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‘Final Fantasy’ Producer Shinji Hashimoto Retires From 30-Year Square Enix Career

Every journey comes to an end, and for long-time Square Enix executive Shinji Hashimoto, the road has been a fulfilling one. After 27 years at the company, the man announced that he’ll officially be stepping down from the job.

“Thank you, everyone. I will retire on May 31st (Tuesday) today. During my tenure, I am very grateful to all of you in various fields,” Hashimoto announced on Twitter. “From now on, I would like to support you as a Square Enix fan. I’m really thankful to you.”

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Now, I’ll be leaving the company in high spirits. But I will continue to be around and involved in entertainment, so please be assured. To everyone around the world, I hope you will continue to support Square Enix titles,” he added.

The veteran joined Square Enix back in 1995, and has gone on to serve as producer or executive producer for nearly every Final Fantasy game ever produced, including FFII, FFV, FFVII, and FFIX, along with spin-offs like Dirge of Cerberus and Crisis Core. He is also the co-creator of Kingdom Hearts, and had a hand in many of the company’s most beloved titles like Chrono Trigger and Neo: The World Ends With You. In total, he has worked on over 100 games over the course of his career.

To celebrate Hashimoto’s retirement, Square Enix illustrator Toshikyuki Itahana drew a picture of him with a Moogle and a Chocobo, both icons of the Final Fantasy franchise.

Happy retirement, Mr. Hashimoto! Over at Square Enix, Kingdom Hearts 4 and Final Fantasy XVI are currently in development.