Chocob-oh my. Big news from Japan this morning, as Square Enix’s own Shinji Hashimoto announced his retirement on Twitter at the age of 64.
皆様、お疲れ様です。本日5月31日（火）をもちまして定年退職することになりました。在職中は多方面の皆々様方々には大変お世話になりました。これからは、一スクエニファンとして応援させて頂きたいと思います。本当にありがとうございました。 pic.twitter.com/yIj89uvh8x
— shinji hashimoto (@shinjihashimot3) May 31, 2022
Hashimoto has been at Square since 1995, where he became producer and executive producer on a huge array of Square titles, particularly the Final Fantasy series, which he served as brand manager of for over ten years. He was also an executive officer on the board of directors and the head of Business Division 3 for six years. He was also the executive in the now-famous anecdote who got into an elevator with a Disney higher-up and chatted with him until they conceived of what would ultimately become Kingdom Hearts.
橋本さん、おつかれさまでした！@shinjihashimot3 pic.twitter.com/eSX8vLoKks
— 板鼻利幸 Toshiyuki Itahana (@ItahanaT) May 31, 2022
Hashimoto’s retirement has drawn thanks and congrats from multiple industry members and fans, including Masahiro Sakurai. His departure will undoubtedly change the shape of the Final Fantasy series and more going forward, and we’ll have to see what comes of it.
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Written by Amelia Fruzzetti
A writer and Nintendo fan based in Seattle, Washington. When not working for NinWire, she can be found eating pasta, writing stories, and wondering about when Mother 3 is finally going to get an official localization.
