Final Fantasy Composers Urge a Return to Distinctive Game Music

A cinematic turning point for game music

In a roundtable interview published in Famitsu issue 1969, veteran composer Nobuo Uematsu and Hitoshi Sakimoto, who will contribute to the upcoming JRPG Eternal Anima, discussed how video game soundtracks have evolved from chiptune-era limits to large-scale orchestral production. Uematsu said the move from the Super Nintendo era into the PlayStation era raised expectations quickly, as developers began asking composers for music with a film-like scale.

The risk of interchangeable scores

Uematsu believes that modern game music has benefited from richer arrangements and broader orchestral language, but that the same Hollywood-style ambitions can make soundtracks feel alike. He described a period when composers had to adapt to current trends, understand orchestration, and meet a new level of production value in order to remain competitive.

His main concern is that, when intensity becomes the default, individual works can become harder to separate from one another by overall feel alone. He suggested that creators should make their own musical quirks and personal identity more visible rather than relying only on conventional blockbuster scoring.

Sakimoto agreed that originality remains essential, even inside a project with fixed goals or creative boundaries. He described the challenge of working within constraints as part of what makes composition interesting, and noted that he has long been asked to write orchestral pieces and has studied film scores to do so effectively.

A call for personal musical identity

Both composers encouraged aspiring game composers to build a distinctive voice. Sakimoto said that developing individuality is a matter of discipline and involves doing things that set a composer apart, not merely mastering instruments, software, or harmony.

Uematsu added that creators should remember the music that first moved them and the desire that led them to composing. Rather than chasing every trend, he urged composers to keep pursuing the sound they genuinely love, believing that that pursuit can eventually shape a recognizable artistic identity.

Eternal Anima release details

Eternal Anima is scheduled for release on March 3, 2027 for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X, and PC via Steam. Both Uematsu and Sakimoto will contribute to the game's soundtrack.