
The conventions of The Legend of Zelda series have been re-imagined on numerous occasions in recent times, so how does a new game starring Link and drawing design elements from the latest Final Fantasy game sound?
To celebrate the 600th issue of Japanese publication Dengeki PlayStation earlier this month, the magazine spoke with a number of prominent developers including Square Enix's Final Fantasy XV Director, Hajime Tabata.
When asked a question about which company’s title he would like to work on as a member of their staff, Tabata referenced one of Nintendo’s most famous franchises:
The Legend of Zelda series. I’m not quite sure why myself, but a Zelda game made with the technology and know-how of Final Fantasy XV is the game I wish to create as of this moment.
Despite the casual nature of these comments, how would you feel about the director of the latest Final Fantasy entry being part of the development process of a future Zelda title?
Also tell us in the comments if you would like to see Nintendo invite more developers to work with its key franchises, or if you would prefer it sticks to a more traditional development process.
[source nintendoeverything.com]
Comments 55
Sounds interesting
Never going to happen though. Tabata's next game is a new IP and he's the head of BD2 and a member of the Final Fantasy Committee with Toriyama, Kitase, Yoshida.
I would prefer the zelda series stayed mostly traditional. Honestly, I'm not a fan of the direction the FF series took over the past few years, with FF15 included in that.
If it was an action/turn base rpg set in the Zelda universe I would totally love that. Tecmo did a good job with Hyrule Warriors so why not let some other people give it a try?
Why not make a crossover Zelda and final Fantasy for the NX.
Might make for an interesting game.
Kingdom Hearts-style Nintendo crossover inbound?
Keep the action gameplay aspect of Zelda but making it into an RPG? I would have no qualms. Personally, I still think an Elder Scrolls fusion would work better than an FF crossover.
you know... if this could cause a chance for future FF games to be released on Nintendo... go for it.
Uh huh, so how long have you guys been working on FFversusXIII/XV again? How about NO.
As interesting as that sounds, I'd actually want to play the next Zelda before the heat death of the universe.
Zelda with Final Fantasy director involvement, yes please! Not sure for if would end up being a main installment, but an RPG spin off like Hyrule Warriors would be great. But if anything like Final Fantasy XV, its not happening anytime soon.
It would never come out
Sounds like he wants to make a zelda clone than an actual zelda game. The game he is describing is Darksiders. Just combine the combat of the new FF to Zeldaesque game and bam you have Darksiders. If they throw in a good story similar to the older FF, than you would have an amazing game. I'd be down for something like that, but I don't see anything interesting coming from the new FF, and since this guy is in charge of it, I don't think his version of Zelda would be very interesting. Bros everwhere.
If there was a real LoZ RPG, this would probably the best way to go.
Square did a great job with Super Mario (and I realized that it would be a different director, now). So, I don't know how the series has been holding up.
The Newest FF I've played was 7, and haven't actually completed one since 6/3. All I know is that Final fantasy has become more about online play, recently... Might as well play Tri-Force Heroes!
Maybe if they worked with MonolithSoft...
OMG, what a terrible idea! They should just stay away from Zelda and not pollute it with their antiquated turn-based crap.
And besides, we already have a FF-inspired Zelda-esque game: Xenoblade chronicles! And there was also The Last Story on Wii, made by an ex-FF-developer. Do we really need more of that?
@Uzuki: Ugh! Turn-based Zelda? Please no. And Hyrule Warriors was okay (though not worth 59€), but it's definitely not a Legend of Zelda game. It's still a hack & slay, like a Zelda mod for Dynasty warriors. That's okay but letting someone outside of Nintendo direct a main Zelda game is a no go in my opinion. Aonuma should always have the decision-making authority on that.
@andrew20: And how is that supposed to work? I mean storywise, how would you explain that the worlds of Zelda and FF are connected? Don't tell me there is a portal or something, that would be really lame.
Maybe a spinoff? That could be interesting.
Technology of FF15? Maybe with the NX or the successor.
If it was like the good ff and not the crap that has come out lately maybe. I would rather see the teams work together on a Zelda and Final Fantasy inspired game to be honest.
