🔬 Final Fantasy and Formula

Hey there,

Today's Listening: The classic 

bonus: the best final fantasy track

How many finals does it take to end a fantasy?

Square Enix doesn't know yet. Story time!

So back in 1987, Final Fantasy was supposed to be as the name implied, their Final Fantasy. Square was in bad shape, their games were not doing so well and they were facing bankruptcy, so they made one last hurrah. They made this little game fully intending it to be their ending...

And then...it became their lifeline. By being the most successful game they'd ever made.

I'd like to think the meeting went something like this...

"Well ladies and gentlemen, that's it, show's over, the game is out, fun while it last-"

"Sir the game is poppin" (business people in 1987 totally said poppin)

"Nani?" (ha)

"Yeah we've got like 100 million yen in the mail from the sales"

"NANI?!" (they are Japanese after all)

"So uh, we don't have to lose our jobs after all?"

"I suppose so..."

"So what do we make now?"

And as Square CEO stroked his imaginary beard he said...

"More."

And here we are, in 2023, with 16 mainline games, and many more spin offs and alternates. The Final Fantasy name is tied to [126 games](https://thefinalfantasy.net/games/) at the time of writing. The series is one of the most prolific in all of video games, cementing itself as an ever constant in the scene.

They say if people like something, all you have to do is give them more, and in this case, it paved off in spades. Square ran with the franchise, and continued to be blessed with success. They were the forerunners of a new budding genre, and they embraced it. They started releasing games on a near yearly basis and it kept them alive.

Final Fantasy is the Call of Duty of Japan, and the series has continued to evolve into new territory while still showing respect to its legacy...by constantly rereleasing the games for every system on Earth.

So what am I saying?

Marking the end also means a new beginning