Xenogears and Xenosaga series writer, co-creator and illustrator Kaori Tanaka, known by her pen name Soraya Saga, has announced her retirement on her personal blog as a result of “family circumstances.”
Soraya Saga was a critical member of the Xenogears and Xenosaga development teams, and her work laid the groundwork for what Tetsuya Takahashi, her husband, would build upon in the highly successful Xenoblade Chronicles series as director of Monolith Soft. Before working on the Xeno franchise, Soraya Saga was a map designer for Final Fantasy V and a field graphic designer and scriptwriter for Final Fantasy VI at Square Enix.
Her retirement message can be read in full below:
Soraya Saga has retired from writing video games due to family circumstances.
The key reasons are the following:
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- I had been taking care of my grandmother (passed away at the end of 2024) for five years.
- A member of my family who has been going through a difficult time for the past 10 years needs my support for now. Given my tendency to immerse myself in writing too much, I ought not to write yet.
- With the success of Xenoblade Chronicles, Takahashi’s solo writing seems to be widely acclaimed by the fandom. I don’t think I should ruin it.
- As for my health, I’m doing well. Thank you.
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Xenogears and Xenosaga continue to have a cult following, with many fans who enjoy Xenoblade Chronicles. Many years later, Xenogears ranks as the third-best PlayStation title ever, according to Famitsu’s PlayStation 30th anniversary poll, despite not being playable on any modern console today.
