In a recent interview with MinnMax, Michael-Cristopher Koji Fox hinted at a change in direction for the Final Fantasy series, specifically Creative Business Unit 3 (CBU3). Fox suggested that Square Enix's CBU3, known for its work on Final Fantasy XIV and the recently released Final Fantasy XVI, is considering a lighter tone for its next project. The shift comes as Naoki Yoshida appears to be "done" with dark fantasy:
“I look over at Yoshi-P every now and then and you can kind of tell he is like, ‘I am done with dark fantasy, I want to do something light again.' So I have a feeling that, whatever project I get put on next, there's going to be this paradigm shift in that direction again."
Final Fantasy XVI took a darker turn, drawing inspiration from series like Game of Thrones. However, the team is now looking to return to their roots, with Fox joking about discarding the "darkness and edginess" of their recent projects for "something more lighthearted."
While the specifics of their next project remain under wraps, fans can anticipate a potential paradigm shift towards more "cheerful" themes. As for Final Fantasy XIV fans, the Dawntrail expansion is set to release this summer, offering more content to dive into while waiting for updates on CBU3's next endeavor.
You can watch the full MinnMax interview below: