Clair Obscur devs meet Square Enix, fueling combat debate

Developers from Sandfall Interactive traveled to Square Enix headquarters for discussions with the Final Fantasy development team. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi documented the meeting through social media, sharing photographs of both teams beside a Cloud Strife promotional figure. The groups participated in collaborative discussions about creative approaches and game design philosophies during their time together. This encounter has sparked speculation among fans about potential changes to Square Enix combat systems, particularly regarding turn-based mechanics that recent Final Fantasy entries have abandoned. Producer Naoki Yoshida previously argued that advancing visual fidelity creates challenges for traditional turn-based systems, yet titles like Clair Obscur and Baldur's Gate 3 demonstrate continued market demand for such gameplay approaches.