Neil Broadley, a localization director at Square Enix, has died of colon cancer. A final message was posted to his X account, saying that a colleague had written it on his behalf.
Broadley worked on Final Fantasy XI and the SaGa series, among other Square Enix titles. He wrote often on X about the choices behind his translations, including his decision to keep "level up" — a phrase coined in Japanese rather than borrowed from English — in the English text.
He appeared several times on the official SaGa YouTube channel, and gave an interview that covered his own history, including how his grandmother's skill at Pac-Man first drew him to games.
Broadley had said for several years that he was being treated for cancer. The message posted to his account read: "Hello to all the SaGa fans around the world. If you are reading this message, it means I have passed away after several years of fighting stage 4 colon cancer, and one of my colleagues is posting this for me."
He wrote that working on the SaGa series while ill had been a comfort and had given him a sense of purpose in life. He said he regretted that he would not see his next project released, but that players would enjoy it.
“Please be kind to everyone you meet, and especially to yourself. In the end, you are the one who has to walk on with your own choices and decisions, and if you can accept yourself as you are, you will be a better person for those around you as well.”Neil Broadley, localization director, Square Enix
The message closed by wishing readers health, happiness and long life, whether or not they had played a SaGa game or agreed with his approach to localization.
His partner, Shige, also posted a message from the account, and the official SaGa X account offered its condolences.