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Luminous Productions’ next-generation AAA project is planned to be as big as Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, as confirmed in an interview with studio head Takeshi Aramaki.
Luminous Productions is a subsidiary studio established by Square Enix, comprised of the development team behind Final Fantasy XV. As the game runs on its Luminous Engine, the studio supported Final Fantasy XV as well as progressing with this undisclosed new AAA project. Hajime Tabata, the former studio head, resigned from Luminous Productions and Square Enix last year but this hasn’t slowed it down, as stated in the interview with Aramaki.
‘To launch a new studio to do AAA-scale development for a global audience, and even a brand new IP at that – it’s not often that we get to take on a big challenge like this,’ Aramaki explained, adding that the studio’s expertise lies in its technology and its art direction. ‘I’m confident that Luminous Productions’ technological capabilities can definitely hold their own against other studios around the world that also possess a high level of technological aptitude. We are one of the very few studios capable of creating a large-scale open-world title, in Japan or in the world.’
Luminous Productions has multiple projects in the pipeline, but the next-generation AAA game is its top priority. ‘The team with the largest number of staff assigned is the development of the next-generation AAA-scale game title for a brand new IP,’ said Aramaki. ‘As we all know, Square Enix has a number of popular titles under their belt like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest; Luminous Productions’ mission is to develop a new title that’s on the same playing field as those titles.’
A daunting challenge, given the massive success of these franchises, but Aramaki believes that the studio can take up the gauntlet. ‘It might sound a bit overboard if I say to “deliver a brand new gaming experience across the world,” but that’s actually how I feel,’ he stated. ‘My lifelong dream ever since I joined Square Enix has been to create a game that can stand as an equal with existing titles that are loved around the world like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. So I certainly hope to make that dream come true here at Luminous Productions.’
Former Dragon Quest Builders director Kazuya Niinou has collaborated with Japanese publisher Type-Moon to establish a new studio focusing on 2D and 3D titles from the Type-Moon catalogue. In addition, Square Enix has experienced repeated death threats in separate instances, and cancelled Starwing Paradox tournaments in response.
