“I don’t claim to know everything…but I know more than most.” – Masayuki Kasebe
A decade removed from Sony, Legend of Dragoon Director, Masayuki Kasebe, is able to freely speak about his former employer. In a recent transcript from Hiroshi Magazine, Kasebe shared his thoughts on current gaming affairs, Legend of Dragoon, the FFVII Remake Project, and perhaps, controversially, stated that – artistically – the Video Gaming Industry is on its last legs, unless Sony resurrects Japan Studio.
Interviewer: Did you play (FFVII) Rebirth? If so, what nostalgia driven thoughts did you have of a what a Legend of Dragoon Remake could have been?
Kasebe: Well, honestly, I am thankful that madman Nomura, and his lackey, Nojima, did not get their hands on my characters and my world. They ruined Final Fantasy VII. I know Sakaguchi is probably indifferent now to the situation, but I can guarantee that under his eye these “multiverse” shenanigans wouldn’t have taken place.
Interviewer: Are you referring to Rebirth implicating that every possible outcome in the FFVII universe has happened in one world or another?
Kasebe:Yes! Cloud saves Aerith this time, but he also doesn’t save her in another timeline, and the ending left us stuck in the timeline where she is not saved, because that way they can keep fooling naive gamers into thinking that they are following the original storyline despite the fact that Nomura changed the entire thing not ten minutes into Remake!
Interviewer: What lessons can be learned here for a possible Legend of Dragoon Remake?
Kasebe: Don’t let Square Enix handle it *laughs*
Interviewer: *Silence*
Kasebe: I mean, would you? Gamers want a Remake, with expanded dialog, not a new story that introduces the multiverse into a saga that made sense in 1997, but then went bonkers in the compilation the moment Nomura was released from his leash. Kingdom Hearts’ success was the first nail in Final Fantasy’s coffin.
Interviewer: Some would say Sakaguchi leaving was the first blow to the franchise…
Kasebe: It was, but Sakaguchi left because Square blamed him for Spirits Within bombing at the box office. It was an awful movie, and Sakaguchi was humbled by its failure. But that man saved Square in the late 1980s, saved the company. He almost killed the company with that ill fated movie, but he deserved a second chance.
Sony did the same to me. The Legend of Dragoon didn’t sell up to Final Fantasy numbers 25 years ago, so they canned my future projects, and killed an IP that massive potential! I truly believe The Legend of Dragoon Remake would have saved Final Fantasy Remake. I would have shown Square Enix how things are done.
Interviewer: Sony doesn’t seem to have big Japanese Titles these days.
Kasebe: They killed Japan Studio. Of course they don’t have anything. Western Studios are too slow in the development cycles this generation, and when they do deliver something, it is a re-run of a previous title with slightly prettier visuals. Creativity is dead, and it will get worse. A.I. will kill whatever artistic vision is left in this industry.
I will say this, short of Sony resurrecting Japan Studio, their artistic future is in shambles.
Interviewer: Yet, FromSoftware and Nintendo seem to thrive.
Kasebe: Because we are the best. Miyamoto remains the greatest game maker of all time, and he was able to find and hire people who shared his vision, passion and talent for innovative game design. The Japanese are the best game makers in the world. We don’t have to incur in weird politics, and cutting edge visuals to deliver compelling experiences. We understood game design before everyone else did.
When western developers were learning to crawl in 3-D, Miyamoto and Nintendo EAD were busy creating the greatest game of all time in Ocarina of Time. We are the best.
Interview: But you never worked at Nintendo EAD…
Kasebe: But I am Japanese. And not like that Sweet Baby Inc. mess that Ubisoft has going on with Yasuke. I am a real Japanese man.
Interviewer: Interesting controversy…
Kasebe: They brought it upon themselves, but when you make deals with Sweet Baby Inc, western political shenanigans take root. What’s unfortunate here is that they did this to a feudal Japan ‘inspired’ game.
Interviewer: Sweet Baby has influence at Sony as well, do you think they would play a hand in a possible Legend of Dragoon Remake?
Kasebe: I would take my Ancestor’s Samurai sword and raise some hell if Sony allows Sweet Baby Inc to touch my game…I am telling you. I have no love lost for Sony. This is the promise of an Alcoholic, Unemployed, Game creator. My words are not to be taken lightly! I wouldn’t go down quietly into the night!
Interviewer: Any closing words?
Kasebe: I don’t claim to know everything… but I know more than most. This industry is in its final days! Only Nintendo can save us now.
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