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Yoshi-P isn't quitting FF14, but if he did, he'd make a new game with all his friends
Friendship is magic.
Square Enix
- Alex Raisbeck
Published: Tuesday, 28 July 2026 at 11:29 am
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At 53 years young, Final Fantasy XIV director Yoshi-P has no interest in quitting the game, but if it came to pass, he already knows what he'd be doing next.
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The veteran director has been in charge of FF14 for more than two decades, if we go back to when the original release started development, but despite that – or perhaps because of it – Yoshi-P sees no reason to step down unless he got the boot.
"I have not once thought about retiring. If Square Enix, the company, goes to me and says 'Well, we no longer need you', then I guess I will go," he told a press conference at the recent Berlin Fan Festival.
"Because after all, I wouldn't really feel motivated to work at a place where they say that they don't need me."
He goes on to explain that, even if the unthinkable were to happen, he has no interest in stepping away from making games.
"Hypothetically speaking, if I was to leave Square Enix, right now I'm 53 and in Japan, from the age of 60 you can retire, but still, I think I would continue developing games."
"I might work with a close-knit team of my own friends, and we would gather the funds together and develop titles together."
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Returning to the question of his retirement, he cites player opinion as the only other factor that could determine his leaving FF14.
"I've previously said this to all our players, but [FF]14 really is my life's work. So, as long as the 14 players don't go and say, 'Hey, Yoshida, you've got to quit', I do intend to continue working on the title.
As much as the vast majority of the FF14 player base would be distraught to see Yoshi-P leave the game, I cannot help but mourn that we may never see the game Yoshi-P and co would have cooked up.
But that day, should it ever arrive, remains far in the future, as Yoshi-P continues to lead the FF14 team towards their next major expansion, Evercold.
It's the sixth major expansion since A Realm Reborn, with developers hard at work on content such as two new jobs, a Final Fantasy 7 crossover raid, and a major housing overhaul to name but a few things.
And from the sounds of it, Yoshi-P plans on still being around when FF14 hits its seventh expansion too.
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Authors
Alex RaisbeckGaming writer
Alex Raisbeck is a Gaming Writer at Radio Times, covering everything from AAA giants to indie gems. Alex has written for VideoGamer, GamesRadar+, PC Gamer, PCGamesN and more.
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