Square Enix has undergone significant management restructuring, with Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki "Yoshi-P" Yoshida no longer listed as a member of the company's board of directors. This change comes as part of a broader corporate reorganization announced by CEO Takashi Kiryu on February 27, 2025.

Key Points About Yoshida's Position Change

• Yoshida has been removed from Square Enix's board of directors, a position he has held since 2018
• He will now serve as an executive officer on the newly formed Executive Management Committee
• This appears to be a voluntary change, as Yoshida has previously expressed his desire to focus on game development
• In a 2023 interview with NRC, Yoshida stated: "I don't want to be on the board, it's much more fun to just make games"
• He had reportedly attempted to resign from the board previously, but the company denied his request

Square Enix's Broader Restructuring

The management shakeup occurs amid financial challenges for the company:

• Recent titles like Final Fantasy XVI and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth fell short of sales expectations
• The company is reducing its board from eight to four members
• A new Executive Management Committee is being formed to speed up decision-making
• Square Enix is shifting away from PlayStation 5 exclusivity toward multi-platform releases
• CEO Kiryu has implemented a medium-term business plan focusing on "quality over quantity" and "bold new IP"

Yoshida's Legacy and Future

Despite the change in corporate position, Yoshida's importance to Square Enix remains undiminished:

• He continues to direct Final Fantasy XIV, which recently launched the successful Dawntrail expansion
• Yoshida is credited with reviving Final Fantasy XIV after its disastrous original launch in 2010
• He has overseen five successful expansions of the MMORPG
• The game stands as one of the most successful live-service titles in the industry
• Yoshida also directed Final Fantasy XVI, showing the company's confidence in his creative leadership

What This Means for Square Enix

The restructuring signals a strategic pivot for the company as it navigates challenging market conditions:

• The new management structure aims to consolidate Square Enix's strengths
• The company is prioritizing releasing content across multiple platforms to reach broader audiences
• Square Enix appears to be respecting Yoshida's desire to focus on creative work while still utilizing his expertise
• The management committee will drive the execution of Square Enix's new medium-term business plan