Akitoshi Kawazu

Final Fantasy series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi has addressed the backlash over his enthusiastic reaction to an unofficial, AI-generated video for a Final Fantasy 6 remake. The video, which was AI-generated and not an official release, showcased the game's main cast in current-generation graphics. It also covered iconic moments such as the opera scene, Terra’s Esper transformation, and even Sabin suplexing a train. The trailer also included gameplay-like scenes of Terra walking through various towns and overworlds in a style similar to recent RPGs like Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy. On 18 May, Sakaguchi retweeted the AI-generated video on his official X account, reacting with: “What is this?! It’s amazing!” in Japanese. https://twitter.com/auuo/status/2056072149115531302?ref_srctwsrc%5Etfw The mock trailer stirred up nostalgia and hopes for a modern 3D remake of the SNES classic. However, many commenters criticised Sakaguchi’s positive reaction. “Are you really praising something that was made without permission using generative AI?” one user reacted. Some claimed that the AI version potentially infringes on copyright in multiple ways, noting the use of Final Fantasy 6’s logo and Terra’s theme without permission. Even SaGa series creator and Square contemporary Akitoshi Kawazu, who worked with Sakaguchi on early Final Fantasy titles, weighed in. He said: “No, Sakaguchi-san, you should have stopped after the first line,” suggesting a shocked “What is this?!” would have been a more suitable reaction from the father of Final Fantasy. In the rest of his comment, Kawazu talked about his recent run-in with an American tourist who loved Final Fantasy 6 and Sabin, adding that: “I do think that 6 would be suitable for a remake.” In a follow-up tweet, Sakaguchi expressed surprise at the attention the Final Fantasy 6 post garnered: “Whoa, what a big reaction,” he said, adding: “I just kind of intuitively reacted to the potential” shown in the AI video. He explained that while he feels AI content isn’t good enough to use as-is, he senses potential for interesting developments in the future. Sakaguchi concluded: “After all, I’m the sort of person who has been propelled through the last 40 years’ work and private life solely by exciting things.” He acknowledged how he has always been pursuing new ideas and technology, as can be seen in the Final Fantasy series’ lasting influence on the RPG genre. Sakaguchi’s tweet finished with a concept illustration for the Grand Staff magic research facility from his own studio’s debut game, 2008’s Lost Odyssey. The creator added that he “played around” with animating it (implying that he may have used gen AI to do so). https://twitter.com/auuo/status/2056440894795194520?ref_srctwsrc%5Etfw While many commenters said they understood Sakaguchi’s excitement for the potential of new technology, others still thought that as an influential figure in the games’ industry, he should have acknowledged the potential copyright infringement issues that currently make AI such a controversial topic. Sakaguchi was one of the major creative forces behind the Final Fantasy franchise from FF1 through to FF10, including The Spirits Within movie. After leaving Square, he founded his own studio Mistwalker. Replaying Final Fantasy 6 is actually what inspired Sakaguchi to create his latest game, Fantasian: Neo Dimension. It remains to be seen if Square Enix ever decides to revisit FF6, but reactions to the AI video show that there are a significant number of fans of the game that would like to see it get a full 3D remake. But will Square Enix actually do it? In 2024, Final Fantasy 6 director Yoshinori Kitase said a remake akin to that given to Final Fantasy 7 could take around 20 years to complete, noting that because of the depth of the game and the sheer amount of content and characters, it would take twice the length of Final Fantasy 7 Remake to develop and release. https://twitter.com/SaGa35kawazu/status/2056156527246168232?s20