Final Fantasy 16 now has a full release date, and thankfully, it’s not too far away. In fact, you’ll be playing Final Fantasy 16 in June 2023. This is the first main entry since 2016’s FF15 and features a completely different vibe and art style. This time everything is based on medieval Europe. So all swords, shields and locks.
If you’ve been following all things Final Fantasy 16, you’ll know that this is a completely different beast than its predecessor. This is of course nothing new as each entry in the series often changes everything from combat to visual style. This time we are heading to Valistea, a world divided into six nations.
To stay up to date, everything we know about Final Fantasy 16 so far can be found on this page. As new information becomes available, you will find it here. For now, here’s when Final Fantasy 16 will be released, what platforms it can be played on, and the latest news about the game.
Final Fantasy 16: get to the point
- What is this? Another title in the Final Fantasy series for single player
- When can I play it? June 22, 2023
- On which can I play it? PS5 (PC may go)
Final Fantasy 16 release date and platforms
Final Fantasy 16 will debut on June 22, 2023 on PS5. This was confirmed at The Game Awards 2022 with a brand new trailer. That puts it among some stiff competition, given that Diablo 4 has just revealed a June release date as well.
Sony has now confirmed that while Final Fantasy 16 is indeed a PS5 exclusive, it’s only for 6 months. It will probably be announced soon on PC platforms. This information was included in latest trailer. (opens in a new tab)
Final Fantasy 16 trailers
Revenge Trailer shown at The Game Awards 2022
During The Game Awards 2022, a new trailer for Final Fantasy 16 was shown. It focused around Clive, the main character of the game. It’s mostly a movie, with a bit of gameplay spread evenly throughout. You can watch it below:
An ambitious trailer
The ambitious trailer for Final Fantasy 16 focuses on the plot of the Final Fantasy world of Valisthea, its realms and powerful eicons at its epicenter. The trailer also introduces us to the Dominants of Bahamut and Odin. Check out the trailer below:
Herald of domination
The Dominance trailer, which aired on State of Play in June 2022, gave us our first serious look at Final Fantasy 16 since the game was first revealed. Taking a fresh look at the upcoming storyline, Square Enix also showed off some pretty notable battles, such as fights between magical summons like Shiva and Ifrit. Check out the trailer below:
Awakening trailer
The Final Fantasy 16 reveal trailer was a great teaser for the game. It’s not just some cutscenes and ambiguous hints of what’s to come – we get a healthy dose of scenery, different characters, and what the game will look like once you get into a fight.
At the beginning of the trailer, we see haggard mercenaries sitting around a campfire about to rush into battle. Eventually, it changes pace to show a young boy named Joshua who seems to possess some form of magical power, seemingly linked to the Phoenix – an eikon or summon in Final Fantasy jargon. Check out the first Final Fantasy 16 trailer below:
The story and setting of Final Fantasy 16
Now we know that Final Fantasy 16’s story and adventure will take place in a land called Valisthea.
The world is linked to six different mother crystals that have been around for generations. During this time, six mighty nations have formed around the Mothercrystals, and each place now lives in relative peace. As always with Final Fantasy, the blessings granted by the Mothercrystals allowed these powers to flourish and their people to live in comfort.
Of course, we also learn that the crystals were the cause of “countless wars” that eventually led to the formation of the six nations present in the game: the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, the Holy Sanbreque Empire, the Waloed Kingdom, the Dhalmekian Republic, the Iron Kingdom, and the Crystal Dominion.
Each place looks at the world differently, which of course leads to some political disagreements between nations. However, we do know that the emergence of something called “The Plague” that is spreading across the land is driving these various powers to despair. This is where we’ll probably start the game; in the midst of this turbulent time.
In a radio interview Kotaku) producer Naoki Yoshida said that while Final Fantasy 16 will be “action-oriented”, it “turns into a Final Fantasy that has both story and action.” According to Yoshida, steps are being taken to accommodate players who prefer story over action, saying “We want people to enjoy the story, so we’re putting together a mode for those who want to focus on the story.”
It seems like the story may touch on more mature themes, as he added, “I think when you become an adult, you also understand suffering. And so people who grew up on Final Fantasy also know the real world. But even then, they want to enjoy the fantasy again. They can get something out of it and they are able to contemplate things. I think I’d like to make a topic out of it [for the game]”.
Characters and gameplay in Final Fantasy 16
Final Fantasy 16 is an action RPG, meaning you shouldn’t expect turn-based combat from older entries, instead it’s more like Final Fantasy 15. We’re also aware that Final Fantasy 16 won’t be open world, but Naoki Yoshida confirms that “he will find inspiration in them.”
Clive Rosfield is the main character and will be joined by a series of AI-controlled companions in battles. The teaser website explains that he is the firstborn son of Archduke Rosaria and is responsible for protecting his younger brother Joshua, who happens to be holding the Phoenix Dominant.
