We haven't seen the bloody thing in what feels like an eternity, but fear not: Final Fantasy XVI is, apparently, in "the final stretch" of its development. That's according to producer Naoki Yoshida, quoted in Japanese clothing company Uniqlo's free in-store magazine for Final Fantasy's 35th anniversary. Not necessarily a place you'd expect such a bombshell to be dropped, but we'll take it!
Okay, so what does "the final stretch" actually mean? Well, you would assume that most of the work is done, so that's good. You would also assume that a release date can't be too far off — which is also good. But determining the length of a "final stretch" is difficult. Maybe the game is basically done and the development team is just polishing things — or maybe there are still months and months of development left as the team pulls everything together. We won't know for sure until we have some kind of release date.
"My hope is that the adults who have grown up, understand the rules of society, and drifted away from Final Fantasy thinking ‘the real world isn’t as easy as a video game’ can remember the enthusiasm they had back then. That’s what we’re keeping in mind as we make this game," says Yoshida. Let's hope it lives up to the hype!
For what it's worth, Square Enix previously stated that more information on Final Fantasy XVI would be arriving this spring. But we're obviously now hurtling towards the end of the season and it's yet to happen.
Come on Square, don't leave us hanging.
[source twitter.com, via reddit.com, gematsu.com]
Comments 45
Nice! I hope it releases this year or early next year.
Spring for Japan runs through end of June, so I expect they do a showcase in May/June for this. He really did stick to his decision that the next time we see it would be when they can attach a release date to it.
Good to hear god of war Ragnarok and ff16 are my most anticipated PlayStation exclusives currently.
2023 release please!
I'll be playing Elden Ring all year, then Hogwarts and God of War are out for Christmas.
There's no time!
Saying that, this is the most excited I've been for a new FF game since IX or X.
I've watched the trailer dozens of times at this point.
Awesome! As a relative noob to the series I loved XV and VIIR… can’t wait!
Nice... this is high on my list.
A steady stream of big releases and announcements each year. That is what keeps me a happy camper.
I have a few jRPGs on my list, so no rush for this year.
One of the main reasons I invested in a PS5. FF was what got me into gaming with FF2 on the Super Nintendo. I've disliked them all after 9 (12 was ok though) so I'm praying this one delivers. Can't wait for a new look and release date!
Looks like I've picked the right time to jump back on board with the PS5, really looking forward to this
@Shepherd_Tallon Me too! Most promising looking one since 9! Even though it was clearly an early build, trailer 1 was awesome!
I have played Final Fantasy since the original on the NES in 1990. I've played every mainline release and enjoyed most of them. But I am not enthused about this one so far. From what I've seen, it doesn't even seem to be a party-based RPG, which is basically throwing the idea of a FF game out the window, and making it into a generic JRPG if thats the case.
There's nothing like a new FF to ring in the new generation! Very excited to hear more. I'm fully expecting a showcase at some point here soon.
@invictus4000 I didn't appreciate how good IX was until years later. I really hope the remake rumours are true so I can play it again for the first time.
Really looking forward to it. I’m ok if it’s a 2023 release, but if it’s a surprise coming this year, I’m ready to drop whatever other release I was playing for it. This winter is going to be heavy with Forspoken, Hogwarts, Starfield, Pokemon, possibly FFXVI and who knows what else. If I’m still working on Elden Ring come Q3, I swear…
Final stretch for square could be five years
This is the first time I’ve been truly excited about anything Final Fantasy since XII. Can’t wait to hear more about it!
I actually prefer the vagueness of "Final stretch" instead of calculating some completion percentage as if game development has something like a download bar. Wasn't that on KH3 where they kept giving updates like we are 58% done with the game, then a year later they are like we are 67% done.
Hopefully they have learned their lesson and will give a release date once the game is let's say 92% done....
Hmm... there are two choices here. Either a Fall release and this announcement this summer or nothing this summer and a 2023 release. Probably the later.
Agreed! Lots of subtlety, depth and adult themes all tied up in whimsical aesthetic. Though final third falls off a little. It's up there on my FF list, though 6 always comes out on top.
Loved Final Fantasy XV and the XIII Trilogy...very excited to have a new one!
I didn't like 15 at all but seeing Mr Yoshida is leading this who made Xiv the absolute blast it is nowadays I have high fate in this one
I wished there was the option to have full on turn-based battles (not the basic option in FFVIIR) like the retro games or real time. Thst would bring in the fans. Also I hope they go back to full on with the dark fantasy, rather than the mess of the past two single player mainline games. The trailer made me very excited.
Final stretch of DISK 1!
@themightyant Yes agreed. While VII is my favourite, I think it's fair to say that VI is the best.
Also agreed on everything you said there about IX. There's just so much depth there. It's a shame it loses its way a little towards the end, but it's still a fantastic game.
@Shepherd_Tallon I think Final Fantasy is a bit like love, your first is your favourite or at least the one you struggle to forget. lolololo
Vivi and the Black Mage village is still one of my favourite things in all of Final Fantasy. Tears were shed.
Can't wait. FF16, Ratchet and Clank, and God of War Ragnarok are what sold me on a PS5 this generation, but I'll probably end up grabbing this for PC cause Sony has done nothing but sour my taste for their platform over the last year.
@themightyant Ha! You might be right - VII was my first and it's the one I have the biggest soft spot for. I hear the Tifa tune or the battle music and I melt.
Ohh wow, you've hit me with a savage flashback there regarding Vivi. Feck me.
That's an underrated character by the way. Absolutely iconic design, unmistakeably Final Fantasy to the point that it's borderline generic even, but a wonderful character in its own right.
