Even if you aren’t a fan of Final Fantasy, this video tracking the game’s origin is well worth a watch. Not only does it tell an inspiring real-life story, but it does so in the most soothing way possible. The video comes from the YouTube channel Video Game Story Time, which produces “illustrated inspirational stories” about video game development. This latest video centers on Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, who was a struggling game designer before he created one of the most influential video games of all time.
In fact, part of the reason Sakaguchi named the game “Final Fantasy” is because he thought it would be his swan song. He had plans to quit the industry and become an electrical engineer instead. And because he was so convinced the project would fail, he decided to make the type of game he’d like to play, rather than an overtly commercial one. He focused on storytelling, cinematography, and customizability, drawing inspiration from pencil and paper games like Dungeons & Dragons. And his game went on to be a surprise smash hit, one that influenced role-playing games for decades to come. As the video explains, “The moral of the story is that nothing is ever over until the end. No matter how long you’ve been struggling with personal goals and challenges, don’t throw in the towel early… Fight to your last breath for the things you want in life.”