Ha. While I can appreciate Uematsu's decision to stick by an old colleague, the unfortunate fact is that the first true FF after Sakaguchi's departure was a masterpiece in every sense of the word, and that FF13 is now shaping up to be the genuine next-gen RPG experience both Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey failed so miserably to deliver.

More to the point, the idea that FF "belongs" to Sakaguchi is pure, misguided arrogance. On Final Fantasy, Sakaguchi was one person in a larger creative team. The idea that he deserves more credit than the guys who wrote the story, or Uematsu, or Amano, or the programmer, Nasir Gebelli, is ludicrous. The fact that the FF widely regarded as the best in the series is the first one made after he decided to distance himself from the games' development speaks volumes.

did sakuguchi leave before FFX was made?

What do you mean by "widely"? I haven't met a single person who still doesn't like either 6, 7, or 9 (this is a non intended to be an inclusive or) more than 12. It's a great game, that is all.

Also, I would like to know how FF13 is shaping up to be a genuine next-gen RPG experience. All I have seen is some pretty pictures.

I am not going to be so bold to say Sakaguchi deserves the most credit. But he has worked on all the FF except 12. All of them were good games. The only other person I know of that has worked on at least as many Final Fantasies is Uematsu. And what do you know, he is the one who said the statement in question.

defensive rant off.

"[T]he unfortunate fact is . . . that FF13 is now shaping up to be the genuine next-gen RPG experience both Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey failed so miserably to deliver."

How are any of these facts?

Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey were far from failures. They may not have been greatest RPGs, but they are amazing titles. I'd rather have an original RPG - new characters, a new locale rather than what Square Enix is currently doing with the "Compilation of Final Fantasy VII" with rehashed character storylines that are taken to the brink of its creative depth. Don't haplessly claim that Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey were failures. So was 'Dirge,' so was Final Fantasy X-2.

So what Uematsu is saying here is that Square shouldn't have continued to make games named Final Fantasy? So the games that came after Sakaguchi's which had stories, characters, battle systems, and innovations beyond anything that Sakaguchi accomplished in the past (and stuff he had nothing to do with as a producer) shouldn't have the title Final Fantasy? Like the games coming out now detract from Sakaguchi's original "masterpieces?" Wake the fuck up people. Final Fantasy is a brand. If you want a look at Sakaguchi's legacy to Square why don't you rent a copy of FF: The Spirits Within. If anything, I think Sakaguchi owes it to Square, after bankrupting their company, to let them continue making a game titled for a series that has included a large number of talented, creative individuals who deserve as much respect as him. Those people make Final Fantasy not some guy that just puts his name at the beginning of all the opening credits.

I really like the Greenbay Packers. Brett Farve threw one of the ugliest interceptions I have ever seen to lose to the Giants this year, putting the Giants in the Superbowl, not the Packers. If Brett left this year and retired, would that ugly interception be his legacy? Hell no. He would have had a long career of great playing by that point. What if the Packers lost a ton of money afterwards because they no longer had Brett to bank on? Would people be pissed at Favre? Maybe. Would they retire his jersey number with all the backlash of Brett leaving? It wouldn't surprise me if they still did.

I'm not sure that the analogy fits... Sakaguchi is more of a Drew Bledsoe -- a team that was good in spite of him and certainly better without him. At least this is the case for FFXII.

Sakaguchi is like Doug Liman with the Bourne movies. First a director and then a producer. If another Bourne movie came out without Doug Liman I don't think anyone would give a fuck as long as Matt Damon was acting and Tony Gilroy was writing.

Matt, no analogy ever fits. That is the biggest flaw with analogies, there are always things here and there that don't match exactly, and everybody has their own opinion on the subject (this case football). But having said all that, some analogies are still useful. It looks like from your responses that mine is not one of them (or it's possible you and dean are too dense for my majesty :P )

Doug Liman!? Yes, I guess that's true... who would give a shit as long as Matt Damon keeps it pretty (like Tetsuya Nomura; or that Nobuo Uematsu would write the score)?