Square Enix’s Naoki Yoshida, director and producer of Final Fantasy XIV, is no longer on the company’s board of directors according to its latest published list of executives. In an announcement in late February, Square Enix president and CEO Takashi Kiryu emphasized the necessity for management restructuring in order streamline decision-making within the company.
Yoshida was first made an executive officer in 2015 after spearheading the dramatic overhaul of Final Fantasy XIV, which reshaped the once-failed MMORPG into one of Square Enix’s most successful live-service games. The company later promoted him to executive director in 2018.
Yoshida’s name is still listed in the company’s latest announcement of executive appointments as an executive officer, a role with influence but lower corporate decision-making power. However, this isn’t necessarily a sign of trouble between Yoshida and company leadership. In a 2023 interview with NRC, Yoshida stated that he never wanted an executive role at Square Enix. He even actively tried to leave his role on the board of directors, but the company wouldn’t allow it.
The management restructuring comes as part of a 3-year business plan announced by CEO Kiryu in May of 2024. The announcement highlighted a shift toward multi-platform releases, likely due to lower-than-expected sales of Final Fantasy XVI, which many industry analysts and fans speculate failed to capture a larger audience due to its exclusivity on PlayStation 5. The announcement also acknowledges its outsourced projects that performed far below initial forecasts. Recently, Square Enix’s Visions of Mana remake, developed by NetEase’s Ouka Studios, faced commercial failure, leading to the studio’s closure.
Regardless of the corporate restructuring, Yoshida remains a key figure at Square Enix. With Final Fantasy XIV continuing to break records—most recently with Dawntrail’s peak concurrent player milestone—a long-term position in the company is almost guaranteed.