@Shepherd_Tallon And you got me with Tifa's theme. Damn it we're even.
I used to play it on the piano, such a wonderful heart-melting melody. Note to self: I really need to get back to playing the piano more.
Remember when FFXV was in the final stretch, and then released? And then we got most of the rest of the game 2 years later? And the last part never happened?
Don't tease us, Squeenix!
@themightyant @Shepherd_Tallon IX is absolutely my favorite. It's just everything FF should be. Everything a JRPG should be, really. It amazes me that people don't appreciate it as much as the on-the nose, yet incoherent messes like VII and XII.
I nominate Vivi for best video game character of all time
Very excited to hear this, but If they release half a game like 15 I'll be really annoyed. First time I played 15 at release the story was so hard to follow and get invested in, I played it again last year with all the dlc and it was so much better, what it should have been at launch.
16 is the only reason I'm happy to keep my ps5 for now, couldn't care less about the overhyped HFW and GoW. They aren't that good and not worth being the flagship exclusives
@Nem @somnambulance @Shepherd_Tallon @RenanKJ I'm imagining a Spring or Summer 2023 release window, though I'd love for the game to be available sooner of course.
The sooner it releases, the cheaper it'll be when there are ps5 stocks
@KidBoruto I’m in a weird place with gaming. As games get longer and more detailed, I’m more ok with them taking their time, so I can do one game at a time. With all the open world wonders we’re getting this winter, Square can take their time with FFXVI (gotta finish Forspoken first, after all!) if they need to, but I’m ready for it whenever it comes. The only game that could challenge it for time in my book would be BotW2. Please release a different month from BotW2!
Everything in my life will take a back seat to this game when it comes out. It's been 16 years since the release of the last FF that I thought was a worthy entry to the series. I'm not interested in the multiplayer entries and both FF13 and FF15 left me with a terribly sour taste in my mouth. It's been far too long. However I feel FF16 will hit the sweet spot between the old and the new. May it be so.
@Shepherd_Tallon For sure. IX has always been my favorite of all time. Its a fantastic game but the time in my life when I experienced it gave it a nostalgic power thats off the charts. Haha
@invictus4000 you didn’t like X? That was the last great traditional classic in my opinion. I loved XII and I actually really like XIII, but X is my favorite. The last great turn based FF.
@Niktaw I remember being so hyped for X and really liking it when it first came out but I actually can't stand that game now. Honestly, I really like the story and it has some good moments but ultimately, the protagonist is what makes or breaks a game for me and I think Tidus is one of the worst, most unlikable protags of RPG history. (I did really enjoy XII too.)
the writing in FF games is unbearable 😂
@Blaze215 absolutely mental bro hfw is brilliant
@Mikey856 well I haven't played it. I've played HZD and GoW, I'm presuming HFW can't be too much different from it's predecessor. Got bored if both of them within hours. Generic open world checklist, repetitive fetch quests, terrible story. Ghost of Tsushima was far better than both. I'm just worried sony will lean too heavily into these IPs as I've no interest in them and a lot of others feel the same
I'm sure I'm in the minority but I seem to like the even numbered FF games much better than the odd. 8, 10, and 12 are my favorites while 13 is the worst. I didnt try 15. So here's hoping 16 joins my list of favorites!
@somnambulance Here's hoping FF16 doesn't have to compete with another heavy hitter in the same release week/month.
@Blaze215 For me it was one of the best stories around. Awsome gameplay, likeable characters Aloy is my favorite, awsome collectibles that flesh out the story, everything is possible to get the whole game fantastic. I played the main story for 120 hours and had a blast.
While some beloved games that got rererelease i dropped after several hours because they where boring as F but we all have a different taste.
@Benjiro I completely agree. When 12 came out in 2006 I initially was disappointed as it did pale in comparison to the others, story wise. Now I look back on 12 with such fond memories and it really is a great game in its own right…
13 and 15 however… very different story. I couldn’t possibly have been more hyped for either of them, all the whole thinking the return of the ff games I loved was right around the corner. Only for them to be so so bad that it still burns me to think about them! 😂 overdramatic I know but it is true. I can only hope this one will bring what I’ve been hoping for.
The setting has me hyped, the look of the battles does not. And the characters we have seen too little of so far. But they had better all be as deep and nuanced as vi/vii/viii/ix and x or I’ll be disappointed yet again. Id say I refuse to get hyped again but, pfft, just can’t help it!
Come on Yoshi p, blow us away with a real deep emotional story and world filled with wonder. Not some half ass attempt like xv and xiii were!
@Blaze215 that’s an… interesting take!
God of war is an absolute masterpiece imo. Was absolutely blown away to the point it ruined other games for me for a good year or 2 after it came out! Everything else just fell so flat in comparison and still even to this day.
Horizon is a great game, nowhere near GOW however. The sequel was also a great improvement on an already great game and I loved it. I respect your opinion but I truly can’t understand it for the life of me! Maybe you could try GOW again with a more open mind? But maybe I’m just being arrogant thinking only my opinion matters. Probably the latter, but that’s just how good I feel it is. And that sentiment still echoes around the web to this day.
I really really hate it when people say that GOW is overated as even if the game wasn’t for some people, no one can deny the scope quality and polish of the game. Or the passion that went into it. Puts most games to shame. Most of the people I know who’ve said it isn’t for them have said just that, it’s not their type of game.
However if you like great narratives, and action/exploration/fantasy or metroidvania type games, it really is the perfect meld.
I only hope we get games of similar quality to GOW in the future, because we haven’t since. Well besides TLOU2. Holy hell was that game also on another level. Complete masterpieces both 😁😁
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