Pioneering Programmer Reflects on Their Time With Final Fantasy

The legendary programmer Nasir Gebelli, known for his work on the first three titles of the Final Fantasy series, shared his fascinating journey.

He reminisced about his experience at Square, expressing his surprise at seeing the now-popular genre of JRPGs.

“Japanese national TV managed to track down and do a rare interview with Nasir Gebelli, the genius Iranian-American Programmer that programmed the first Final Fantasy game! #FinalFantasyHe lead the programming for the first 3 Final Fantasy games. What a legend!”

Translation: Japanese national TV managed to track down and do a rare interview with Nasir Gebelli, the genius Iranian-American Programmer who led the programming for the first three Final Fantasy games. What a legend!

He highlighted how programming for Final Fantasy was akin to his previous work in Apple, noting:

“I thought it was pretty similar to what I was doing for Apple, the same processor, and I already knew just about every machine code for that processor.”

In a time when games like Ultima and Wizardry were considered niche, Gebelli outlined how the team laid foundational aspects of the genre. He concluded the interview by humorously suggesting that the airship could look better if it moved 10% slower.

For more insights, you can watch details from the documentary titled Legendary Games Chronicle: Final Fantasy available at NHK World’s website.