Renowned video game composer Nobuo Uematsu, famed for his music in the Final Fantasy series, has raised concerns regarding the current state of video game music. He expressed his thoughts in an interview published by Automaton.

In his remarks, Uematsu stated, “I won’t go as far as to call it stagnation, but I believe directors and producers hold too much power in their hands even when it comes to the music.” He emphasized that composers face challenges in voicing their opinions, regardless of their musical expertise.

Uematsu lamented the lack of diversity in the music styles requested by producers, pointing out that many of them prefer compositions sounding like John Williams soundtracks. “Frankly speaking, there’s less ‘weird things’ now,” he remarked, indicating a shift from the creativity seen in past eras.

While Uematsu acknowledges the challenges faced, he remains hopeful, advocating for aspiring composers to explore new sounds and styles. He believes the path forward lies in innovation, stating, “If you make the same stuff as John Williams and grow complacent with that, you’ll get nothing more from it.”

He even encourages the integration of different musical genres to create fresh, compelling compositions.