Changing of the Guard: Messages from the FINAL FANTASY XI Producers

[Genbu]

HAY GUYZ ITS GENBU UPDATE!!!111

Changing of the Guard: Messages from the FINAL FANTASY XI Producers

On August 1, 2012, Akihiko Matsui will take over as producer of FINAL FANTASY XI for Hiromichi Tanaka, who has produced the game since its launch a decade ago.

To commemorate this occasion, Mr. Tanaka and Mr. Matsui have respectively written a farewell and a greeting to the FINAL FANTASY XI community.
http://www.playonline.com/pcd/topics...044/9044_0.jpg

Greetings, everyone. It feels good to write to you once again.

As of August 1, 2012, I will be the new producer of FINAL FANTASY XI. While Mr. Tanaka's shoes are certainly big ones to fill, I am confident I will eventually be able to do so with the support of the many talented people on the FFXI team.

FINAL FANTASY XI has undergone some radical changes since I left the project two years ago, and although I obviously expected it to evolve in my absence, the degree of change is overwhelming. I will definitely need to familiarize myself with the current state of the game as fast as possible if I want to be effective at this new position.

Thinking back to when I wrote, "I wanted to stay on the development team to the very end," for a FFXI tenth anniversary book, I had never in my wildest dreams thought I would be able to assume the role of producer. Therefore, please allow me to write this down in hopes that it comes true in the same way that tenth anniversary message did: I will work as hard as possible to protect the integrity of FINAL FANTASY XI and to honor the opinions of its community so that the players may continue to love this game as they have for the past decade.

On that note, I had best get started checking the official forums every day.

I look forward to working with XI again, and may your words of encouragement give me the motivation to continue to do my best.

Akihiko Matsui

After coming here day after day, year after year, this is my last day at SQUARE ENIX.

A little over one month has passed since I announced my departure at Vanafest, but even now I can scarcely believe the time has come. I'll have to make sure not to accidentally show up for work tomorrow out of habit.

Although my time on this project has come to a close, I know that all the developers and project staff will give their utmost under the guidance of Mr. Matsui to expand the world of Vana'diel, and, in particular, to develop the new lands of Adoulin. I can sleep soundly knowing the game is safe in their hands.

Though I will be leaving for new pastures without SQUARE ENIX, I hope to continue to contribute to the future of the gaming industry and online gaming, even if only in a small way. Thank you very much for your support all these years.

Hiromichi Tanaka

[Vendog]

Don't let the doorknob hit ya where the good lord split ya!

[Qeomash]

Glad he's gone, sorry he's going for health reasons.

[drwaffles]

To be fair to him, he was the producer of a very special game that has been a decade-long source of fun and enjoyment (as well as frustration and fury) for many of us, therefore I feel bad simply saying 'good riddance.' For the game's sake I'm glad he's leaving, but I wish him well and hope he gets better.

[Ratatapa]

Just hope he can win his cancer without using a brew

Ok joke aside really hope he can win against cancer

[Shuichi]

Good luck Mr. Tanaka. Thanks for all the fond memories.

/salute

[Tarage]

It's okay Matsui, his shoes aren't even worth filling. Just do what you did when you had the helm before and you'll do just fine.

And throw out any notes Tanaka left about barance.

[Spira]

all the best to Tanaka and I hope Matsui will usher in a glorious new era for FFXI.

on a different note, does anyone else have the impression that japanese game developers only wear hawaiian shirts now?

[Septimus]

Unless the news we are hearing now (shitty new two hours, no useful spells for RDM, Pet TH gear will not happen) is all bad remnants from a hideous by-gone era, I my hope for a glorious new era for FFXI is fading quickly.

[millionsknives]

As much as he annoyed me at times, his strict views on what should and shouldn't be part of online gaming and FFXI formed an amazing game. He didn't evolve with the times very well, but when I played, XI was great game. So he wasn't all bad. ttyl Tanaka.

[Tarage]

Unless the news we are hearing now (shitty new two hours, no useful spells for RDM, Pet TH gear will not happen) is all bad remnants from a hideous by-gone era, I my hope for a glorious new era for FFXI is fading quickly.

With the length of time it takes to develop such things, I would say they were already well in the planning phase. We're probably going to have to wait for the new expansion to see anything not Tanaka.

[Kaisha]

With the length of time it takes to develop such things, I would say they were already well in the planning phase. We're probably going to have to wait for the new expansion to see anything not Tanaka.

Pretty much this. New producer has to give himself a couple months minimum to start with to play catch up on all that's changed since he got shifted over to work on XIV a couple years back.

[scaevola]

Don't let the doorknob hit ya where the good lord split ya!

bweeeeet Yellow Card for improper use of idiom to take a swipe at a guy with cancer

[Kyte]

I thought he didn't have cancer, but rather some unnamed incurable, but non-fatal disease?

[Tarage]

See, here's the thing. All of these bleeding hearts who are suddenly trying to be nice to the guy because he has an 'illness' are hypocrites. I'm still glad he's gone, and if that 'illness' is what got his ass out the door, then I'm still glad. He was not a good developer, or a good person.

I'm glad he's gone. Should have happened when he nearly burned 14 to the ground.

[Rokku]

He was not a good developer, or a good person.

Right, Xenogears, Threads of Fate, Secret of Mana, and Chrono Cross were all some of the worst games Square ever made. And I'm sure you know him on enough of a personal level to call him a bad person.

Seriously, stop being such a little drama queen.

[Darkmagi]

See, here's the thing. All of these bleeding hearts who are suddenly trying to be nice to the guy because he has an 'illness' are hypocrites. I'm still glad he's gone, and if that 'illness' is what got his ass out the door, then I'm still glad. He was not a good developer, or a good person.

I'm glad he's gone. Should have happened when he nearly burned 14 to the ground.

He's clearly not a good person because he made some mistakes in an MMO at the end of his career.

[Thiefami]

Tanaka will be missed, with his fine ass.

[NynJa]

See, here's the thing. All of these bleeding hearts who are suddenly trying to be nice to the guy because he has an 'illness' are hypocrites. I'm still glad he's gone, and if that 'illness' is what got his ass out the door, then I'm still glad. He was not a good developer, or a good person.

I'm glad he's gone. Should have happened when he nearly burned 14 to the ground.

I'm glad he's gone too, but you're just being a c---. How does him fucking up FFXI make him a bad person?

[Alkar]

Took Yoshida a few months to start changing XIV after he replaced Tanaka, I wouldn't expect any chances for a long time considering XI does not have the same number of people working on it.