Naoki Yoshida, the beloved director of Final Fantasy XIVis certainly a character. Dexerto sat down with the whimsical Yoshi P to discuss his reputation in the industry, the legacy he’ll leave behind, and…even where he buys his clothes.

Yoshi-P is ostensibly the figurehead of FFXIV. Taking over the reins of A Realm Reborn, the director transformed the MMORPG into a title that fans around the world love.

We had the chance to speak to Yoshida during his stay in Melbourne for PAX Australia 2024 and rest assured, we covered all sorts of topics, including getting to the bottom of his iconic fashion sense.

A director among fans

Yoshi-P is beyond beloved by the community, the director is practically touted as the face of the game. And with the MMO’s impact on millions around the world, fans can’t stop praising Yoshida describing him as someone who greatly changed their lives.

Although the director never had ambitions to become an MMORPG figurehead, and while he’s happy that people see him that way, he actually feels more embarrassed than anything else. This is especially true at in-person events, where fans can meet the legendary developer in person.

“Of course, I am always happy to receive the support of all our fans and players, but there are times when I will be present at physical events like the Tokyo Game Show in Japan and when I meet fans, they will. I just burst into tears when they met me and I’ll just be there thinking, ‘hmm, what should I do?'” Yoshida said.

Square-Enix

Yoshi-P is a man of the people, but he doesn’t just represent himself.

Although it is well known within the community, the director was keen to emphasize that the game only exists thanks to the hard work of the entire team.

“Our game exists thanks to our development team but also to our operational teams. I’m there at the top and I introduce myself as a representative of the team. But for all the support we receive as a team from all our fans, I’m truly grateful.

A stylish supervisor

As the most visible member of the development team, Yoshida is constantly in the eyes of fans. With the director in the spotlight so often, many have noted his immaculate sense of style, and it turns out there’s a reason he dresses so well.

“First of all, I just want to say that I’m really grateful that people think I’m stylish,” Yoshida blushed. “But there’s actually a reason for that.

“When I entered the video game industry, it was barely 30 years ago. So at that time, I was on the game design team and we had two team supervisors. In my section, there was a supervisor who wasn’t very fashionable, or rather, he didn’t really wear nice clothes and wasn’t the type to wash much either.

“So here he would be, his hair would be really greasy and he would be wearing all these clothes that really scream, ‘I’m a game developer!’ Back when you went to Akihabara in Tokyo, that was the kind of fashion you saw and he wore But of course, when I look at him, I think if that’s what makes him happy, it’s not a problem.

“But there was a time when he represented the team, and he had a cover in Famitsu, so basically he represented the team. So I can’t shake that memory of opening Famitsu, seeing him there- low and feeling this disappointment from everyone on the team.

Conversely, Yoshida’s other supervisor at the time was quite the opposite, offering what he called a very “gentle and elegant” fashion sense.

Square-Enix

Yoshi-P never misses an opportunity to dress up and reflect his team well.

Aware of his position as director of Final Fantasy XIV, Yoshida assures that he always does his best when representing the team.

“I am very aware of all the personal thoughts and aspirations of everyone on my team and I am responsible for representing the team. So if I had to represent our game and take part in an interview, I wanted to make sure I did my best for my team as well,” the director explained.

“I didn’t want them to think, ‘Oh, I wish this guy had a better fashion sense,’ so with all that in mind, that’s one of the reasons I’m very careful the way I dress.”

However, as Yoshida gets older, he thinks some members of the team might not feel the same way.

“I’m sure everyone is thinking, ‘Hey you, you’re already over 50, it’s about time you stopped wearing those flashy shirts,'” he admitted with a smile. “Every FanFest, I’m sure there are people on the team who see this old man come on stage wearing this weird cosplay for his new job.”

And to some extent, he tends to agree with the team, which would certainly sadden some fans.

“Hey, bottom line, I don’t want to cosplay.”

If you’ve ever wanted to don a Yoshi-P cosplay, we asked where the director shops, and the developer pointed to a department store called Isetan. According to Yoshida, they will wander through the men’s section and choose what suits them, with no particular brand in mind.

Legacy

There is no doubt that Yoshida has left a huge mark on the Final Fantasy series and its community, as evidenced by player response and the sheer number of changes the game has undergone. However, the director claims that he has not not given much thought to its impact on the big project.

“Final Fantasy has a very long history and I literally grew up with the Final Fantasy franchise. So to be able to come into this position and work on a numbered title in the franchise, it’s a huge deal,” Yoshida remarked. A lot of people would aspire to it, but they wouldn’t be able to achieve it. So for me, it’s a huge deal, and I’m incredibly happy that I was able to do it.

“Of course, for the moment, I haven’t finished my work. I’m still working on Final Fantasy XIV, and even after I die, Final Fantasy XIV will continue. So I think it doesn’t really matter in terms of legacy. I think what’s important is the present moment.

Square-Enix

Yoshi-P is adamant that the FFXIV community will continue to thrive long after he’s gone.

Even then, Yoshida admitted that he was not the type of person to think things through and would rather start his life over if given the chance.

“Of course, when I die, I’ll go back to the ethereal sea, and I’m the type of person who would just want to erase my memory, reset everything, and repeat everything.”

The director noted that no one knows what the future holds for him and joked that he might leave a bad mark on history.

“You never know, there could be a huge mistake and I would leave a bad mark in history. You may know, leave me so mentally damaged that I’ll head to the data center with a bomb! » Yoshida joked jokingly.

“But again, it shows how much I don’t think about it. For me, what’s fun is just continuing to work on the game and creating it with the rest of our team, and having a good time while we’re at it.