How was Xenogears considered "too dark" to be a Final Fantasy game?

[NovaDragon]

Xenogears was originally pitched as a idea for Final Fantasy VII, but Square thought it was too dark to be a Final Fantasy game. But why is that?

All of the Final Fantasy games in the series have dark themes in them. So I don't get why Xenogears was considered too dark to be a Final Fantasy game. I never actually played Xenogears before, but I have played most of the Final Fantasy games.

 

[Alpha Baymax]

In that case, go watch the Xenogears cutscenes on YouTube. Trust me, Xenogears is way darker than anything Final Fantasy has dabbled in. It's basically Square's version of Neon Genesis Evangellion.

 

[DarkosOverlord]

*opens up a can of nondescript meat and starts eating*
Nah, I don't see Xenogears being dark at all.

Now excuse me, my mother is calling me, I think she's in the basement again. I swear, she dyes her hair once and suddenly she gets all religious and stuff. Moms, amirite? I swear I've seen it happen almost a thousand times already.
What a snake of a woman!

 

[Ballad of Caius]

All of the Xeno games tend to have a very deep story closely tied to philosophy about life and existentialism.

FINAL FANTASY is just basic JRPG.