Longtime Final Fantasy producer Yoshinori Kitase says Star Wars shaped the RPG series more than most fans probably assumed. In an interview with IGN at Lucca Comics & Games Festival 2026, he pointed to two specific examples: the names of Wedge and Biggs in Final Fantasy 7, and Blitzball in Final Fantasy 10.
The subject came up when IGN’s Michael Peyton asked Kitase how he felt about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 drawing heavily on Final Fantasy. Kitase said he knows the game and has spoken with its creators. He’s happy they took inspiration from the series to build something new, and he sees it as part of a wider cycle. He said he was inspired by films when he was young, “in particular by Star Wars”, and used what he loved to make his own games.
Where Star Wars shows up
According to IGN, Kitase said he has always been careful not to lift directly from Star Wars, because it would look more like a copy than an homage. The most overt nod is in Final Fantasy 7, where Wedge and Biggs take their names from characters in the Rebel Alliance.
The subtler example is Blitzball. Kitase said Final Fantasy 10 needed a sport that could exist inside its fantasy setting, and he borrowed the idea from the pod race in Star Wars Episode 1. He described taking the concept of a sport inside a fantasy world “directly from Star Wars”. That makes Blitzball, the underwater team sport that doubles as a minigame, a cousin of Podracing in The Phantom Menace.
What’s next for the series
Kitase’s comments land as Square Enix prepares to close out the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy. According to Square Enix’s press release, Final Fantasy 7 Revelation launches on April 8, 2027, on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S and PC. We’ve covered why the PS5 disc needs a download before you can play. The game’s director has also said he’d prefer a new grand-scale RPG over more remakes once Revelation is done.
Which Final Fantasy characters are named after Star Wars characters?
Kitase told IGN that Wedge and Biggs in Final Fantasy 7 are named after Rebellion characters from Star Wars. He called them the most overt inspirations he could think of.
What was Blitzball based on?
Kitase says he based Blitzball in Final Fantasy 10 on the pod race in Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace. He said he borrowed the idea of a sport in a fantasy setting from it.
When does Final Fantasy 7 Revelation come out?
Square Enix has set April 8, 2027, as the launch date for the final game in the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy. It’s due on PS5, Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
