Final Fantasy Composer Leaves Square Enix

Nobuo Uematsu, composer behind many of the most famous soundtracks for the Final Fantasy series, has recently announced plans to leave Square Enix and form his own independent studio. The announcement of Uematsu's departure came via a newsletter sent to members of his "Nobiyo no Shippo" fan club, in which he announced the upcoming formation of his independent music studio, Smile Please. "I'll be leaving Square Enix as of October, [But] it's not like I had any issues with Square Enix. I just wanted to work at my own pace. […] I'm leaving the company on good terms," commented Nobuo Uematsu, in a message translated by consumer site GameSpot. Nobuo Uematsu first joined Square in 1986 and, in addition to his work on the Final Fantasy soundtracks, has been involved in projects including: Ah! My Goddess (anime series), Chrono Trigger (PSOne), Hanjuku Hero Vs. 3D (PS2), Ehrgeiz (PS2), Gun Hazard (SNES) and Mario RPG (SNES), to name a few. His more recent performance work has involved Japanese concerts with his band The Black Mages, as well as the "Dear Friends – Music From Final Fantasy" concert last May in Los Angeles. The concert featured music spanning the Final Fantasy series, and included performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Los Angeles Master Chorale.