Visions of Mana Director Joins Square Enix

Following the launch of Visions of Mana in August 2024, director Ryosuke Yoshida has revealed that he has left Ouka Studios in favor of joining its publisher, Square Enix. Besides handling the publishing duties for Visions of Mana, the Japanese gaming giant also owns the rights to the long-running IP.

After four years of development, Visions of Mana, the long overdue mainline game to succeed 2006’s Dawn of Mana, rolled out to a fairly positive reception on August 29, 2024. The fantasy game follows the story of Val and his companions as they embark on a journey to the mystical Mana Tree, facing various challenges along the way. Although Visions of Mana fared generally well, rumors quickly emerged of parents NetEase and Tencent shutting down Ouka Studios right around the time of the action game’s launch. Now, the director behind the latest entry in the Mana series has shed light on his own departure from the company.

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Ryosuke Yoshida recently made his departure from Visions of Mana developer Ouka Studios public on Twitter. The Japanese game industry veteran, who joined the NetEase-owned studio as Senior Game Designer before being promoted to Game Director, revealed that he left his former employer on October 31. Starting in December, Yoshida joined Square Enix, the owner of the Mana franchise. In his announcement, the Visions of Mana director gave his thanks to his Ouka Studios team and to NetEase, calling his tenure “a very good experience.” Moreover, the Dragon Quest developer’s newest major recruit shared his goal of making “a game that many people can enjoy” working for his new company.

Visions of Mana Director Brings a Wealth of Experience to Square Enix

With Ryosuke Yoshida joining its ranks, Square Enix has gained a key addition who brings over 15 years of industry experience to the table. Before working at Ouka Studios, the Tokyo-based game director honed his craft at highly popular Japanese publisher Capcom for over a decade. Notably, he contributed to established franchises, such as Devil May Cry and Lost Planet, during his time there. Given Square Enix’s own catalog of major IPs, including Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts, there are some promising possibilities for Yoshida in his new job.

Currently, Square Enix has multiple projects in different stages of progress. These highly anticipated titles range from Dragon Quest 1 and 2 HD-2D Remake to the recently delayed Kingdom Hearts mobile game. Among them, the most anticipated game is arguably the final entry in the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy, which is expected to hit the shelves in a few years.

Visions of Mana is a brand new title in this series revolving around the sacred sword and mana. The protagonist Val and his childhood friend Hinna, the newly appointed Alm of Fire, set off on a journey to the Mana Tree.

This game’s iconic vibrant and vast semi-open field contains adorable yet ferocious monsters, allowing you to enjoy swift three-dimensional battles using the power of the Elementals. Through adventures with friends met along the way, they start to see the truth about the world.

Must we accept our fates?

A new “Mana” tale begins here as a classic fantasy series returns to its roots.

Bold graphics full of characteristic “Mana” flair. The characters journey across a vibrant world alive with spirits.

Exploring the world: Explore the vast, semi-open world that stretches as far as the eye can see. Traverse the environment quickly and safely with new companions, the “Pikuls”.

Harness the power of the Elementals: In this game, you will fight enemies using weapons that house the power of the Elementals. Change between different classes and characters to suit your playstyle and enjoy combat that has evolved both three-dimensionally and strategically.

Franchise

Mana Series

Released

August 29, 2024

Engine

Unreal Engine 4

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

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