News Articles
Thursday6th Apr 2023
News Final Fantasy 16 Would Still Be in Development Without the PS5
More praise for Sony's system
Maybe it goes without saying, seeing as Sony itself has played an active part in developing Final Fantasy XVI, but the upcoming RPG would still be in the works if it wasn't for the PS5. As we all know, the game's a PS5 exclusive, and according to director Hiroshi Takai, the action-based adventures of Clive Rosfield...
Friday31st Mar 2023
News Final Fantasy 16 Goes Gold Well Ahead of June Release Date
Dev team continues to impress
Ladies and gentlemen, we now live in a world where mainline Final Fantasy games are ready to be shipped months ahead of their release date. How times have changed! Indeed, Final Fantasy XVI has gone gold, meaning that development is complete, and it's basically ready for public consumption. As alluded, this...
News Final Fantasy 16 Wouldn't Be Possible Without PS5
Director "blown away" by the console
It sounds like Final Fantasy XVI director Hiroshi Takai has been left thoroughly impressed by the PS5. In a new interview over on the PlayStation Blog, Takai talks about the advantages of developing for Sony's current-gen console, and although this isn't the first time we've seen such praise, his answers shed a...
Tuesday28th Mar 2023
News Final Fantasy 16 Super Fans Chronicle Series References in Latest Footage
Can't quite put my finger on it
Final Fantasy is a series full of nostalgia, it's part of the charm. It looks like Final Fantasy XVI is aiming to go all-in on pulling our hardened heartstrings, however, with a surprising number of references to earlier games in the series being collated by eagle-eyed super fans. In a thread on Twitter, user...
Monday27th Mar 2023
News Final Fantasy 16 Will Look Stunning at 60fps on PS5
Auto-Haste
Final Fantasy XVI was one of the highlights at PAX East 2023 over the weekend, where we got to see more of the stunning world of Valisthea before the developers fielded some of the communities' snarkier questions (in addition to showing off more gameplay). We also got some welcome technical specs, with producer Naoki Yoshida revealing...
Sunday26th Mar 2023
News Final Fantasy 16 Dev Team Fields Fans' Snarkiest Questions in PAX East Panel
Showcases a ton of new gameplay, too
You’ve seen the mind-blowing Valisthea world trailer, so now it’s time to kick back with a cup of coffee and watch Square Enix’s entire PAX East Panel on upcoming PS5 console exclusive Final Fantasy XVI. The video, which features the ever-amusing double act of Naoki Yoshida and Koji Fox, digs into a lot of...
News Final Fantasy 16's Jaw-Dropping PS5 World Will Make You Say Wow
Praise the gaming gods
Goddamn! Square Enix was kind enough to share this trailer with us when we were putting together our Final Fantasy 16 PS5 preview, and now it’s released it publicly, as part of a PAX East 2023 panel which took place earlier today. The trailer’s intention is to showcase some of the scenery you’ll encounter in Valisthea...
Thursday23rd Mar 2023
News Final Fantasy 16 Fans Divided as Squeeze Gap Discourse Begins Anew
Squeezegate 2.0
Final Fantasy fans have been arguing for decades about all kinds of things, like which game is the best (VIII) or which one has the best minigames (again, VIII). But something new has the community in a tizzy, and this time it's a 19-second clip of the upcoming Final Fantasy XVI getting fans riled up, along with the return of some...
Monday20th Mar 2023
News Final Fantasy 16 Will Take Up to 80 Hours to Fully Complete
Titan
Square Enix's RPGs are almost universally big time sinks. It varies, of course, but a lot of them sit above 50 hours if you want to see everything they have to offer. The publisher's hugely anticipated upcoming game, Final Fantasy XVI, is continuing that tradition. Speaking with Famitsu and translated by aitaikimochi on Twitter, director...
Thursday2nd Mar 2023
News Naoki Yoshida Is Not a Fan of the Term 'JRPG'
"It wasn't a compliment to a lot of developers in Japan."
Naoki Yoshida, the producer of the upcoming Final Fantasy XVI and shepherd of revitalised MMO Final Fantasy XIV, is not the biggest fan of the term JRPG, as it turns out. JRPG is a term a lot of us in the West throw around quite flippantly and, as fans, endlessly argue over exactly what...
