Square Enix's Next-Gen Project Moving Into Large Scale Development (Likely an MMO)

PCGamer reported yesterday that Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki Yoshida's "next generation project" has finished early development and is moving towards large scale development. While there's no word on exactly what this "next generation project" is, many have speculated that it will be the next Square Enix MMO because the same team responsible for this new title sent out a survey asking Final Fantasy XIV players what they wanted to see in the next Final Fantasy MMO.

The studio behind the new project is the company's "3rd Development Headquarters", which is responsible for Final Fantasy XIV. The 3rd Development recruitment page reads "This project has already finished its initial development, has finished developing its development environment, and is now shifting to a full-scale large-scale development phase."

Perhaps a new Final Fantasy MMORPG? Or something else? Either way, I'm excited to learn more. Perhaps we'll hear something at E3 in June, 2019.

Hot take: I think this new next gen project will be a mobile MMORPG set in the Final Fantasy universe. One reason people are speculating this project won't be a successor to Final Fantasy XIV is because of previous comments from Naoki Yoshida not wanting to compete with their own game with another MMORPG. A mobile MMORPG wouldn't compete with Final Fantasy XIV and still fits the timeline regarding a new Final Fantasy MMO from last year's survey.

Source: Further Discussion (Reddit), PCGamer, Square Enix Job Recruitment Page for 3rd Development