Home / Gaming News & Opinions / Final Fantasy XIV Writer Brought to Tears at PAX West

Final Fantasy XIV Writer Brought to Tears at PAX West

Last Updated September 23, 2020 12:59 PM
Thomas Bardwell
Last Updated September 23, 2020 12:59 PM

On Monday, as Final Fantasy XXIV Shadowbringers  scenario writer, Natsuko Ishikawa, took to the PAX West stage during the Narrative and Visual Insights panel, fans erupted  in a storm of cheers and applause after hearing her name uttered over the PA system.

The Mastermind Behind Final Fantasy XIV Shadowbringers Story

Visibly overwhelmed by the reaction, Natsuko Ishikawa’s humility shined through as she couldn’t quite believe the response that ultimately brought her to tears.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lY9aSTUyG8

It’s a rare wholesome moment, of which gaming sorely lacks, and her beaming smile despite shedding a few tears says much about how well Square Enix has fostered a communicative relationship with the game’s fanbase.

Natsuko Ishikawa is widely praised within the Final Fantasy XIV community for being the mastermind behind the MMORPG’s latest expansion’s narrative, and particularly for bringing to life a compelling cast of characters that many are lauding as the best to grace Square Enix’s long-running role-playing franchise.

Final Fantasy XIV weathered a tumultuous launch before releasing successive expansions that completely shifted popular perceptions of the title, a turnaround that owes much to Ishikawa’s writing prowess.

Fans Praise Ishikawa Across The Internet

As one crowd member explains:

Comment 
by u/Kiniro  from discussion Shadowbringers main scenario writer Natsuko Ishikawa receives tear-jerking praise from the PAX West crowd 
in ffxiv 

Viewers at home we quick to reciprocate their admiration. Reddit was awash with praise for Ishikawa and her work on Final Fantasy XIV:

Comment 
by u/SquareLukester  from discussion Shadowbringers main scenario writer Natsuko Ishikawa receives tear-jerking praise from the PAX West crowd 
in ffxiv 

Comment 
by u/smoothoperander  from discussion Shadowbringers main scenario writer Natsuko Ishikawa receives tear-jerking praise from the PAX West crowd 
in ffxiv 

Fan reaction at Final Fantasy XIV PAX West brings scenario writer to tears.
Gaming can still be a space for humility and the unmatched escapism afforded by an expertly woven narrative. | Source: Final Fantasy XIV/Square Enix

Amid the seemingly inexorable tide of controversies that define modern gaming, it can be all too easy to lose sight of the brighter side of gaming.

Ishikawa’s reaction to the praise of Final Fantasy fans is a reminder that gaming can be a space for humility and the unmatched escapism afforded by an expertly woven narrative.