News Yes, Sony Helped Optimise Final Fantasy 16 for PS5
And it shows
We noted in our Final Fantasy 16 PS5 preview that the upcoming action RPG feels on par with a first-party production in places, so it’s perhaps no surprise that Sony engineers helped Square Enix with the development of the game. The platform holder has, of course, purchased timed exclusivity for the title – but producer Naoki...
Wednesday1st Mar 2023
News Final Fantasy 16 Features Massive Maps, But Ditches Optional Dungeons
But there's still plenty to do and see
Final Fantasy XVI previews are out in the wild, and we think the next mainline entry in the legendary series is shaping up to be an absolute banger. There's a bunch of new information about the world of Valisthea floating about in the ether, but of particular interest were some comments made by director Hiroshi...
Tuesday28th Feb 2023
News Final Fantasy 16's Next Info Drop Will Detail Side Quests, Hunts, More
In April, apparently
We've only just been bombarded with brand new hands on previews for Final Fantasy XVI, but if you're already wondering when the next info drop will be, you'll want to mark April on your calendar. That's according to a freshly published Famitsu interview (as relayed by @aitaikimochi), which says that the next big marketing blitz...
News Final Fantasy 16 Demo Planned for Just Before the Game's Release
Live with Clive
Square Enix has a playable demo for Final Fantasy XVI planned, and it'll apparently launch around two weeks or so ahead of the full game's release. According to these very early details, as relayed by the ever-reliable PlayStation Game Size, you'll be able to transfer the demo's save data over to the finished product, which will...
Thursday12th Jan 2023
News Final Fantasy 16's Retail Marketing has Begun in Japan
Here we go
Good news, everyone: it's starting to look like that 22nd June release date for Final Fantasy XVI will stick. And yes, while we've totally just jinxed it, it's still exciting to see the game's marketing machine kicking into gear — particularly in Japan. As pointed out by @Genki_JPN on Twitter, advertising stands for Final Fantasy XVI...
Sunday1st Jan 2023
News Final Fantasy 16 Is Already Hyping Up a Huge Year
Still on track for June
22nd June, 2023. That's the big day for Final Fantasy fans in the year ahead, as Final Fantasy XVI remains locked in to its summer release date. We've got close to seven months before it arrives, but Square Enix is wasting no time in getting the ball rolling. In a straight-to-the-point social media post, the developer...
Tuesday27th Dec 2022
News Final Fantasy 16 Will Showcase the Power of PS5, Says Developer
Power rangers
Final Fantasy 16 looks good – in fact, it looks real good. Speaking during a livestream, in the aftermath of the title’s recent release date trailer, producer Naoki Yoshida hinted that the console exclusive is really flexing the new-gen system’s power. He said, as translated by Genki on Twitter: “[The latest tr
Sunday18th Dec 2022
News Phew, Moogles Look Like Classic Moogles in Final Fantasy 16
They even sound like Moogles
Moogles have long been the mascots of Final Fantasy — well, alongside Chocobos. And Catuars. And Tonberries, kind of. Anyway, it's Moogles we're talking about today, because Square Enix has confirmed that the furry little creatures will appear in Final Fantasy XVI. As reported by Gematsu, a whole three seconds of...
Tuesday13th Dec 2022
News Final Fantasy 16 Collector's Edition Will Set You Back an Eye-Watering £330 / $350
Fantasy versus reality
Final Fantasy XVI finally has a release date, and you know what that means! Yep, it's time for Square Enix to unveil a very expensive Collector's Edition. This package is only going to be available through the publisher's online store — it's available to pre-order now — and you'll be paying an eye-watering £329.99 /...
Friday9th Dec 2022
News Final Fantasy 16 Is Officially the First Mainline Game to Be Rated Mature, 18+
A bloody tale of vengeance
Yep, it's official: Final Fantasy XVI will be the first mainline game in the long-running RPG series to be rated M for Mature in the US, and PEGI 18+ in Europe. Now that the title can be pre-ordered following its release date announcement at The Game Awards, we know that the age ratings are going to stick (not that there...
