Final Fantasy 16 trailer, news and everything we know so far

Final Fantasy 16 (XV), the next single-player main entry in Square Enix’s beloved JRPG series, will come to PS5 in 2023.

We already know a lot about the long-awaited next title in the Final Fantasy series, thanks to its teaser official website (opens in new tab). The site confirms that Final Fantasy 16 will be set in the land of Valisthea, during a time of political upheaval, and will focus on three main characters: Clive (the main protagonist), Joshua (Clive’s younger brother) and Jill, a friend of his. family. close to the two brothers.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg and the more we find out about the new Final Fantasy, the more excited we get. Fortunately, we may not have long to wait until we get more details on Final Fantasy 16, as producer Naoki Yoshida has confirmed that a new trailer will be released soon (likely this month).

Want to know more? Read on for everything we know about Final Fantasy 16 so far.

Final Fantasy 16: Get straight to the point

  • What is it? The next single-player Final Fantasy flagship title
  • When can I play? “Summer 2023″
  • Which one can I play? PS5 (PC is uncertain)

Final Fantasy 16 release date and platforms

Final Fantasy 16 has a “Summer 2023” release window (between June and September) for its release on PS5. At the moment, a firmer release date than this has yet to be shared. However, it won’t appear on next-gen consoles, as the PS4 version of Final Fantasy 16 was scrapped early in development, according to producer Naoki Yoshida.

It seems, however, that game development is on track to meet this window. Following the June 2022 State of Play broadcast, in a post on PlayStationBlogYoshida stated, “The team, under the direction of Hiroshi Takai, has entered the final stage of development and is focusing on polishing as they continue their march towards mastering and release. I, for one, would like to thank them personally. for all the hard work they put into the project.”

Takai himself wrote in an update about Final Fantasy 16 official website (opens in new tab) that “the game is fully playable from start to finish; although from optimization to update, there are still a mountain of challenges to be tackled as we move forward in our final effort.”

What is unclear is a possible PC version. It was mentioned in the game’s reveal trailer, but since then Square Enix has not acknowledged it, only saying that it’s a PS5 exclusive. While this could have been a mistake, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade ended up coming to PC, as did Final Fantasy 15. Given the lack of clarity surrounding the game’s platforms, it wouldn’t be surprising if the game was a timed PS5. exclusive with a PC release at a later date, but we won’t know for sure until Square Enix confirms it.

Final Fantasy 16 trailers

Dominance trailer
The Dominance trailer, shown at State of Play in June 2022, gave us our first big look at Final Fantasy 16 since the game’s initial reveal. Taking a fresh look at the upcoming storyline, Square Enix also featured some pretty significant battles, like fights between magical summons like Shiva and Ifrit. Check out the trailer below:

Awakening trailer
Final Fantasy 16’s reveal trailer provided a great teaser for the game. It’s not just some cinematics and ambiguous hints of what’s to come – we’ve got a good dose of the setting, various characters, and how the game will actually play when you get into a fight.

At the beginning of the trailer, we see downed mercenary characters sitting around a campfire, who are about to enter the battle. Eventually, it changes pace to show a young man named Joshua who appears to possess some form of magical power, apparently linked to the Phoenix – an Eikon, or summon, in Final Fantasy parlance. Check out the first trailer for Final Fantasy 16 below:

Final Fantasy 16 story and setting

We now know that the story and adventure of Final Fantasy 16 will take place in a land called Valisthea.

The world is linked to six different Mothercrystals, which have existed for generations. During this time, six mighty nations rose up around the Mothercrystals and each place now lives in relative peace. As is always the case with Final Fantasy, the blessings granted by the Mothercrystals allowed these powers to thrive and their people to live in comfort.

Of course, we also learn that the crystals were the cause of “countless wars”, which eventually formed the six nations now in the game: the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, the Kingdom of Waloed, the Dhalmekian Republic, the Iron Kingdom and the Crystalline Domain.

Every place sees the world differently and obviously this leads to some political differences between nations. However, we know that the emergence of something called “Blight”, which is spreading across the land, is making these different powers desperate. This is probably where we’ll start the game; in the midst of this turbulent time.

In a radio interview (via kotaku) producer Naoki Yoshida said that while Final Fantasy 16 is “action-oriented”, it is “turning into a Final Fantasy that features both story and action”. According to Yoshida, steps are being taken to accommodate players who prefer the story to the action, saying, “We really want people to like the story, so we’re preparing a mode for those who want to focus on the story.”

It feels like the story might 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 in Final Fantasy also know the real world. But even so, they want to once again enjoy the fantasy. They can get something out of it and are able to contemplate things. I’m thinking I’d like to make this a theme [for the game].”

Final Fantasy 16 characters and gameplay

Final Fantasy 16 is an action RPG, which means you shouldn’t expect the turn-based combat of older entries, it’s more like Final Fantasy 15. We’re also aware that Final Fantasy 16 won’t be an open world, but Naoki Yoshida confirms that he will “find inspiration” in them.

