Naoki Yoshida's passion for game development traces back to his first encounter with competitive multiplayer games, a disappointing switcheroo within a Mario Brothers setup.
In a captivating panel at PAX West's Storytime, Naoki Yoshida, the director and producer of Final Fantasy 14, reminisced about his early gaming experiences that sparked his passion for Player versus Player (PvP) gameplay.
At the tender age of ten, Yoshida was astonished when he first laid eyes on a Famicom, a home video game system, during the 1980s. His friend owned this marvel, and they spent countless hours playing multiplayer games together. Yoshida's initial interest in video games was ignited by playing Nintendo's original Mario Brothers.
Yoshida's friend allowed him to punch enemies to flip them over, while he kicked the shell off-screen. As they progressed, the roles reversed, with Yoshida kicking the enemies off-screen and his friend punching to flip them over. This early PvP gaming experience was a pivotal moment for Yoshida, sparking his interest in game design.
Fast forward to the present, and Yoshida can still be found immersed in MMOs, endlessly achievement hunting and raiding in Final Fantasy 14. He shares a soft spot for older RPGs and enjoys games with a "I can fix them" romance element. However, the author expresses disappointment when they fall for the most obvious bait in FF14's PvP mode or when their friends make mistakes during raids.
Jesse Cox, a content creator, interviewed Yoshida during the panel, delving deeper into his love for PvP gameplay. Yoshida's design philosophy for Final Fantasy 14 is such that anything can be turned into PvP if one tries hard enough, a concept that brings both laughter and a permanently clenched jaw to the author.
Outside of MMOs, Andrea Shearon, the author of this article, often plays survival-crafting games and enjoys co-op horror games. Shearon has been covering games for nearly a decade and joined the PC Gamer team in 2025.
In conclusion, Naoki Yoshida's early gaming experiences on the Famicom have shaped his career and love for PvP gameplay. His work on Final Fantasy 14 reflects this passion, offering both single-player and multiplayer experiences, including Player versus Player (PvP) gameplay.
