Neil Broadley, the localisation director best known for his work on Square Enix's SaGa series, has died at the age of 45 after a long battle with stage 4 colon cancer.
Broadley began his localisation career at Square Enix on the English release of Final Fantasy Dimensions in 2012 and later contributed to projects including Final Fantasy XI Online: Ultimate Collection - Seekers Edition and Final Fantasy X | X-2: HD Remaster.
During his tenure at Square Enix Broadley became closely associated with the SaGa franchise.
Credits include Romancing SaGa 2, Romancing SaGa 3, SaGa Frontier: Remastered, SaGa: Emerald Beyond, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven and SaGa Frontier 2: Remastered.
At the time of his passing he was working on a remaster of Romancing SaGa 3 that is due for release early next year.
In a statement prepared prior to his death and posted by a colleague, Broadley outlined the scope of his illness and his decision to keep working.
He explained that he had fought intensely against stage 4 colon cancer, enduring multiple surgeries, three different chemotherapy regimens and a course of radiation, and that continuing to work on SaGa projects and engaging with the community gave him purpose throughout his treatment.
Broadley also said he had spent recent years mentoring successors to ensure the SaGa franchise could continue in capable hands.
Broadley asked fans to be kind to themselves and others and said that, while he would not be able to share further stories, he hoped players would continue to enjoy SaGa games.
He noted he was survived by his long-term partner of 25 years and his dachshund, Noah.
Broadley’s partner posted a separate message remembering his humility and the impact he had on colleagues and friends.
She said that despite his concerns that few might attend a memorial, more than 100 friends and colleagues gathered at his memorial Mass in Tokyo to pay their respects.
She asked SaGa fans to continue supporting Square Enix titles and to take comfort in the ongoing work of the teams that Broadley helped guide.
Broadley’s passing is a notable loss for the localisation and JRPG communities.
His work on remasters and new SaGa entries helped introduce the franchise to broader international audiences across modern platforms and digital storefronts, and his contributions to Square Enix localisation spanned multiple high-profile releases.
Our condolences go out to his family, partner and colleagues during this difficult time.
Broadley began his localisation career at Square Enix on the English release of Final Fantasy Dimensions in 2012 and later contributed to projects including Final Fantasy XI Online: Ultimate Collection - Seekers Edition and Final Fantasy X | X-2: HD Remaster.
During his tenure at Square Enix Broadley became closely associated with the SaGa franchise.
Credits include Romancing SaGa 2, Romancing SaGa 3, SaGa Frontier: Remastered, SaGa: Emerald Beyond, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven and SaGa Frontier 2: Remastered.
At the time of his passing he was working on a remaster of Romancing SaGa 3 that is due for release early next year.
In a statement prepared prior to his death and posted by a colleague, Broadley outlined the scope of his illness and his decision to keep working.
He explained that he had fought intensely against stage 4 colon cancer, enduring multiple surgeries, three different chemotherapy regimens and a course of radiation, and that continuing to work on SaGa projects and engaging with the community gave him purpose throughout his treatment.
Broadley also said he had spent recent years mentoring successors to ensure the SaGa franchise could continue in capable hands.
Broadley asked fans to be kind to themselves and others and said that, while he would not be able to share further stories, he hoped players would continue to enjoy SaGa games.
He noted he was survived by his long-term partner of 25 years and his dachshund, Noah.
Broadley’s partner posted a separate message remembering his humility and the impact he had on colleagues and friends.
She said that despite his concerns that few might attend a memorial, more than 100 friends and colleagues gathered at his memorial Mass in Tokyo to pay their respects.
She asked SaGa fans to continue supporting Square Enix titles and to take comfort in the ongoing work of the teams that Broadley helped guide.
Broadley’s passing is a notable loss for the localisation and JRPG communities.
His work on remasters and new SaGa entries helped introduce the franchise to broader international audiences across modern platforms and digital storefronts, and his contributions to Square Enix localisation spanned multiple high-profile releases.
Our condolences go out to his family, partner and colleagues during this difficult time.