News Final Fantasy XVI Has a Dog Party Member Who You Can Command in Battle
Get 'em, Torgal
Final Fantasy XVI may not have party members in the more traditional sense, but playable character Clive can be joined in battle by certain allies throughout his adventures. It sounds like his humanoid teammates will come and go depending on the story, but one trusty companion will be by his side more often than not, apparently...
News Final Fantasy 16 Summons June 2023 Release Date, Another Superb Trailer
Finally
Well, we finally got it: the Final Fantasy XVI release date is here. The 22nd June, 2023 is the date to mark on your calendar, putting it just weeks behind the likes of Street Fighter 6 and Diablo 4. Next summer is officially taking the p*ss. Anyway, Final Fantasy XVI continues to look like a potential stunner. This new trailer's got more...
Wednesday30th Nov 2022
News Final Fantasy 16 Director Hosts 'Very Special' Live Presentation at The Game Awards
Release date incoming?
Well, it's all but confirmed now: Final Fantasy XVI is almost certainly going to be a headline act at The Game Awards next week. The fast-approaching event has confirmed that celebrated director Naoki Yoshida will be a guest host during the show, where he'll present a "very special live presentation". Rumours of Final...
News Final Fantasy 16 Given Brazilian Age Rating Amid Release Date Rumours
News could be just around the corner
Final Fantasy XVI has been handed a Brazilian age rating as speculation swirls of a release date announcement at The Game Awards next week. The JRPG has been deemed "not recommended for children under 16" due to "sexual content, sensitive issues, and violence". With the release window currently set for summer...
Monday21st Nov 2022
Rumour Final Fantasy 16 Release Date to Be Announced at The Game Awards in December
Geoff with the big one
A release date for Final Fantasy XVI could be announced at The Game Awards, according to a new report from Insider Gaming. Geoff Keighley's annual event takes place on the 8th December, and is set to play host to a range of announcements. The aforementioned report says that pre-orders for the action RPG will go live around the...
Monday7th Nov 2022
News Final Fantasy 16 Is Exclusive to PS5 for Six Months, Sony Confirms
Finality fantasy
We've known since its reveal that Final Fantasy XVI will be a PS5 console exclusive when it first launches in summer 2023. However, we haven't been told how long that exclusivity period will actually be — until now. A new marketing montage from PlayStation features a glimpse of the upcoming action RPG, and as long as you don't...
Saturday5th Nov 2022
News Final Fantasy 16 Has a Full New Game+ Mode, Story and Hardcore Difficulty Settings
Something for everyone
A new wave of Final Fantasy XVI interviews are doing the rounds, and some new details are well worth pointing out. In particular, Japanese publication 4Gamer has a lengthy article that confirms the existence of what sounds like an extensive New Game+ mode. Director Hiroshi Takai spills the beans, stating that after completing...
Friday4th Nov 2022
News Final Fantasy 16 Release Date Reveal Planned for This Year
Game is "about 95%" complete
Square Enix plans to announce the PS5 release date for Final Fantasy XVI at some point this year, game producer Naoki Yoshida has said. In an interview with Famitsu, Yoshida is asked whether a concrete date will be confirmed beyond the "Summer 2023" window, to which he says: "We plan to release the information again...
Thursday20th Oct 2022
News Final Fantasy 16 Development Now in the 'Home Stretch', on Schedule for Summer 2023
Finally fantasy
Final Fantasy XVI's development cycle has entered its final stages, Square Enix has confirmed. In a couple of newly released statements from producer Naoki Yoshida and director Hiroshi Takai, it's revealed that the team is now fully focused on final optimisations; polishing things up, debugging, and all that kind of stuff. It's...
News New Final Fantasy 16 Trailer Is Over 4 Minutes of World Building Goodness
Still on track for summer 2023
Yep, it's here! Final Fantasy XVI has an atmospheric new trailer, which places a heavy focus on the game's setting. It's largely made up of gameplay footage, and it goes without saying that the title continues to look fantastic in terms of presentation. There's also some particularly explosive combat shots near the...
