Final Fantasy 16 is near the end of development, says producer
It’s in the final stretch
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We’ve not seen much aboutFinal Fantasy16 (XVI) since the initial reveal but according to producer Naoki Yoshida, everything seems to be progressing well. Speaking in a recent interview, he confirmed development “is in the final stretch.”
Coming from an unusual source, Yoshida made this latest reveal in Uniqlo’s free in-store UT magazine, a Japanese clothing store currently doing aFinal Fantasy collaboration. As spotted by Twitter useralverich_ff14(translated byVGC), Yoshida said “Currently, development on the latest title,Final Fantasy 16, is in the final stretch.”
Yoshida advises this won’t be the same as MMORPG Final Fantasy 14, explaining “As a single-player game, Final Fantasy 16 aims to unify the story and gameplay experience. Unlike online games, which portrays multiple players at once, Final Fantasy 16 has an individual focus, which makes the story more immersive. And I think the story has become quite deep.”
Continuing on, Yoshida also expressed his hopes that it’ll appeal to 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.”
FFトランプ欲しさに素早くユニクロにTシャツ買いに来たけどこのフリーペーパーに吉田コメントあるから吉田ファンは貰っておくといいよ🤗 pic.twitter.com/0OoLIFljA7April 29, 2022
Yoshida previously confirmed there’ll beanother revealfor Final Fantasy 16 in Spring 2022, following news development had been delayed due to Covid-19. Given the source of this update, it seems unlikely a free clothing magazine is what he had in mind for that, though weirder things have happened.
It’s worth noting that Square Enix launched a35th anniversary websiteback in March and crucially, that teases more news on upcoming releases soon. Keep in mind this could also be referencingFinal Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2, but withStranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Originnow released, we’re hopeful to see either upcoming game soon.
Where is Final Fantasy 16?
We don’t have a confirmed release date for Final Fantasy 16 right now. Since thatinitial revealtrailer back in September 2020, we’ve not seen much of Square Enix’s anticipated next main entry. We know it’s currentlyPS5 exclusivebut previous rumours have suggested that, similar toFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, this may only be atimed console exclusive.
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They did provide a closer look at thesenew characters, the world of Valisthea, and artworkin October 2020, but news soon went quiet afterwards. Further reveals were expected during 2021 though last December, Square Enix admitted this wouldn’t happen, confirming development was delayed by six months.
Speaking at the time, Naoki Yoshida stated: “When we last spoke, I promised I would have more information on Final Fantasy XVI sometime later in 2021. However, I regret to inform you that I will be unable to keep that promise, as complications from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic have delayed the game’s development by almost half a year.”
If development is this close to completion, there’s a good chance we’ll soon learn when its launching. E3 might not be happening but that’s not stopping publishers likeMicrosoftpreparing presentations next month. So, if last year’s any indication, we could hear more soon through a newSquare Enix Presents.
Henry is a freelance writer based in Bournemouth, United Kingdom. When he’s not wandering in VR or burning through his RPG backlog, he’s probably planning his next D&D session.
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