Final Fantasy XIV producer Naoki Yoshida has seemingly been removed from Square Enix's list of its board of directors, suggesting that he's either been removed from the post or that he's voluntarily stepped down.
As spotted by the folks at Automaton Media, a recent Square Enix announcement regarding a change in executive structure names Yoshida as an executive officer rather than a director, although he's still listed as a director on the company's official executive list.
While it's possible Yoshida has been demoted to executive officer rather than executive director, it's also possible he's finally been allowed to step down; he said back in 2023 that he "[doesn't] want to be on the board" and that "it's much more fun just to make games".
If Yoshida has indeed been demoted against his will, it may well have something to do with the fact that one of the games in which he was heavily involved, 2023's Final Fantasy XVI, underperformed compared to Square Enix's expectations.
However, it's also worth noting that Final Fantasy XIV's most recent expansion Dawntrail, along with Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remaster, contributed to a softening of what might otherwise have been a rough quarter for Square Enix.
Of course, it's entirely possible that the situation is a mixture of both; Yoshida wanted to step down, and thanks to the lackluster performance of Final Fantasy XVI, he was allowed to do so.
Since there hasn't been any kind of official announcement from either Yoshida or Square Enix specifically regarding his change in role, it's hard to say, but I'm sure Yoshida is much happier away from the board.
As for what's next for Yoshida, he and the Final Fantasy XIV development team are currently working on the game's next major patch, which is set to bring a new dungeon, new raid bosses, and more later this month.