Clive Rosfield is the main protagonist and he will be joined by a series of AI-controlled companions in battles. The teaser website explains that he is the firstborn son of the Archduke of Rosaria and is tasked with protecting his younger brother Joshua, who holds the Phoenix Dominant.

Thanks to Joshua’s bond with the Eikon Phoenix, Clive received the Blessing of the Phoenix, giving him the ability to use some of the Eikon’s flame and power to become stronger. As the story unfolds, we are told that Clive is “dragged into great tragedy”.

Joshua Rosfield is the younger brother of Clive and the Dominant of the Phoenix – Eikon of Fire. This means Joshua has the Eikon Phoenix inside him, giving him special abilities and powers. We are told that “As a Dominant, Joshua transforms into the Phoenix and fights to protect his nation.” This tells us a bit about the world, namely how he views Dominants and Eikons.

Finally, Jill Warrick is the young woman we met in the initial trailer. She is friends with Clive and Joshua because, at a very young age, she was taken from her homeland in the Northern Territories – a nation sworn allegiance to the Grand Duchy of Rosaria – to broker peace between the two powers.

You’ll recognize the term Eikon if you’ve played Final Fantasy 14, A Realm Reborn, where they’re called Primals. The official website tells us that the Eikons “reside within special beings called Dominants. How the Dominants are treated depends on the realm – in some they are revered as royalty, while in others they are sent to the front lines as weapons of war.”

ONE PlayStation blog post (opens in new tab) revealed that in Final Fantasy 16, Eikons play an important role in the story. These summoned creatures appear in combat, but naturally impact the world of Valisthea. The Eikons we know of so far are Phoenix, Titan, Garuda, Ramuh, Shiva, Odin, Bahamut and Ifrit. Each is a powerful creature that has a different set of abilities, strengths and weaknesses.

In the blog post, the developers of Final Fantasy 16 also give some backstory to the characters who control the Eikons. Permanent Economic Adviser Hugo Kupka, “once an unnamed foot soldier in the Republican Army, his awakening as Dominant of the Eikon Titan has placed him at the forefront of Dhalmekian politics.” In this position of power, he is taking the top of his people and directing their will. Titan is the big guy in the trailer, the one who looks like he’s 10 feet tall.

Meanwhile, one of the other Eikons, Garuda, is under the control of Benedikta Harman. She is on a quest to find a second fiery Eikon and you will join her in this quest – playing as Clive Rosfield. Harman apparently “turned her talent for swordsmanship and subterfuge into an elite Waloed intelligence command.”

Commenting on the gameplay in an interview with the Japanese site comic days (through VGC), bac in August 2022, Final Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida stated his concerns that some fans would not like the action-based change. He stated:

“We want the world, especially the younger generation, to play the game. Also, mainstream games these days are intuitive games where you press a button and the character shoots a gun or wields a sword, and the traditional RPG style turn-based commando fighting is no longer familiar to them. It’s also a fact that people are becoming less familiar with the old-fashioned style of RPGs where you fight by selecting turn commands. That’s why battles in Final Fantasy 16 are very action-based.”

Continuing, Yoshida admits that the game won’t satisfy everyone’s demands, stating, “Of course I don’t think we’ll be able to satisfy everyone’s demands, so I told everyone on the team that the first thing we need to do is make something that we think it’s fun and make sure it gets to the people who like it.”

Final Fantasy 16 news and rumors

A new trailer is on the way soon
Producer/Director Naoki Yoshida said (opens in new tab) at the Tokyo Games Show, indicating that a trailer “will likely be released next month”. That was in September, so expect the trailer in October 2022.

New art revealed at Tokyo Game Show
Square Enix revealed new artwork for Final Fantasy 16 during Tokyo Game Show 2022. Featuring a caption that reconfirms the main plot, this was included in a pamphlet given to TGS attendees, which discusses the release of the crystals. Otherwise it doesn’t reveal much about the game, it’s just a pamphlet, but you can check out this artwork below.

Who is directing Final Fantasy 16?
As mentioned, Hiroshi Takai is in charge of directing Final Fantasy 16. He has previously worked on the hugely successful MMOs Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn, as well as Final Fantasy 11, Final Fantasy’s first online title.

Both MMOs do a great job of wonderfully capturing the essence and charm of Final Fantasy and translating it well into an online setting, complete with beautifully designed characters, stories and worlds.

Who is producing the game?
As discussed, Square Enix set Naoki Yoshida as the game’s producer, and it was he who brought Final Fantasy 14 back from the brink of defeat, turning it into one of Square’s most successful games.

Ultimately, this information will mean a lot to you or very little, depending on how much you’ve played or enjoyed Final Fantasy 11 and A Realm Reborn.