Due to Joshua’s connection to the Eikon Phoenix, Clive received the Phoenix Blessing, granting him the ability to use part of the flame and the power of the Eikon to become stronger. As the story unfolds, we learn that Clive is “drawn into a great tragedy”.
Joshua Rosfield is Clive’s younger brother and the Dominant of the Phoenix – Eikon of Fire. This means that Joshua has an Eikon Phoenix within him that gives him special abilities and powers. We were told that “As a Dominant, Joshua transforms into a Phoenix and fights to protect his nation.” This tells us a bit about the world, namely how it views Dominants and eicons.
Finally, Jill Warrick is the young girl we first meet in the first trailer. She is friends with Clive and Joshua as she was taken from her homeland in the Northern Territories at a young age – a country that swore allegiance to the Grand Duchy of Rosaria – to negotiate a peace between the two powers.
You’ll know the term eikon if you’ve played Final Fantasy 14, A Realm Reborn, where they’re referred to as Primals. The official website tells us that eicons “dwell in special beings called Dominants. How Dominants are treated varies by kingdom – in some they are revered as royalty, while in others they are sent to the front as weapons of war.”
AND PlayStation blog post (opens in a new tab) revealed that in Final Fantasy 16, eicons play a large role in the story. These summoned creatures take part in combat, but naturally affect Valistea’s world. The Eicons we know so far are Phoenix, Titan, Garuda, Ramuh, Shiva, Odin, Bahamut, and Ifrit. Each is a powerful creature that has a set of different abilities, strengths and weaknesses.
In a blog post, the developers of Final Fantasy 16 also give some background to the characters controlling the eicons. Permanent economic adviser to Hugo Kupka, “once a nameless infantryman in the Republican Army, his awakening as the Dominant Titan of Eikon propelled him to the forefront of Dhalmekian politics.” In this position of power, he gathers his people from above and directs their will. Titan is the big boy in the trailer, the one who looks like he’s nine feet tall.
Meanwhile, one of the other eicons, Garuda, is under the control of Benedikta Harman. She’s on a mission to find the second Fire Eicon, and you’ll be joining her on this mission – playing as Clive Rosfield. Harman apparently “turned her talent for fencing and subterfuge into a command of Waloed’s elite scouts.”
Commenting on the gameplay in an interview for the Japanese website Comic Book Days (by VGC), as recently as August 2022, Final Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida expressed his concerns that some fans would not like the action-based shift. stated:
“We want the world, especially the younger generation, to play this game. Besides, today’s mainstream games are intuitive games where you press a button and the character shoots a pistol or wields a sword, and the traditional RPG style, turn-based combat on command is no longer familiar to them. It’s also a fact that people are becoming less and less familiar with the old-fashioned style of RPGs where you fight by choosing turn-based commands. That’s why the battles in Final Fantasy 16 are very action-driven.”
Continuing further, Yoshida admits that the game will not meet everyone’s requirements, stating “Obviously, I don’t think we’ll be able to satisfy everyone’s requirements, so I told everyone on the team that the first thing we have to do is something we think is fun, and make sure it reaches people who like it.”
Final Fantasy 16 news and rumors
First look at Moogles FF16
Square Enix shared a first look at Moogles from Final Fantasy 16. They definitely hark back to a more classic design, and can be seen in the tweet below:
pic.twitter.com/b4F5DvVmBVDecember 18, 2022
Clive is not the only playable character
In an interview with the Japanese site watch the game (opens in a new tab) (by PlayStation Lifestyle (opens in a new tab)), creative director Kazutoyo Maehiro revealed that players will control a different character in the early hours of Final Fantasy 16. It will not be Clive, who is the main character of the game and who players will play for most of the game.
New artwork revealed at Tokyo Game Show
Square Enix revealed new artwork for Final Fantasy 16 at Tokyo Game Show 2022. It includes a caption confirming the main plot, which was featured in a brochure given to TGS attendees that discussed breaking free of the crystals. Otherwise, he didn’t reveal much about the game, it’s just a pamphlet after all, but you can check out this graphic below.
Who is directing Final Fantasy 16?
As mentioned, Hiroshi Takai is in charge of directing Final Fantasy 16. He previously worked on the hugely successful MMO Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn, as well as Final Fantasy 11, the first online Final Fantasy title.
Both MMOs capture the essence and charm of Final Fantasy brilliantly and translate it well into the online environment, complete with compelling characters, stories, and beautifully designed worlds.
Who is the producer of the game?
As mentioned, Square Enix assigned Naoki Yoshida as the game’s producer, and it was he who took Final Fantasy 14 from the brink of failure, turning it into one of Square’s most successful games.
Ultimately, this information will mean a lot or very little to you, depending on how much you’ve played or how much you’ve enjoyed Final Fantasy 11 and A Realm Reborn.