Nobuo Uematsu is one of the most highly regarded composers in video game music.
A new biography is set to shine a spotlight on the life and legacy of Nobuo Uematsu, the legendary composer behind the Final Fantasy series and one of the most influential figures in video game music.
Uematsu, whose melodies have become synonymous with the rise of cinematic gaming, built his career without any formal musical training. Despite that, his scores helped push the medium far beyond its early technical limits, earning him global acclaim and performances by world‑class orchestras.
The tome, Nobuo Uematsu: On the Record, written by veteran games journalist James Mielke, traces Uematsu’s journey from his childhood and early experiments with music to his defining years at Square Enix and the worldwide success of his concert tours. Drawing on extensive interviews with Uematsu, his wife, and some of the industry’s most respected creatives, the biography offers an intimate look at the inspirations and experiences that shaped his work.
Contributors include Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, iconic illustrator Yoshitaka Amano, and celebrated composers Yoko Shimomura (Kingdom Hearts, Street Fighter) and Hitoshi Sakimoto (Final Fantasy Tactics, Valkyria Chronicles). Together, they help paint a portrait of a musician often described as the “Beethoven of video game music,” whose emotional, genre‑spanning compositions have influenced generations of players and artists.
The biography promises a rare, personal glimpse into the mind of a composer whose work defined an era — and continues to shape the sound of modern gaming.
Nobuo Uematsu: On the Record is slated for release this fall.
Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu’s life and legacy explored in new biography
