Many gamers (like yours truly) have long bemoaned the current trend of turning every franchise into a battle royale title. It seems like nothing is sacred anymore because now the unlikeliest iconic JRPG game series might soon be dipping its toes into the overcrowded pool of battle royales.

A Final Fantasy battle royale game.

In an interview with Gamespot in Japan, Final Fantasy XIV Online director Naoki Yoshida revealed that he’s interested in developing a battle royale game as he has some “ideas” that could supposedly innovate the genre currently dominated by the likes of Apex Legends and Fortnite.

“I would like to make a battle royale game. I have some ideas to do that. I have some ideas to make that type of game fun. As an online game designer, I would like to make an MMORPG from scratch without any limitations or restrictions.

Removing all those kind of restrictions, I would like to make one MMORPG that fits the current trend before I die. I would also like [to play] Diablo 4.”

Besides a battle royale game, Yoshida wishes to develop an MMO free from restrictions and limitations, which probably means something truly original and not set in confines of the Final Fantasy franchise. Just like Blizzard fans around the world, he also wants to play the still-elusive Diablo 4 (which has yet to be officially announced).

As horrifying as a Final Fantasy battle royale sounds, we do already have a Final Fantasy fighting game in the form of Dissidia Final Fantasy NT, though I wouldn’t exactly call that game ‘great’. In addition, Yoshida didn’t clarify whether his battle royale game will be set in the Final Fantasy franchise, which means we’re all probably safe for now.

Final Fantasy XIV Online is still going strong, with another highly-anticipated expansion coming out later this year. Read the full story here. With that in mind, it’s unlikely that Yoshida would realistically have actual plans for a Final Fantasy battle royale game.

Or does he?