- Legendary Square Enix developer says gamers don’t want to play as an ugly protagonist.
- He designs his characters in a way that makes them look cool and have a distinct personality.
- Going too eccentric with the character designs can be bad, too, so caution is a must.
Ever since the inception of DEI companies like Sweet Baby Inc., we’ve seen some weird character designs. However, Square Enix is one of the companies that has stayed away from this and has had their unique and cool-looking character designs.
Why it matters: The forced inclusivity in video games has sometimes forced characters to look downright ugly. This doesn’t sit well with the audience.
Young Jump interviewed legendary Square Enix game developer Tetsuya Nomura about his unique character designs and the thought process that goes towards developing them, particularly the recent Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
Nomura explained that when he was in school, a classmate was playing a game and complaining about an ugly protagonist. This had a lasting impression on him, so he now focuses on making his characters cool and attractive.
my friend said, “Why does he have to be ugly in the game world?” and that really made an impression on me (laughs)
-Tetsuya Nomura
However, he certainly practices caution with the design as well. If it is too ambitious or adventurous, it wouldn’t fit the gist of the game and would feel extremely out of place. The design should always be inviting and welcoming for the player.
The approach is very clear if you look at Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Nomura says this was the first time he created all the characters and their personalities. So, yes, they are a bit eccentric, but each has their unique personality.
Final Fantasy games have had a unique character identity for a very long time. We’ve seen the identity spread throughout their games ever since the 90s.
Games like Stellar Blade and Bayonetta also saw a surge in popularity mainly because of their main characters. Unfortunately, in the name of inclusivity, most companies are messing up character designs.
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News Reporter
Abdullah is an avid gamer who primarily plays single-player titles. If you can’t find him anywhere, he’ll probably be at his desk playing The Witcher 3 for the millionth time. When he isn’t playing games, he’s either reading or writing about them.
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