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Square-Enix's new CEO Takashi Kiryu appears to be a genuine Final Fantasy fan & gamer

Wrexis

Wrexis

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Nov 4, 2017
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New Square Enix CEO dunks on the teachers who told him to stop playing games: 'They would be very surprised!'

Takashi Kiryu won hearts and minds in his first public appearance.
www.pcgamer.com www.pcgamer.com

"Welcome to this celebration for Final Fantasy 16," said Kiryu. "We thank you for being a part of our show, but when I say our show I mean all this is your show. Our fans whose constant support over the years have driven our developers over the years to achieve miracles: as for me, I'm just a fan like you. A fan who is honored to serve as the new CEO of Square Enix".

Our man is just getting warmed up, and this is when you start to realise Square Enix has made a really good choice.
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"Now, I dunno how you felt when watching that trailer," said Kiryu. "But I felt like a kid again. Like a young boy in winter in 1987, who loved RPGs, who loved Dragon Quest, which came out the year before, and was amazing. I had to get my hands on the big new thing, so as a reward for helping my parents pick oranges, and after begging them for an early Christmas gift, my father bought me the very first Final Fantasy".
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A minute or two into his first big public presentation, and the crowd is already hanging on Kiryu's every word. It is abundantly clear that this is not something cobbled-together by a speechwriter, but a personal and meaningful memory for him: one that he's sharing in a room full of people who probably all have something similar in their childhoods. The crowd's beginning to cheer and applaud as he talks.

"Right off the bat, I was surprised," continued Kiryu. "No title screen! Just some story text. I started to wonder if maybe my father had bought the wrong game!
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"But I kept playing, and kept playing, and eventually I left the castle and crossed the bridge and then: the screen changed. That music, that moment, when the title appears, that surprise, that delight, is still seared into my memory.

"From then on, I was hooked. I was a Final Fantasy fan for life".
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There's lots more in the article, he keeps going. And going lol.

"Whenever a new title came out, I had to make time to play," said Kiryu. "Forget homework, forget eating, forget sleeping! I sleep in class anyway. My friends got into sports or other activities, but I was focused on games.
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platocplx

platocplx

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He seems like genuinely passionate about this stuff and I believe square is in good hands. He knows the past the company has and seems to indulge on it. tossing away the NFT ambitions aside. Overall he seems pretty cool.
 
Porygon

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Not so much of a fan if he let the mainline acclaimed RPG franchise turn into mashing square and R1 action game
 
Lt. Hannah Stone

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He had a good intro at the XVI presentation. Comes off like a really earnest and likable guy. Surprisingly young for a CEO of a major company.
 
Ovvv

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Just a CEO at the end of the day
 
antitrop

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It was pretty much the best speech he could have given, anything else would have only been worse and less likeable (more real).

And damn this thread faceplanted record fast.
 
Renteka-Bond

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Porygon said:
Not so much of a fan if he let the mainline acclaimed RPG franchise turn into mashing square and R1 action game
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As opposed to pressing Up/Down on the Dpad and hitting X? Come on bruh, I'm not even buying 16, but this does no one any good.


On topic, I hope the words are legit and not just a pandering cover story. Despite what reception would suggest, I've liked Square a lot these past few years, even if it hasn't been as profitable as they would like and I'd hate to see that 'love for FF / games' translate into less games to focus just on 'marquis' titles.
 
Gestault

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I really don't think being a hobbyist is necessary for leadership roles like his, but it's so neat when they are.
 
Lumination

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I was really taken by his passion. Hope he has his head on straight for the company and its employees.
 
brain_

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I hope he can keep that passion and turn it into some great games! 16 already seems like a banger, the 7 trilogy is my most anticipated anything, and if the other remake rumors are true then I'm definitely in for the ride.

Helix said:
and there it is, that's gotta be a new record.
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Every single time lmfao
 
OP
OP
Wrexis

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Gestault said:
I really don't think being a hobbyist is necessary for leadership roles like his, but it's so neat when they are.
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Yes I agree. Being a gamer obviously doesn't give you the skills to be a CEO but it's nice when there's a crossover.
He might be SE's first CEO that actually plays the product.
 
antitrop

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Wrexis said:
Yes I agree. Being a gamer obviously doesn't give you the skills to be a CEO but it's nice when there's a crossover.
He might be SE's first CEO that actually plays the product.
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I do remember hearing a bit about how the previous CEO was big into FFXIV (and paid his own subscription, lol).
 
Vaern

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Porygon said:
Not so much of a fan if he let the mainline acclaimed RPG franchise turn into mashing square and R1 action game
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giphy.gif
 
Bansai

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Just make sure FFIX remake happens and we'll be best parasocial buds ever. Your last name is already winning me over.
 
PepperedHam

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I don't need to add onto the quote chain that poster gets to dig through after that derail to make the point any further that it was a poopoopeepee post.

But yeah this is cool. It is always hard to know how this effects the money maker decisions down the road but it's good to know there's an actual fondness for the stuff he's in charge of. Dream come true type of stuff for the guy. Now he can just sort out how to not release every one of their smaller games right next to each other next time they've got a full lineup lol. Been happy with Square's output though personally, hope it continues.
 
Izanagi89

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Yeah I really liked him at the launch celebration. Really endearing guy. Hopeful about where he takes SE but end of the day, CEOs are CEOs.
 
Greywaren

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Having people in charge who genuinely care about the stuff they're making is usually a good thing. Let's hope he doesn't become yet another money hungry CEO and does a good job.
 
Cerulean_skylark

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I mean, yes it sounds like it.
But always be cautious about developing parasocial camraderie with CEO's....
 
Ashes of Dreams

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That post really derailed the thread lol

Anyway yeah, I watched the livestream and he seemed really genuinely excited to share how much he loved the game. I'm sure he'll piss people off eventually because he's a CEO and they do that but it was a nice moment in a nice event.
(Sadly the chat in the stream I was watching just kept spamming racist bullshit or freaking out over NFTs because they didn't know he was new)
 
Z-Brownie

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Nov 6, 2017
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This reminds me the chat between the main villain and the protagonist in ready player one where he praise him self for being a true gamer but is receiving tips from the PR on the earpod. I don't trust them.

platocplx said:
the salt will never die esp when this game will more than likely be one of the best selling ones in the franchise lol. people just gotta get over this shit lol.
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not defending but, the pre-sales are not looking good aparently
 
mael

mael

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Nov 3, 2017
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I feel like CEOs are getting better and better for Square Enix, Wada was the absolute worst, then we got the NFT moron and now this.
Like regardless of anything if he steers the company away from the last CEO's direction, company should be fine regardless of whether I particularly like their games or not.
Chances he'll support Kawazu's endeavors too.
 
Yuntu

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We need some passionate CEOs. I also liked SEs prior one (some weird business decisions aside), wonder what kinda job the new one will cosplay as for FFXIV (well I would hope he cosplays like Matsuda did at some point).

Wrexis said:
Oh wow, I didn't know that at all. Wonder if that influenced FFXIV's budget.
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He was also a boss in the Nier Automata DLC. Matsuda was a p fun guy for a CEO.
 
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