Square Enix is heading to PAX West 2025 with developers from Creative Studio III, including Final Fantasy XIV producer and director Naoki Yoshida, Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles director Kazutoyo Maehiro, and art director Hiroshi Minagawa. The company said special guests will also be in tow but wants to keep them a surprise. At PAX West, Square Enix will host three panels, along with the Square Enix Community Night on August 30 from 7:00 to 10:00 PM Pacific. The location will be announced via Eventbrite, and all three aforementioned team members will be present.
The first panel, Storytime with Naoki Yoshida, takes place on August 29 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM Pacific at the Main Theatre. Yoshida will share his experiences as a game developer, along with his thoughts on the evolution of the games industry and how it has affected projects he’s worked on. He will also be present on August 30 from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM Pacific at the Main Theatre for The Relationship Between Game Design and Art Direction with Naoki Yoshida and Hiroshi Minagawa. The two will discuss the importance of art direction and design in world-building, sharing their inspirations, experiences, and creative processes.
The final panel, The Making of Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles, takes place on August 30 from 2:00 to 3:00 PM Pacific at the Blue Dragon Theatre. The panel includes game director Kazutoyo Maehiro and art director Hiroshi Minagawa and is hosted by none other than Ben Starr, who played Clive Rosfield in Final Fantasy XVI. It will cover how the team brought this new version of a classic to life, with behind-the-scenes stories about its development. Attendees will receive a special Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles pin.
Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles is a long-awaited remaster of one of the most beloved strategy RPGs of all time. Set to launch on September 30, the enhanced version adds fully voiced dialogue, an optimized and updated UI, graphical improvements, and numerous quality-of-life features.
