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Final Fantasy XVI 2023
Final Fantasy XVI is a 2023 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix. It marks the sixteenth main entry in the Final Fantasy series and was initially launched for the PlayStation 5, followed by a Windows release in September 2024 and an Xbox Series X/S version in June 2025. The game employs segmented open-world environments and uses an action-oriented combat system that incorporates melee and magic-based attacks. Features common to the series include Chocobos for travel between areas, as well as Eikons—summoned creatures that function both as bosses and as sources of power channeled in battle.
Set within the twin continents of Valisthea, the game’s world is divided among six nations that maintain control through access to magical Crystals and Dominants—humans who serve as hosts for each nation's Eikon. As a magical drought known as the Blight starts to ravage the land, tensions between the nations rise. Clive Rosfield, who serves as guardian to his younger brother Joshua, experiences the destruction of his kingdom and becomes entangled in the growing conflict involving Valisthea’s nations and an unseen force behind the war.
Concept development began in 2015, with Naoki Yoshida serving as producer, Hiroshi Takai as main director, artists Hiroshi Minagawa and Kazuya Takahashi, Kazutoyo Maehiro as creative director and lead writer, Masayoshi Soken as composer, and Capcom veteran Ryota Suzuki as battle designer. Yoshida intended to create a dark fantasy narrative with wide appeal to revitalize the franchise. The game’s production and marketing were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and later by the Russo-Ukrainian war.
Critics appreciated the game's story, visuals, soundtrack, and combat. However, some critiques pointed toward limited RPG elements, technical flaws, and shortcomings in side quest design. During its first week post-launch, the game sold over three million copies but did not meet Square Enix's sales expectations. Following release, additional downloadable content was offered, including story-driven expansions and patches adding new features and in-game items.
Trailer
Plays from YouTube only after you click.
Crew
- Director
- Hiroshi Takai, Kazutoyo Maehiro
- Designer
- Ayako Yokoyama, Ryota Suzuki
- Programmer
- Yusuke Hashimoto
- Artist
- Hiroshi Minagawa, Kazuya Takahashi
- Writer
- Kazutoyo Maehiro
- Producer
- Naoki Yoshida
- Music
- Masayoshi Soken
Details
- Developer
- Square Enix Creative Business Unit III
- Publisher
- Square Enix
- Platforms
- PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S
- Modes
- Single-player
- Series
- Final Fantasy
