Final Fantasy Veteran Departs Due to Illness

Marshall Honorof

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Feb 16, 2011
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Final Fantasy Veteran Departs Due to Illness


Hiromichi Tanaka will return to the indie scene once he recovers.

If you like Japanese RPGs, there's a good chance that you've played a game that Hiromichi Tanaka worked on at some point. In addition to taking on designer roles in a number of Final Fantasy games, he also produced and worked on battle systems for Chrono Cross and Xenogears. However, Tanaka's days at Square Enix will soon be behind him. Citing health reasons, the prolific producer has decided to step away from the storied company and focus on his recovery. If and when he returns to the industry, it will be as an indie developer.

Although Tanaka has not revealed exactly which illness he is facing, he describes it as a serious one. Whatever it is, it either requires a great deal of time for treatment, or would render him unable to cope with the everyday responsibilities of game design at a major company. While Tanaka hopes he will recover and return to the videogame scene in a smaller capacity, his days of mega-hits and their associated stresses are most likely behind him for good.

Tanaka is perhaps best known as the producer of popular MMO Final Fantasy XI, which Square Enix recently revealed as its most profitable Final Fantasy game. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/118089-Square-Says-Final-Fantasy-XI-Is-Its-Biggest-Cash-Chocobo] We wish Tanaka the best during his recovery, but even if he finds himself unable to return to the world of gaming, making the top-grossing game in one of the medium's most iconic series is a pretty impressive achievement on which to rest.

Source: GameSpot [http://www.gamespot.com/news/final-fantasy-xi-producer-leaves-square-enix-6383922]

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Danzavare

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Oct 17, 2010
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Hey Escapist, mind letting me know when he finishes his first Indie title~? I'll be buying it as soon as I can if it means a less 'modern' Final Fantasy style game. <.<;
 

FantomOmega

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Chrono Cross was my 2nd video game on the PS1 next to Star Ocean: The 2nd Story and love them both (one from Squaresoft and one from Enix, oh God feel that irony)

Then got into the Rpgs trough the FF and Xeno series and my PS2 collection had over 60 games 38 of them were Rpgs while the others were action adventure with nary a FPS to be seen until Black and RE4

Now I'm on the PS3 since its release and I'll be lucky to count more than SIX good Jrpgs (Namco Bandi I'm looking at YOU) in my overwhelming collection of FPSs and western open-end Rpgs...

I miss the good old days that you've brought me... Get well Hiromichi Tanaka, get well
 

wooty

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Aug 1, 2009
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It seems all the big veterans are leaving to become indie developers. Be awesome if thay all pooled together to form an indie company of their own and produce a J game in the more.....traditional style.

I do wish him the best.
 

roushutsu

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Mar 14, 2012
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I pray that he'll get better with whatever it is he is facing and he'll be able to return doing what he loves doing, even if it's not with Square Enix anymore.
 

90sgamer

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Jan 12, 2012
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He is probably sick of Square-Enix f!@#$ing up the Final Fantasy franchise. The doctor prescribed one dose of get the f!@# out and two doses of make your own games.
 

80Maxwell08

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Well get well soon Mr. Tanaka then go fly to Hawaii and apply to Mistwalker so you can team up with Hironobu Sakaguchi for more awesome games.
 

saintdane05

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90sgamer said:
He is probably sick of Square-Enix f!@#$ing up the Final Fantasy franchise. The doctor prescribed one dose of get the f!@# out and two doses of make your own games.
Dude, this is the internet. You can fucking curse all you want.
 

TheLastSamurai14

Last day of PubClub for me. :'-(
Mar 23, 2011
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NuclearShadow said:
It's alright someone just cast bio on him, all we have to do is cast poisona or in the worst case scenario use a phoenix down, he is worth using one unlike Aeris. I am so going to hell for this post aren't I?

In all seriousness I hope he makes a full recovery.
I think we should use Esuna or a Remedy just to make sure. Who knows what the guy might be afflicted with, you know?

[sub][sub]I'm sorry God. Please have mercy on my soul.[/sub][/sub]

Anyway, I really hope he turns out okay. I'm not much of a fan of FFXI, but I can't deny that he made a truly successful game. Here's to hoping he can make more of them.