheer volume of content in the original game. He said, "as you know—Final Fantasy IX has [a] huge volume, it’s a big game. If we were to wait for any sort of reimagining project, we would just be waiting and waiting and we would be thinking: ‘When would we be able to incorporate that essence of Final Fantasy IX and make our homage?’" The sentiment resonated with fans who were thrilled to experience a taste of FF9 within FF14 through its many subtle and on-the-nose references.

While the interview dashed hopes of an immediate reimagining announcement, Yoshida’s closing remarks offered a glimmer of encouragement. "I think potentially if any team was to take on doing a reimagining for Final Fantasy IX," he said with a chuckle, "I would wish them the best of luck."

Rumors of an upcoming remake of Final Fantasy 9 are just that: rumors—words whispered with no weight. Fans awaiting a remake will likely have to settle with the many references in Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail or need to exercise patience in the meantime.