Hiroshi Minagawa

Hiroshi Minagawa
Born 1970
Nationality Japanese
Occupation Director and art director of video games at Square Enix.

Hiroshi Minagawa (皆川 裕史 Minagawa Hiroshi?) is a Japanese game director and game artist who has been working for Square Enix since 1995. Prior to working for Square Enix, he worked for Quest Corporation.

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Biography

He is best known as the art director of Final Fantasy Tactics and the art director and character model supervisor of Vagrant Story. He became the co-director of Final Fantasy XII (with Hiroyuki Ito) when Yasumi Matsuno, the original producer and co-director, left Square Enix during the development of the game due to sickness.[1] Minagawa also served as the game's visual designer and character texture supervisor. Minagawa and Matsuno remain close friends and keep in regular contact despite Matsuno no longer working for Square Enix. They recently worked together on Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together for the PSP.

In December 2010, it was announced that he had been brought into the development team of Final Fantasy XIV.[2] This happened because the development team of Final Fantasy XIV was restructured due to the negative reception of the initial Windows version.[2] The new director, Naoki Yoshida, specifically asked Minagawa to join the team and help with the improvement of the game.[3]

Game design philosophy

When directing a video game, Hiroshi Minagawa creates using the mentality of what it would be like to experience the game as a player.[4] He also cares more about the reception of his games from critics and players than than how much they sell.[4]

Works

Game Released System(s) Credit(s)
Magical Chase 1991 PC Engine, TurboGrafx-16 Art director, game designer
Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen 1993 Super Nintendo Entertainment System Art director, main graphics design, visual effects
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together 1995 Super Nintendo Entertainment System Art director, main graphics design, visual effects
Final Fantasy Tactics 1997 PlayStation Art director, event director
Vagrant Story 2000 PlayStation Art director, character model supervisor, menu & layout artistic supervisor
Final Fantasy IX 2000 PlayStation Special thanks
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2003 Game Boy Advance Artistic supervisor
Final Fantasy XII 2006 PlayStation 2 Director, visual designer, character texture supervisor
Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings 2007 Nintendo DS Special thanks
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions 2007 PlayStation Portable Supervisor, art director, event director
Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System 2007 PlayStation 2 Director, visual designer, character texture supervisor
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift 2007 Nintendo DS Visual design supervisor
Final Fantasy XIII 2009 PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 Crystal Tools development staff
Final Fantasy XIV 2010 Windows, PlayStation 3 (Since December 2010) Lead UI designer, lead web designer[2]
Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together 2010 PlayStation Portable Director, artistic supervisor

References

  1. ^ Hirohiko Niizumi (1 August 2005). "FFXII producer steps down". GameSpot. http://uk.gamespot.com/news/2005/08/01/news_6130121.html. Retrieved 20 March 2011. 
  2. ^ a b c "An Important Announcement for FINAL FANTASY XIV Fans". FINAL FANTASY XIV, The Lodestone, Square Enix Co., Ltd. 10 December 2010. http://lodestone.finalfantasyxiv.com/pl/topics/detail?id=c499e4c5df4f3f0fde1fb47a28574cb9c3991c9f. Retrieved 17 March 2011. 
  3. ^ "プレイヤーとの約束は必ず守ります。新体制への刷新が行われた「FINAL FANTASY XIV」緊急インタビュー。FFXIVを託された吉田氏はどんな人物なのか". 4Gamer. 28 December 2010. http://www.4gamer.net/games/092/G009287/20101226004/. Retrieved 18 March 2011. 
  4. ^ a b Lauren Wainwright (17 January 2011). "Interview: Tactics Ogre director Hiroshi Minagawa". vg247. http://www.vg247.com/2011/01/17/interview-tactics-ogre-director-hiroshi-minagawa/. Retrieved 17 March 2011. 

External links