Naoki Yoshida originally hails from Sapporo City in Hokkaido Prefecture. After graduating vocational school, he joined Hudson Soft Co., Ltd., where he was involved in development of franchises such as Far East of Eden and Bomberman.

In 2005, Yoshida joined Square Enix Co., Ltd., and took on design and directorial roles for DRAGON QUEST Monster Battle Road and DRAGON QUEST X before being appointed to helm FINAL FANTASY XIV in 2010. As Producer and Director, Yoshida executed an exhaustive plan to overhaul many of the original game’s unpopular systems, relaunching the title as FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn.

Yoshida has continued to lead the development and operations of FINAL FANTASY XIV ever since, as well as oversee the entirety of Creative Studio III.

Recently, Yoshida produced FINAL FANTASY XVI, the latest standalone numbered title in the iconic FINAL FANTASY franchise. He also remains an avid gamer in his free time, often enjoying FINAL FANTASY XIV alongside other Warriors of Light or diving into new releases.