Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi praises AI-generated FF6 remake, faces industry backlash

Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi praises short AI-generated FF6 remake teaser, is promptly told "please stop" by SaGa creator Akitoshi Kawazu

As Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 nears completion and we continue to wonder about the long-rumoured FF9 remake, series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi has praised a teaser for a hypothetical remake of FF6. The problem is it's fully AI-generated. "What is this?! It's awesome," (translated from Japanese) Sakaguchi posted on X after watching the short concept video. Of course, his comment instantly sparked debate among fans, with the ResetEra crowd sharing reactions ranging from "daily reminder that there are people who are genuinely impressed by AI slop" to "love that AI video as a concept for what a remake could look like". Of course, you also have funnier comments: "I for one welcome our six-fingered Mash, or Sabin, or whatever." The most interesting reply came from Square veteran and SaGa creator Akitoshi Kawazu, who asked Sakaguchi to "please stop at the first line", that is, before claiming the AI slop recreation of the classic looks amazing. Regardless, we've known for a while there's interest out there in a remake of Final Fantasy 6, with Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake producer Masaaki Hayasaka personally wishing for an HD-2D treatment. Kawazu seems to agree, though he'd approach it differently. "I do think 6 is definitely suited for a 3D remake," he added after recalling a recent interaction with an American Final Fantasy fan. While some players seem to agree a FF6 remake would be interesting and many Japanese fans seem on board with the idea as presented by the AI-generated teaser, the replies to Sakaguchi perfectly encapsulate the current conversation about AI's place in game development and the conceptual phase.

Final Fantasy VI AI Remake Wins Over Series Creator In 600K+ Viewed Video, but SaGa Veteran Begs Him To Stop

Although Final Fantasy VII is widely regarded as one of the best entries in the series, if not the very best, many believe that Final Fantasy VI is on the same level, if not even better, deserving a full remake. As such, it is not surprising to see how many AI-powered remake concepts have been shared online in the past, but it is definitely surprising to see one catch the eye of the series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi. "What is this? It's amazing!" said Sakaguchi-san enthusiastically on his X profile while sharing a recent AI-powered remake concept of the game featuring the recreation of many of the most iconic sequences of the game, including Sabin suplexing the Phantom Train and glimpses from the Opera House sequence where Celes temporarily takes the place of Maria to trick Setzer into kidnapping her. The high praise from the creator of one of the most popular JRPG series of all time, however, seems to be an isolated opinion not only within the community but also among fellow developers. "No, Sakaguchi-san, please stop after the first line," replied Akitoshi Kawazu, creator of the SaGa series, who also worked on the original Final Fantasy and its sequel as a game designer. However, he believes Final Fantasy VI deserves a 3D remake. "By the way, the other day, I was chatting at a sushi restaurant with an MIT grad American who was in Shimokitazawa for tourism, and he said he likes FF6 and likes Mash. I do think 6 is definitely suited for a 3D remake." Members of the community also highlighted how something is off with this Final Fantasy VI AI remake. "I was thinking that if Square Enix remade it, Locke and Tina wouldn't have faces like this, you know," said user @yuuwa_message_M. "Details have those delicate differences that only the people who created them can make, and I think watching this made me realize that those are what create the big differences." @inchiki19790918 shares a similar sentiment. "It's amazing, but somehow it feels different from the texture when you guys were making it. It's like, metallic or something... Back then, FF had a softness to it, with warm light and darkness." As a huge Final Fantasy VI fan, I can only agree with the community. The sixth entry in the series has a very unique feel, and the original's visuals and aesthetics do a great job conveying the changes the world undergoes during the adventure, something that seems to be completely lost in this AI remake. Besides not agreeing with Sakaguchi-san on this AI remake, the consensus seems to be clear on one thing: Final Fantasy VI deserves a remake. While a decade-long undertaking like the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy is unlikely to be on the table, with the release of the third and final entry in the series looming ahead, Square Enix is likely discussing what's next for the series besides the obligatory 17th main entry in the franchise, which has yet to be formally announced.

Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi impressed by AI-remake of Final Fantasy VI

There's certainly no shortage of fake remakes on social media where someone has asked AI to create a new version of an old classic. This often results in incredibly plastic-looking and unimaginative outcomes, which has helped establish the term "AI-slop." There are, however, exceptions where it looks better. One of them is possibly a recently created AI-remake of the classic Final Fantasy VI, one of the games that fans have been most eager to see remade (with many specifically hoping for HD-2D). One person who was impressed by the result was the creator of not just Final Fantasy VI, but the entire series, Hironobu Sakaguchi. Although the short video definitely contains those typically over-the-top signs of AI-generated art and stolen assets (Kefka suddenly looks like the Arkham Joker), Sakaguchi writes (translated by Grok): "What is this!? It's awesome!" Another Final Fantasy veteran, however, wasn't quite as impressed. Akitoshi Kawazu, perhaps best known for creating the SaGa series, seems to believe it's still just pure AI garbage and responded: "No, Sakaguchi, you should have stopped after the first sentence. Speaking of which, when I recently met an American with a degree from MIT who was sightseeing in Shimokitazawa and we started talking at a sushi restaurant, he said he liked FF6 and that he liked Mash. I agree that 6 is really suited for a 3D remake." You can check out the video below. What do you think? Would you have wanted to play a Final Fantasy VI that looked like this, or is it just your average boring and uninspired AI?

'I Just Kind of Intuitively Reacted to the Potential' -- Final Fantasy Creator Hironobu Sakaguchi Addresses Backlash for Sharing AI Final Fantasy 6 Remake Video

Final Fantasy series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi has addressed the backlash against his positive reaction to an unofficial, AI-generated video for a Final Fantasy 6 remake. On May 18, Sakaguchi retweeted the AI-generated video on his official X account, below, reacting with: "What is this?! It's amazing!" The mock trailer shows the main cast (plus villain Kefka) in current-gen graphics and covers iconic moments from FF6 such as the opera scene, Terra's Esper transformation, and even Sabin suplexing a train, plus gameplay-like scenes of Terra walking through various towns and overworlds in a style similar to recent RPGs like Square Enix's Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy. Although the AI video stirred up nostalgia and hopes of a modern 3D remake for the SNES classic, many commenters criticized Sakaguchi's positive reaction. "Are you really praising something that was made without permission using generative AI?" one user reacted. Some claimed that the AI version potentially infringes on copyright in multiple ways, noting the use of Final Fantasy 6's logo and Terra's theme without permission). Even SaGa series creator and Square contemporary Akitoshi Kawazu, who worked with Sakaguchi on early Final Fantasy titles, weighed in, saying: "No, Sakaguchi-san, you should have stopped after the first line," suggesting a shocked "What is this?!" would have been a more suitable reaction from the father of Final Fantasy. In the rest of his comment, Kawazu talked about his recent run-in with an American tourist who loved Final Fantasy 6 and Sabin, adding that: "I do think that 6 would be suitable for a remake." In a follow-up tweet, Sakaguchi expressed surprise at the attention the Final Fantasy 6 post garnered: "Whoa, what a big reaction," he said, adding: "I just kind of intuitively reacted to the potential" shown in the AI video. He explained that while he feels AI content isn't good enough to use as-is, he senses potential for interesting developments in the future. "After all, I'm the sort of person who has been propelled through the last 40 years' work and private life solely by exciting things," Sakaguchi concluded, acknowledging how he has always been pursuing new ideas and technology, as can be seen in the Final Fantasy series' lasting influence on the RPG genre. Sakaguchi's tweet finished with a concept illustration for the Grand Staff magic research facility from his own studio's debut game, 2008's Lost Odyssey, with the creator adding that he "played around" with animating it (implying that he may have used gen AI to do so). While many commenters said they understood Sakaguchi's excitement for the potential of new technology, others still thought that as an influential figure in the games' industry, he should have acknowledged the potential copyright infringement issues that currently make AI such a controversial topic. Sakaguchi was one of the major creative forces behind the Final Fantasy franchise from FF1 through to FF10, including The Spirits Within movie. After leaving Square, he founded his own studio Mistwalker. Replaying Final Fantasy 6 is actually what inspired Sakaguchi to create his latest game, Fantasian: Neo Dimension. It remains to be seen if Square Enix ever decides to revisit FF6, but reactions to the AI video show that there are a significant number of fans of the game that would like to see it get a full 3D remake in addition to the Pixel Remaster. But will Square Enix actually do it? In 2024, Final Fantasy 6 director Yoshinori Kitase said a remake akin to that given to Final Fantasy 7 could take around 20 years to complete, noting that because of the depth of the game and the sheer amount of content and characters, it would take twice the length of Final Fantasy 7 Remake to develop and release.