Interview: Getting Competitive With Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy 

Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy is the latest Square Enix mobile game to debut, turning a series that once appeared as a fighting game and turn-based JRPG into a 3V3, team-based, competitive affair. It means taking part in battles and climbing ranks to unlock parts of the story and the necessary currencies to get new characters and abilities. To understand the change in direction following entries like the original Dissidia Final Fantasy fighting game and turn-based JRPG Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia, Siliconera spoke with Producer ​​Naoya Matsumoto about preparing this new mobile game. Along the way, we also learned about the possibility of this Dissidia entry heading to PCs and why different characters were chosen for the title.

Jenni Lada: Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy features a rather distinct perspective compared to past entries in the series, considering it must be played in Portrait Mode. What made you choose that direction and was there any concern about that limitation ruling out any PC version?

Naoya Matsumoto: We opted for the vertical screen because the game’s concept is to be a “casual competitive game that anyone can easily play.” We determined that portrait mode was the most suitable choice because we prioritized controls that allow for casual, one-handed play on smartphones.

We’ve also placed a strong emphasis on community features. One of our key concepts is to create a space where Final Fantasy fans from different parts of the world, regardless of age, gender, or region, can gather and connect. We’ve also included features within the game that allow users to communicate with each other easily.

In this context, when we considered providing an experience that is easy to use on a daily basis, similar to social media platforms like Facebook and X, we felt that a vertical screen would be more natural and stress-free to use.

We chose the vertical screen so that players can comfortably enjoy not only the gameplay but also the communication aspects of the game.

This constraint does not make a PC version impossible. While we cannot provide specific details at this time, we are currently exploring the possibility of a PC version.

The lineup of heroes for Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy pulled in a number of unexpected characters as representatives for entries, such as Gaia for FFXIV, Prompto for FFXV, and Rikku for FFX. How did you determine which heroes you picked, and did it come down to role diversity?

Naoya Matsumoto: As you mentioned, we place strong emphasis on role diversity in battle in this title. Our main goal is to give each character a distinct personality and concept so that players can enjoy a unique gameplay experience with each one.

Furthermore, the Final Fantasy series features many charming characters beyond just the main protagonists. We wanted players to experience the charm of these characters as well.

Additionally, we wanted to provide opportunities for characters who haven’t had much of a chance to shine in previous titles, which is why we’ve included them in this lineup.

We wanted to create a title that effectively conveys both the diversity of roles and the wide-ranging appeal of characters unique to the FF series.

Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy feels like a very multiplayer-focused installment, compared to the campaigns we saw in the first game, Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy, and Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia. What prompted the change in direction, and how strong will the narrative be in the main campaign and supplemental events?

Naoya Matsumoto: First, let me clarify that this direction isn’t a major shift. The Dissidia series has always emphasized multiplayer, even in Dissidia Final Fantasy NT. Apart from Opera Omnia, it has always been a series with competitive elements.

That said, as mentioned earlier, one of the core concepts for this title is to bring Final Fantasy  fans together to form a large, connected community and to further energize the FF brand as a whole. When designing the game with an emphasis on these “connections between players,” the gameplay experience naturally centered around multiplayer.

We’ve also prepared plenty of story content for this title, and new stories will be updated with each seasonal event, which rotates approximately every month, so we hope you’ll enjoy those as well.

The scope of Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia led to characters from spin-off games like Final Fantasy Type-0 and Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin joining the cast. How would you feel about that happening with Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy? 

Naoya Matsumoto: Since we expect to see more characters from the main series titles at first, it will take a little while before they join the roster, but characters from spin-off titles are certainly being considered as well. In fact, we’ve already featured characters from Final Fantasy Type-0 and Final Fantasy Tactics in the ability illustrations.

Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy is available for mobile devices worldwide.

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