The next numbered entry is apparently pretty close to complete
A new look at the next Final Fantasy may not be far off. Producer Naoki Yoshida confirms a new Final Fantasy XVI trailer is on the way, after an uncertain delay.
This comes from a recent livestream, featuring the crossover between Nier Reincarnation and the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV. (Translation courtesy of Siliconera.)
Yoshida says a new video is done and will appear “soon.” It was delayed, however he doesn’t go into detail as to why.
As for the development of Final Fantasy XVI, Yoshida says the development team has spent time polishing and debugging, and that it is “pretty much complete.”
That echoes a similar sentiment from the UNIQLO pamphlet that contained an interview with Yoshida. In the excerpt, Yoshida says development on Final Fantasy XVI is in “the final stretch.” In the same interview (via Gematsu), he elaborates more on the team’s approach for a single-player RPG:
“Unlike online games, which portrays multiple players at once, Final Fantasy XVI has an individual focus, which makes the story more immersive. And I think the story has become quite deep. 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.”
The next step in Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy XVI has apparently been in development for quite some time, even before its reveal in 2020. And now, it seems like it could actually arrive pretty soon. Or at least, “pretty complete.”
Square Enix hasn’t, as of this writing, announced their plans for the summer of gaming news. The company did just make a massive announcement, confirming that it’s planning to sell a chunk of its western development arm—including three studios and some big IP—to Embracer Group. Whatever happens, it does sound like we’ll learn more about the next Final Fantasy sooner rather than later.
