Over two decades later, people still talk about Hironobu Sakaguchi leaving Squaresoft in 2003 as a major turning point in the industry. One insider said the company “crumbled” after he left because he was seen as the boss by everyone. In an interview with the Nobiyo To Isshoni podcast, composer Nobuo Uematsu (who worked on almost all Final Fantasy games) explained that Sakaguchi’s departure disrupted the entire organization – right before it planned to merge with Enix. Back then, Square was more like a student club than a real company. But even so, Sakaguchi was regarded as the main leader by everyone. He led Square from 1983 to 2003 and directed the first five Final Fantasy games. His last project at Square was Final Fantasy X-2 (2003), followed by a failed box office film called Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Sakaguchi left Square just before it merged with Enix in 2003, forming the company known today as Square-Enix.
After parting ways with Square in ’03, Hironobu Sakaguchi founded Mistwalker, a studio that produces the Blue Dragon series and games like Lost Odyssey and Fantasian. Meanwhile, Nobuo Uematsu, the music maestro, still works with both Square and Sakagchi, recently contributing tunes for Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Fantasian. Don’t forget to check out our crowdfunding campaign and explore PlayersForLife de Jogos channels on YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, TikTok, and Instagram!
