Happenings Square-Enix's Naoki Yoshida no longer on Board of Directors

[Ebicentre]

From Automaton Media (archive):

The official Square Enix company overview still lists Yoshida as a director at the time of writing, but their latest announcement from February 27, 2025, lists him only as an executive officer, suggesting a demotion from the position.

However, there is a fair chance that Yoshida may have stepped down of his own volition. Although he landed the promotion thanks to his huge contribution to Final Fantasy XIV’s success, he didn’t particularly like the role. In 2023, he reportedly told Dutch publication NRC that “I don’t want to be on the board, it’s much more fun to just make games.” (via Dot Esports) Apparently, Yoshida even tried to resign from the role of executive director back then, but Square Enix did not allow it. In this case, his new change in rank may actually mean he finally got his way, although it’s all conjecture at this point.

I think YoshiP losing some of the power he held won't bode well for Square-Enix going forward, especially after a recent interview with Naoki Hamaguchi declaring the company's intent to appeal to the Modern Audience™ (archive). YoshiP was probably the only man in the room who adamantly defended FFXVI's all-white cast of characters - a very big no-no in the gaming industry today - but I guess that won't be happening again any time soon.

 

[Rama]

I’m not sure I’d miss him. Just started FF16 and the western/global dick riding is palpable, even if it’s not DEI related.

Apparently, he wanted to make Final Fantasy Game of Thrones and you can really tell. I actually only watched GOT last year and some scenes feels like they’re ripped straight out of the show. Clive is John Snow. There’s also the favorite crippled little brother and evil (step?) mother, etc. The problem is everything is a weird mix of Japanese people writing how they think westerners act but only superficially because the writers are still Japanese at core. Phoenix Gate was supposed to be the big opening that motivates you but I felt NOTHING. It looks good but doesn’t land well emotionally. If you like it then congrats, you are the global audience they’re making this for.

Character’s design is also very one-sided. The men look handsome with distinct features but the women look like they lack details in their face as if not to offend any western feminist who can’t compete with fictional women. Benedikta's got that westerner nose you see in anime. Jill is the main heroin yet she looks like an NPC and just follows you around silently. She is also literally covered from neck to toe and makes all other FF heroines look like sluts in comparison. Or maybe they want a lot of women to play this so they make her a plain jane like those otome game protagonists.

All the women are covered up with 1 cup size that’s a match for Veilguard’s “realistic standards”. Even the prostitutes only show shoulders. Also, nobody got any cleavage. Like, they tried making you think there are but 95% of the B/C-cups on screen are just covered up. This is done on purpose. It’s the same as what they did to Himeko in Honkai Star Rail. Woman’s got G-cups but her tits look flat as hell, there’s just not any depth to her cleavage. Maybe there’ll be a sexy woman later but I doubt it. If they don’t make the villainous slut femme fatale going around sleeping with everyone looks sexy then who else?

In contrast the men are wearing skin tight leather showing chest hair. Clive is handsome alright but everyone makes passes at him, both men and women. It’s like they want us to know how it feels to be cat called. Also, after a big battle your ally just threw you naked in prison for NO reason?!? He was clearly wearing clothes lying on the ground but just wake up naked and chained to the wall. Why? It’s one thing during the GOT style sex scenes where both people are naked but this trend of showing naked men butt randomly is very western. It’s normal in western games but all the Japanese games I played growing up would cover them up because they know 95% of players are dude and don’t want to see that shit. So now that they’re trying to appeal to western faggots and females it’s fair game?

TLDR: Anyway, I don’t like how this guy handled FF16. I could smell the westernization since the first trailer and the more I play the more I’m vindicated. Give me a FF that’s made by Japanese for Japanese taste because that’s what I became a fan for.

 

[spectresofmercury]

I remember once upon a time ago, many people who were/are into ffxiv were simping him so much i only honestly really heard about him, after some gizmodo urinalist iirc was, weirded out over a fucking convention, like yeah i am not into conventions at all either but good lord on the flipside of things, the fuck you expected its supposed to be a fan convention for ffxiv fans you fucking ignoramus hyena. :/

But yeah, he's pretty much honestly a people pleaser one of the worst types of personality one could have just catering to a wide margin that could never be pleased or should ever be focued on pleasing at all whatsoever, and he like pretty much the rest of square enix and yes that does include nomura too are so beyond cooked from the unrealistic expectations of sales,modern audience dei slop apeasement and ofc the history of mismangment of resources and communication its just inevitable they'll end up literally final of the final fantasies one day.

 

[Ebicentre]

But yeah, he's pretty much honestly a people pleaser one of the worst types of personality one could have just catering to a wide margin that could never be pleased or should ever be focued on pleasing at all whatsoever

I think you're right about that. YoshiP is definitely a people pleaser.