Final Fantasy

Final Fantasy is a Japanese role playing video game franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi for Square, now Square Enix, beginning with the original Final Fantasy in 1987, which was reportedly named in reflection of the struggling company's uncertain prospects at the time. Unlike many long running franchises, most numbered Final Fantasy entries feature entirely new settings, characters and stories rather than a single continuous narrative, while retaining recurring elements including the crystal, the recurring character archetype Cid and turn based or action based combat systems built around a job and class structure, and the series has sold more than 190 million units worldwide across its main line and numerous spin offs, including the Kingdom Hearts crossover series developed with Disney. Individual entries including Final Fantasy VII, released in 1997, are widely credited with popularizing role playing games for console audiences outside Japan, and the franchise has expanded into films, an anime series, stage concerts and, through Final Fantasy XIV, one of the most successful massively multiplayer online games still actively developed.