Final Fantasy Creator Hironobu Sakaguchi Addresses Backlash for Sharing AI Final Fantasy 6 Remake Video

Final Fantasy Creator Hironobu Sakaguchi Addresses Backlash for Sharing AI Final Fantasy 6 Remake Video

Editorial callout

""I just kind of intuitively reacted to the potential.""

Updated : May 19, 2026 5:20pm UTC

Final Fantasy series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi has addressed the backlash against his positive reaction to an unofficial, AI-generated video for a Final Fantasy 6 remake.

On May 18, Sakaguchi retweeted the AI-generated video on his official X account, below, reacting with: “What is this?! It’s amazing!”

なにコレ！？ すごいじゃん https://t.co/hSfhU9U4rA

The mock trailer shows the main cast (plus villain Kefka) in current-gen graphics and covers iconic moments from FF6 such as the opera scene, Terra’s Esper transformation, and even Sabin suplexing a train, plus gameplay-like scenes of Terra walking through various towns and overworlds in a style similar to recent RPGs like Square Enix’s Final Fantasy 7 Remake Trilogy.

Although the AI video stirred up nostalgia and hopes of a modern 3D remake for the SNES classic, many commenters criticized Sakaguchi’s positive reaction. “Are you really praising something that was made without permission using generative AI?” one user reacted. Some claimed that the AI version potentially infringes on copyright in multiple ways, noting the use of Final Fantasy 6’s logo and Terra’s theme without permission).

Even SaGa series creator and Square contemporary Akitoshi Kawazu, who worked with Sakaguchi on early Final Fantasy titles,

saying: “No, Sakaguchi-san, you should have stopped after the first line,” suggesting a shocked “What is this?!” would have been a more suitable reaction from the father of Final Fantasy. In the rest of his comment, Kawazu talked about his recent run-in with an American tourist who loved Final Fantasy 6 and Sabin, adding that: “I do think that 6 would be suitable for a remake.”