FF14 Composer Says the MMORPG Is Lacking One Final Fantasy Game

In an interview, Final Fantasy 14 composer Masayoshi Soken stated that the critically acclaimed MMORPG could use more Final Fantasy 8 references if he had the choice. However, Soken added that Final Fantasy 14 only makes callbacks to past titles if it fits what the developers have in mind, with careful planning being part of the process.

Soken took over main composer duties for Final Fantasy 14 following its disastrous 1.0 launch. Along with being the lead composer for Final Fantasy 14‘s subsequent expansions, Soken has also composed the soundtrack for Final Fantasy 16, which earned him and Square Enix the Best Score and Music honors at The Game Awards in 2023. Although the Final Fantasy 14 OST has plenty of original songs from each expansion, including “Close In the Distance” and “Tomorrow and Tomorrow,” the MMORPG’s musical repertoire also includes covers from past Final Fantasy games, such as Final Fantasy 9 and even spinoffs like Final Fantasy Tactics.

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While Final Fantasy 14 has covered different facets of the franchise between bosses and environments, the game’s composer said one entry could use more representation if given the chance. In a PCGamesN interview, Soken said that he would prefer Final Fantasy 8 to get some more callbacks in future Final Fantasy 14 expansions or patches. However, Soken clarified his wish by stating that the developers at Creative Studio 3 are purposeful in picking which Final Fantasy to pull from, and he said that each has to fit with the stories that 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.

Fortunately, Final Fantasy 8 is not without its share of references within Final Fantasy 14, as the Gunbreaker job is an homage to FF8 protagonist Squall Leonhart and his signature gunblade. Additionally, the Shadowbringers expansion introduced the Eden raid series, named and themed after FF8‘s ultimate Guardian Force. Eden was subsequently brought back to Dawntrail via the Futures Rewritten (Ultimate) raid challenge, with two of its phases featuring covers of “The Legendary Beast” and “The Extreme” from Final Fantasy 8.

Additionally, one of Final Fantasy 14‘s most popular mini-games is the Triple Triad collectible card game, which originated from FF8. Triple Triad cards with varying degrees of rarity are periodically added with each patch or expansion, along with different rule sets that keep players on their toes.

Given that Final Fantasy 14 is a theme-park MMORPG, the possibilities for other games to get featured are nearly endless. Though Dawntrail features plenty of callbacks to Final Fantasy 9 in both its music and characters, only time will tell what Creative Studio 3 will do to fulfill Soken’s FF8 request.

Systems

Released

August 27, 2013

ESRB

T for Teen – Language, Mild Blood, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence