State of the Arc Podcast

Why did Hironobu Sakaguchi leave Squaresoft in 2001? People have long held the answer to be the movie Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. However, that makes no sense. Think about it. Sakaguchi was their best game producer. Why demote him for a movie that flopped? Why not just put him back in charge of games which he is obviously VERY good at and is the company's central product? We tackle these questions and tell the real reason why Sakaguchi left Squaresoft after being removed from his top position over gaming content.

Afterwards, we eat English candy and talk about the Hitoshi Sakimoto concert! Thanks to all who came, it was a huge success!

**Listen On Spotify**: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gIzzvT3AfRHjGlfF8kFW3

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**Listen On iTunes**: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/state-of-the-arc-podcast/id1121795837

**Listen On Pocket Cast**: http://pca.st/NJsJ

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Sometimes the most compelling villains are the ones who correctly identify a real problem: a collapsing society, a broken system, an impossible moral dilemma, or a truth the hero would rather avoid. In this episode, we look at four video game villains who may have been right in their diagnosis—but heinously wrong in their prescription.

Time Codes:
1. Intro (0:00)
2. Metal Gear Solid 2 (3:54)
3. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (21:30)
4. NieR: Replicant (31:01)
5. Planescape Torment (41:45)

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E3 didn't go away, it still lives on in our hearts... and online thanks to all the Direct's and State of Play's and all that. Luckily all these things are coming out around the time E3 used to take place anyway, so we don't have to miss out on anything. In this episode, we give our thoughts on Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, Final Fantasy: Resonance, Persona 6, Lost Hellden, Threads of Time, Xenoblade: Genesis, Vivarium, Tales of Eternia, gen Atlas, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake and much more! Mike is currently in London awaiting the Hitoshi Sakimoto concert, so this episode was done remotely. Hope you all enjoy! What were your favorites?

Hitoshi Sakimoto Concert Details: https://www.fairfield.co.uk/events/lmp-the-colours-of-harmony-2026

**Listen On Spotify**: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gIzzvT3AfRHjGlfF8kFW3

**Listen On Soundcloud**: https://soundcloud.com/resonantarc

**Listen On iTunes**: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/state-of-the-arc-podcast/id1121795837

**Listen On Pocket Cast**: http://pca.st/NJsJ

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The Dragon Quest 40th Anniversary livestream has come and gone, and the reaction from fans has been... mixed.

After years of silence, Square Enix finally reintroduced Dragon Quest XII, but the announcement raised lots of questions. Why was the game rebuilt from the ground up? What happened during development? Could starting over actually be the best thing that ever happened to the project?

Joining me this week is Darryl from Final Fantasy Union as we discuss the Dragon Quest XII reveal, Square Enix's latest financial results, Capcom's remarkable resurgence, and the development philosophies that have separated Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy for nearly forty years.

We also dive into the development history of Chrono Trigger, the legacy of Yuji Horii and Hironobu Sakaguchi, and why some classic RPGs continue to resonate with new generations of players decades after their release.

Final Fantasy Union
https://www.youtube.com/@FinalFantasyUnion

Datalog
https://www.youtube.com/@thedatalog

Defenders of the Crystal Vol. 3 Kickstarter
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/finalfantasyunion/the-defenders-of-the-crystal-an-encyclopedia-of-jobs?ref=b0ixah

Hitoshi Sakimoto 40th Anniversary Concert
https://www.fairfield.co.uk/events/lmp-the-colours-of-harmony-2026

#DragonQuest #DragonQuestXII #JRPG #ChronoTrigger #FinalFantasy #SquareEnix #StateOfTheArc #ResonantArc

Time Codes:
1. Intro (0:00)
2. Guest Introduction (1:25)
3. Hitoshi Sakimoto Concert | Meet Up With Us! (6:03)
4. Dragon Quest 40th Anniversary Livestream Reactions (14:03)
5. Square Enix Latest Financial Report (45:52)
6. Chrono Trigger Retrospective (59:29)

What are the best RPGs for someone who has never played a JRPG before? Which games teach the foundations of the genre without overwhelming new players? And which games can genuinely turn a casual player into a lifelong fan?

We break down why games like Chrono Trigger, Dragon Quest, Pokémon Yellow, Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch, Persona 5, Golden Sun, EarthBound, Suikoden II, Super Mario RPG, and Final Fantasy IV remain some of the most approachable and emotionally resonant entry points into the genre.

Along the way, we talk about:

Why turn-based combat is NOT outdated, the hidden brilliance of abstraction in classic JRPG design, why Pokémon “hacks into the childhood psyche”, how JRPGs teach players complex systems intuitively, why nostalgia is actually a good thing, and the games we’d introduce to our own children.

Whether you’re trying to introduce a friend, spouse, or child to JRPGs for the first time, or you’re just reflecting on the games that shaped you, this was one of our favorite conversations in a long time.

#JRPG #ChronoTrigger #FinalFantasy #Pokemon #Persona5 #EarthBound #Suikoden #GoldenSun #Nintendo #RetroGaming #VideoGames #ResonantArc

Time Codes:
1. Introduction (0:00)
2. Chrono Trigger (4:09)
3. Dragon Quest (9:23)
4. Pokémon (19:19)
5. Ni No Kuni (31:30)
6. Persona 5 (43:00)
7. Golden Sun (50:05)
8. Earthbound (56:55)
9. Suikoden I & II (1:06:30)
10. Final Fantasy IV (1:17:43)

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