Here’s an interesting subject for you: game titles. Bet you never really thought about it, but that’s exactly the point – a good title blends into the background, sells you on its namesake and is just generally good at parting gamer from cash. Take Mario, for example. You instantly know what you’re getting: an adventure starring some (likely Italian) bloke who’s got to do something or other. Or, The Legend of Zelda: you know you’ll be acting out a legend, and that there’s someone called Zelda in there somewhere. You just won’t be, y’know, playing as her (Spirit Tracks and the CDi notwithstanding).
However, the meaning of a game’s title isn’t always immediately apparent, as with today’s case study, Final Fantasy. A legendary RPG series in its own right and a cornerstone in classic gaming culture to be sure, but vague in its moniker. What images does one conjure when one hears that name? It’s, uh… in the fantasy genre. That narrows it down (!). And it’s also apparently the final installment. Did we miss something? Where was Fantasy 1?
Well, in the unlikely event you’ve pondered this particular quandary before, take heart: the aimless speculation can cease. Reason being we’ve got our answer to the meaning behind Final Fantasy’s title directly from a certain equestrian species’ mouth. Yes, as TheGamer reports, series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi has shared this essential insight – and it’s got a bit of a poignant tale to it. Who’d have thunk?
Apparently, Sakaguchi pitched Final Fantasy “as an idea after a long string of failures.” He’d been turning in titles which, while creatively rich, were not big successes, and he was concerned his standing at Square Enix hung in the balance. As he thought that this would be “his last game before he [would leave] game development altogether,” he decided to mark what was at the time meant to be his swansong with a suitable title – hence the “Final.” Huh; never would have guessed.
Thankfully, the game didn’t live up to its name, and the franchise went on to be a smash, though Sakaguchi prefers to look forward rather than wistfully reminiscing, says the report: “Sakaguchi doesn’t look back at his work much, but it’s clear that he’s proud of it, regardless.” In total, Sakaguchi produced nine Final Fantasy games, cementing his place at Square and, indeed, in gaming history.
So, the lesson? If you want a game to succeed, name it something tinged with depression. BRB – off to develop ‘Total Social Isolation and Economic Instability Fantasy.’
Are you interested to learn of this backstory? Are you a Final Fantasy fan? Let us know!
Via, TheGamer.
