While he's no stranger to the Final Fantasy name, Final Fantasy XV is the first numbered entry directed by Hajime Tabata. While visiting Square Enix's office for our May cover story on Final Fantasy XV, I sat down with Tabata to get a better sense of his thoughts on the franchise's place within the modern gaming industry. He has a shockingly blunt perspective on why fans of the series have been disappointed lately and why he hopes Final Fantasy XV reminds players of their first experiences with Final Fantasy VI or VII.

Watch the interview below to learn more from Tabata, look inside the game's development, and see exclusive new gameplay from Final Fantasy XV.

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