FF14 Composer Wishes for More FF8 References in MMORPG

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Summary

  • Soken wishes for more FF8 references in FFXIV, but additions depend on fitting contexts.
  • Current FF8 references in FFXIV include the Gunbreaker job and Eden raid series.
  • FFXIV’s Triple Triad card game originated from FF8 and continues to receive updates.

During an interview, the composer for Final Fantasy 14, Masayoshi Soken, expressed his wish that the highly-praised MMORPG could incorporate more references to Final Fantasy 8 if given the opportunity. Yet, Soken clarified that Final Fantasy 14 includes callbacks to previous games only when it aligns with the vision of the developers, emphasizing that careful consideration and planning are essential elements in this process.

After the rocky debut of Final Fantasy 14, Soken assumed primary composing responsibilities. Since then, he’s been the lead composer for all subsequent expansions of Final Fantasy 14, in addition to creating the soundtrack for Final Fantasy 16. This work earned him and Square Enix the Best Score and Music awards at The Game Awards in 2023. While the Original Soundtrack (OST) for Final Fantasy 14 features numerous original songs from each expansion, such as “Close In the Distance” and “Tomorrow and Tomorrow,” it also incorporates cover versions of songs from past Final Fantasy games, including Final Fantasy 9 and spinoffs like Final Fantasy Tactics.

In an interview with PCGamesN, the composer of Final Fantasy 14 expressed a desire for more callbacks to Final Fantasy 8 in future expansions or updates. However, he emphasized that the developers at Creative Studio 3 carefully choose which Final Fantasy game to reference, and they only select those that align with the stories they want to tell.

Final Fantasy 14’s Soken Wants More Final Fantasy 8 Callbacks

  • Final Fantasy 14 lead composer Masayoshi Soken expressed his wish for more Final Fantasy 8 references in the MMORPG.
  • However, Soken added that the decision to add more Final Fantasy references depends on the context.
  • Current FF8 references include the Triple Triad card game, the Gunbreaker Job, and the Eden raids.
  • Final Fantasy 14’s current Dawntrail expansion features homages to Final Fantasy 9 in the main story.

It’s great to note that Final Fantasy 8 has a few nods in the direction of Final Fantasy 14, particularly with the Gunbreaker job, which is inspired by Squall Leonhart from FF8 and his iconic gunblade. Moreover, the Shadowbringers expansion introduced the Eden raid series, which draws inspiration from the ultimate Guardian Force in FF8. Later on, Eden was reintroduced to Dawntrail through the Futures Rewritten (Ultimate) raid challenge. Interestingly, two of its phases include renditions of “The Legendary Beast” and “The Extreme” from Final Fantasy 8.

Moreover, one beloved mini-game in Final Fantasy 14 is the card game called Triple Triad, which was initially introduced in FF8. This game features cards of varying rarity, and new ones are periodically added with each update or expansion. Additionally, there are diverse rule sets to keep players engaged and challenged.

Since Final Fantasy 14 is a massive multiplayer role-playing game akin to an amusement park, the range of other games that could be showcased is virtually limitless. While Dawntrail incorporates elements reminiscent of Final Fantasy 9, particularly in its music and characters, it remains to be seen how Creative Studio 3 will meet Soken’s demand for a tribute to FF8.

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2025-04-06 02:14