The only other team that I want to touch Zelda is the makers of Dark Souls. That could be fantastic.
@shani
FF15 ain't turned based. He wants to make one in the style and tech of FF15.
@AVahne Oh really? Sorry, my bad, then I take it back of course.
I thought FF would still employ turn-based combat. When did they get rid of it, with FF15 or before?
EDIT: Ok I found it, FF15 is in fact the only game with real time action (Active Time Battle doesn't count).
Then maybe I should take a look at the PC version of FF. Being turn-based was what always kept me from trying those games (except for FF Crystal Bearer, I actually liked that game).
EDIT²: What, it takes them 15 entries to implement real-time battle and then FFXV is the only one from the more recent ones that wasn't released on PC? In that case, Final Fantasy stays dead to me.
Square Enix was such a great developer (Deus Ex, Sleeping Dogs), what happened?
Yes. PLEASE give reprieve to Eizi Aonuma AT LEAST. Also, this would at least put the series closer to its arcade RPG roots.
Don't do it Nintendo, he just wants to steal all your secrets lol, but, to mefinal fantasy games are great achievements in look and design, but they don't play well,
if Zelda went that route, atmosphere and scale wise, maybe even cut scene wise too, and I think it should, give it to the Xenoblade people, or of course Retro Studios.
I would feel obligated to play it, but I wouldn't want to.
Too bad I can't stand turn based strategy games apart from Fire Emblem
They cant even release a FF game on a current Nintendo platform. Lame Fantasy is lame.
I'd love to have a Zelda and Final Fantasy crossover, like Hyrule Warriors, not a mainstream Zelda game, these should stay the way they are. Link riding on a Chocobo named Epona, fighting monsters and bosses in the classic FF style, all the townspeople are Moogles, buying all kinds of potions and weapons, different classes and so on and so forth. I'd prefer to keep it in a FF1-6 fashion, though.
But that's clearly not what Tabata wants to do.
Definitely not
"Here lies Link"
First thing that popped into my head.
Sure is interesting to think of though, a Zelda game like FFXV. I wonder how large a game it would be.
I would love to see a full blown Zelda x Final Fantasy game. Something similar to FF7-10, just a very deep rpg leveling system. Expand more on the Zelda/Link world lore. But keep Tetsuya Nomura and his chains and belt buckles away from the Zelda games and we should be fine.
To those whinging, you know you don't have to buy it. And just wait for Ninty to release your Zelda game
Spinoff maybe, but not a main game. Win-win for just about everybody.
I rather have him do another ip like metroid but people hate new things.
Yeah... no. Let's keep Square away from Nintendo IPs. Nintendo can make a perfectly good Zelda game themselves.
Speaking of which, still hoping that Monolith can help out with Zelda U. Given that they're probably the most experienced Nintendo-owned development studio in terms of large-scale games, I think they could contribute a lot to the game.
That idea is just terrible. So, so terrible. Why taint Zelda with the stain of Final Fantasy?
Hmm, well, I'm not a big fan of FF but if he could make a traditional Zelda game with the look and power of what I've seen so far of FF15 ,then yes please!
No.
Oh no, you don't. No! Nonononono!
Since FFX, Final Fantasy has degenerated into its own parody, with awful characters, even worse writing, and idiotic combat systems (since FFXII, that is), and now this guy wants to strangle the Zelda series into a hollow blockbuster, too! Seeing how the unbelievable mess that is FFXIII even get out on shelves, I don't wanna see them defile any other franchise in existence.
Oh wow I think a Cross over Zelda + Final Fantasy would be awesome. Heck Do IT! They can go back to the Zelda formula after or before. I think it would be a blast.
It should be Fire Emblem.
No thanks. Would not like to see an LoZ covered in j-pop and melodrama. Link would have feathered hair and jeggings, while Epona is turned into a summonable motorcycle
Uhm....no.
I like my Zelda games with a little gameplay in them.
Especially FF XV "plays" like a smartphone excuse for a battle system.
At this point, you can pair up the Zelda franchise with pretty much everything BUT Final Fantasy.
