Microsoft Signs 'Final Fantasy' Creator For Xbox

Microsoft Corp. on Friday said it has hired the creator of the popular "Final Fantasy" video game to develop games exclusively for the next Xbox.

Hironobu Sakaguchi, president of the Mistwalker game studio, has agreed to develop two games for the next version of Microsoft's video-game console. Microsoft Game Studios will publish the new titles.

"Sakaguchi-san has taken role-playing games - traditionally a niche market - and introduced them to a broad and diverse audience across the globe," Peter Moore, corporate vice president of worldwide marketing and publishing at Microsoft, said in a statement. "We are ecstatic to work with Sakaguchi-san."

The Japanese game developer is best known as the creator of the "Final Fantasy" franchise, which has sold more than 60 million units worldwide. Sakaguchi was inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts & Science Hall of Fame in 2000 for his groundbreaking work on "Final Fantasy."

Sakaguchi, who was executive vice president in charge of game development at Square Enix Co. Ltd. until February 2001, formed his own development studio, Mistwalker, in 2004.