FF XIV Composer Masayoshi Soken on the Eorzean Symphony, Rage Against the Machine, and Mercy

Final Fantasy XIV boasts one of the most captivating and inspired original soundtracks in the entire series. Ask any FF XIV player what they love about the game, and we'd bet a whole heap of Carob Nuts that the music is one of the first things they want to talk about.

Soon, the music of Final Fantasy XIV will fill the LA air as the Eorzean Symphony comes to the Dolby Theater on June 15 and 16. You can find more information about the event right here, but for now, we invite you to enjoy a peek into the mind of Soken-san himself. We picked his brain about what makes this concert series so special, and wanted to know what games he likes to play when he unwinds. Of course, we were tickled to death to learn that he plays Overwatch every single night and, what's better, he's a Mercy main.

Check out the full interview below!

ComicBook: As we approach the Eorzean Symphony in June, would you mind sharing your favorite moment or memory from the concert series last year? What made the greatest emotional impact on you?

Masayoshi Soken: I think the passion of the concertgoers, our players, who attended the orchestra concert in Japan was extremely memorable and emotional for me. Their intensity was such that the round of applause after each piece was completely different from what one would expect from a typical orchestra concert. It was clear that the performers in the orchestra could feel this intensity, and they reacted to that applause through each song. This acted like a snowball effect where the energy from each group was amplified with every subsequent piece—it was quite a memorable experience.

I was just off backstage during the performances, but I could feel that interaction between the performers and the audience—it was so moving that I was quite literally shaking as I listened. It really was a stark reminder of the great support coming from all of our Final Fantasy XIV players.

As a musician and an artist, do you feel prouder when you hear your music in a finished game for the first time, or when you hear it played by a live orchestra in a large hall for an audience?

I am of course pleased when others are able to enjoy listening to my works, but I think the greatest feeling of accomplishment comes when my audience enjoys the complete "gameplay experience," which includes both audio and visual aspects working together.

I work in the game industry as a game creator: not an artist. The audience may not necessarily be moved simply by listening to my music at a concert or a live performance; however, my music has the ability to trigger each player to recall their experiences within the game, and they are moved or excited by that memory. That is what I'm most proud of.

In a game, it could be said that the player moves through the music like they move through the environment. It is a vital part of the experience, but not the center of attention. Do you approach compositions differently when they're meant to be played live, as the center of attention, or does that not impact your method at all?

In creating my music, my sole focus is to implement sounds that make for the best gameplay experience. Even in an arrangement piece that is intended for live performance—where the sound is the center of attention—I focus on how I can bring back the memories of each player's gameplay experience as I arrange the track. I say this because even in a concert, the real star of the show is the experience of our audience. Therefore, I am careful to make sure that the original game content can be recognized right away when one hears the arrangement.

For example, when arranging a song for the orchestra concert, if the song is to be played two times in a loop, I will make sure that when it is played the first time the music will be very close to the original in-game song. The second time is when I show more breadth in the arrangement—it is a chance to show what we can do in terms of changing the impression this song can offer to the listener.

I take each player's gameplay experience very seriously, as I'm a gamer, too. My priority is to recreate the players' experience through sound. In other words, I pay careful attention to avoid creating an orchestra arrangement that is vastly different from the in-game songs from the start, as this would deter from my ultimate goal.

What do you do when you are in need of inspiration? Do you have any favorite locations, or unique rituals that fill your mind with music?

Honestly, I take inspiration from anything any everything. I find major inspiration through my daily life—I wouldn't say I have a unique ritual or anything. I also often look to see player feedback directly through social media, and that's another great way to find motivation as well! I've heard that some artists go out of their way to go on some kind of journey to get inspiration, but personally I get my fill of journeys through playing games (laughs).

What's your personal favorite composition being performed this year, and why does it mean so much to you?

Let me see… If I had to choose something from Eorzean Symphony, I'd say Torn from the Heavens. This song left a strong impact on me, as it was a song that I created in an effort to help bring Final Fantasy XIV back from the depths it had fell to during the initial launch, as well as encourage the entire development team to push forward.

Name one book, one music album, and one game that you've really enjoyed so far this year.

I'm not very fond of printed text and don't read many books, but I love looking up information about the natural laws of the universe—I often read articles from the journal Nature online.

In terms of favorite music, you may have heard me mention this in previous interviews, but I love Rage Against the Machine! I think I say that every time, though, so if I were to pick another band I choose Pennywise!

As for a game, I of course play Final Fantasy XIV, but another title I'm into is Overwatch. I play it every single night, without getting bored, almost like a monkey. By the way, I purchased the pink Mercy skin the instant that it became available!

You're also celebrating the launch of The Primals' debut album. What can fans expect from these 18 tracks?

To put it simply, you might notice that we're stepping on the gas pedal just a bit harder than normal! Got to watch our speed!

Thank you for answering our questions! We wish you renewed inspiration and fulfilling expression this year!

Thank you! The Stormblood soundtrack will be released very soon, so stay tuned!