Oh how i wish that Enix would again stand on their own two feet...
That would be really cool in my opinion. I guess I can't say I would love whatever came out of such a collaboration, but it would still be incredibly interesting. An actual Zelda RPG would be really neat to see (I know there's a bit of a debate whether or not Zelda's an RPG, but I don't really think it is).
And honestly, to the people saying "NO NO NO OMG FINAL FANTASY IS SHOOOO BAAAAHD!!!" I don't really like 'modern' Final Fantasy either, but it's not like it would be a mainline game. It's not like the "Zelda" name isn't already tainted anyway, what with the CD-i games. The name "Zelda" isn't pure, so why not just give this crazy idea a go? Nintendo themselves have realized for years now that the Zelda "formula" has gotten stale anyway.
I think a Zelda RPG would be cool. Nobody would have thought the Mario universe would make a good setting for an RPG series but it did.
A Final Fantasy x Zelda spin off yes I would be up for that but not as a main Zelda title tho.
Yesh everyone calm down. It's not the end of the world if the Zelda series decided to step out of it's comfort zone every once in a while. Not saying it has to be a turn base that focus on Link and Zelda, But what if it focused on a new set of characters that was based around the Zelda lore. I LOVE the Zelda series, but I'm ok if Nintendo decides to break the monotony of their franchises here and there. Remember Mario Rpg? I'm sure if the Internet was around then people would have been losing their minds! "Ewww turn base combat? That's not my Mario game!", "NINTENDO STOP RUINING MY CHILDHOOD WITH THIS TRASH!", "That's it, I'm done supporting Mario games." etc, etc. It's ok to change the formula every now and again. I'm sure some people would like to do other things other than get Master Sword, complete the seven temples, defeat Gannon, End.
Seeing as FF has completely SUCKED since the year 2000......NO. Zelda remains one of the last pure game series around.
Alternative Headline: Current Final Fantasy Director would like a chance to mess up the Zelda series.
Translation: Final Fantasy isnt as great as it once was. By referencing the Zelda series and saying good things maybe we can fish out some of their fans
After gimmicky Skyward Sword, ho-hum Triforce Heroes and 3 remakes, I would gladly welcome some outside help to rejuvenate the flagging Zelda series.
As long as they keep putting put new core 1st party Zelda games every couple years, I'm ok with spin offs. Hyrule warriors was an unexpected surprise. A Zelda themed ff game could def be awesome too. But it will happen the day they realize that ffvii just needs an hd port...
I don't have a problem with this. It COULD, in theory, bring more, different fans in and increase the franchises popularity. It COULD also, however, do the complete opposite but hey, that's how all games go nowadays.
Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes YES YES a Square-Enix-made Zelda game? Make it happen right now please.
I don't know how much power this guy has over Final Fantasy, but everything I've read so far about XV has made me lost interest. All Male Party? Pass... Dudebro storyline? Pass. Having to keep a car gassed and maintained or you have to push it across a massive overworld? Pass. Lets cut out all the iconic monsters because it does not fit the theme of the game? Pass Yet another radically overhauled and changed battle system that is even worse then Final Fantasy XIII's? Pass.... Oh, and they also decided to keep the mechanic where if the party leader bites it, you lose automatically. Again, Pass
Its, Final Fantasy XV is not what I want from a Final Fantasy game. And to be blunt, the series has been lost ever since X.
So no, I don't want him anywhere neat Zelda, because Zelda itself has become more gimmicky and less fun since Twilight Princess.
I agree Zelda needs a new perspective, but the current director of Final Fantasty is not it.
Now, if the Dragon Quest team wants to take a crack at Zelda, I would welcome that. The Dragon Quest team seems to be the only ones that can make a new game that does not drive off their older fans.
Screw Final Fantasy XV, I'll be getting Dragon Quest XI
i want to know who at square worked on Super Mario RPG Legend of the seven stars. i want an actual true sequel. that SNES game is my favorite square soft title. I will never abandon my SNES my favorite console of all time well 2D console.
Hmm, it could work. A fresh take-on Zelda. The Capcom Zelda's (ages, seasons, Minish) where also awesome!
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