"Final Fantasy XII Director Debunks Fake Protagonist Rumor"
Yasumi Matsuno, the game director of Final Fantasy XII, has denied a long-standing rumor that Basch fon Ronsenburg was the original protagonist of the game. Matsuno clarified on Twitter that the rumor was a "fake story." The rumor suggested that Vaan, the energetic street rat who bore a striking resemblance to Tidus, was introduced as the core protagonist to make the game more approachable for all players. While Vaan was not well-received upon release, he eventually came into his own throughout the game and even starred in an FFXII spin-off game.