Motomu Toriyama's project is more likely FFVII Remake than anything else

[Sora96 17,256]

As many people are aware, I am a massive Motomu Toriyama & Yoshinori Kitase fan. After listening to the audio drama included in Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster in April 2014 I believed an exciting return to Spira was inevitable following that and the X-2.5 novella. While I still believe there's a good chance of it occurring one day as a game or movie I do not believe it was the project Motomu Toriyama stated he was hard at work on in December 2014. And there are various reasons for this.

 

#1

Motomu Toriyama said "I am currently working hard on the next project.

We will be able to announce it in 2015, so please look forward to that!"

 

Never once does he say he's actually directing the project, just that he's "currently working hard on the next project". And the choice of words "next project" make it sound like it's awhile away. Additionally, FFVII Remake is the only AAA title announced by Square Enix so far in 2015 not to have its core team announced.

 

#2

His massive impact on the original game.

 

Toriyama was responsible for some of the most famous parts in FFVII. The intro? Yep. Honey Bee Inn? Yep. Cross-dressing Cloud? Yep. The romance between Cloud & Aerith? Yep. Cloud's showing off pose? Yep. The Submarine Chase Section? Also correct. His work here set up his career and made Yoshinori Kitase assign him as event director on Final Fantasy X and one of the game's four scenario writers and soon after promoted him to director.

 

#3

That Tech Demo.

 

Motomu Toriyama was the developer of the Final Fantasy VII for PS3 Tech Demo shown at E3 2005.

 

#4

The game holds a special place in his heart.

 

#5

Motomu Toriyama & Yoshinori Kitase talked about an FFVII remake on a personal level before it happened.

 

#6

In 2010, Toriyama famously and excitedly responded to Siliconera about which Final Fantasy game he'd want to remake the most.

 

"[Laughs.] That would be Final Fantasy VII!

 

If we had the manpower and the time to work on a project, if we were to remake Final Fantasy VII with the quality of Final Fantasy XIII it would become a tremendous project. If we can get the number of people we need by all means that would be the one I would really want to remake."

 

#7

Toriyama seemed to disagree with then-Square Enix president Yochi Wada's comments about not remaking VII until they had made a game that exceeded VII's quality.

 

“As a creator, there’s a bit in there that I can’t agree with.”

 

#8

Final Fantasy VII Remake began development in early 2014 after the Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII team returned from overseas promotion and break. Shinji Hashimoto revealed in December 2014 that members of the Lightning Returns team were moved onto Final Fantasy XV & Final Fantasy XIV, Motomu Toriyama was not among them.

 

#9

Motomu Toriyama revealed he is in Business Division 1 in an interview with Famitsu shortly before FFVII Remake begun development. Mobius Final Fantasy & Final Fantasy VII Remake both began development in early 2014. It seems unlikely they'd want to start development of another project when they have two projects already in development and neither about to release, and additionally, the amount of staff in Business Division 1 does not appear to be that much.

 

His most likely role appears to be Event Director, his original main role on Final Fantasy X and the next step up from his main role on the original Final Fantasy VII. Other possible roles include other cutscene/scenario-related roles such as assisting with the scenario and possibly co-director since Tetsuya Nomura usually has a co-director and Motomu Toriyama is the most experienced AAA director at Square Enix.