“Final Fantasy XIV” (FFXIV) composer Masayoshi Soken opened up to his fans and team about his battle with cancer during the FFXIV Digital Fan Festival on Sunday.
The reveal: During the end of the festival on May 16, Soken thanked the community and revealed that he was diagnosed with cancer in March 2020.
- He spent six to seven months in the hospital until around October of last year, but he did not “want to sit there and do nothing.” While he was undergoing chemotherapy, he wrote the ending music of FFXIV’s “Shadowbringers” story, including the song “To the Edge,” according to NME.
- “Seeing all the reactions of the players around the world, it helped me conquer this cancer,” Soken said during his speech.
- Since his cancer is in remission, his doctors allowed him to take part in the fan festival.
- Producer Naoki Yoshida said it was “a tough decision whether to talk about this or not,” but Soken is back and “ready for our next adventure.”
Fan reactions: Several fans from the FFXIV community reacted positively to Soken’s message and commented on the original “Warrior of Light’s Theme (To the Edge)” video, calling the composer a “legend” and “inspiration.”
- After finding out about Soken’s battle with cancer, several fans began referring to him as a “hero” and their “warrior of light.”
- A few also commended him for writing such an “epic” song while he was in the hospital, saying the song holds much more meaning to them now.
Featured Image via Lavi0623
