Final Fantasy 16 is less than a month away from release and we couldn’t be more excited. It has been almost seven years since the release of Final Fantasy 15 and we cannot wait to see what the future of the franchise looks like. With players being bombarded with leaks, trailers and tons of new information is a summary of everything we know about the game so far.
The world of Final Fantasy 16
The game is set in the world of Valisthea which is home to Mothercrystals. Square Enix says, "For generations, people have flocked to these beacons (Mothercrystals) to take advantage of their blessing, using the aether to conjure magicks that let them live lives of comfort and plenty. Great powers have grown up around each Mothercrystal, and an uneasy peace has long reigned between them. Yet now the peace falters as the spread of the Blight threatens to destroy their dominions."
We also have Eikons which are powerful creatures that inhabit the world, and the game focuses heavily on Eikon battles which are large-scale boss battles that feel like a medieval version of Pacific Rim. Dominants also inhabit Valisthea. They are powerful human vessels that can call upon the power of the Eikons. These Dominants influence the political landscape around them and we have seen many become great leaders while other Dominants lead with fear.
There are great nations that were created around each of the Mothercrystals. The world of Valisthea is divided into the content of Ash and the content of Storm. We will get to explore all of the realms of Valisthea during our playthrough, which includes:
- Grand Duchy of Rosaria
- Holy Empire of Sanbreque
- Kingdom of Waloed
- Dhalmekian Republic
- Iron Kingdom
- Crystalline Dominion
The world is inspired by medieval Europe and Game of Thrones is also an inspiration for the game. Director Naoki Yoshida said in an interview with Eurogamer, “We wanted to create something that really resonated with a lot of people. And when we saw how Game of Thrones, and before that the Song of Ice and Fire series, has really resonated with players, we knew that this was something that we wanted to do as well.”
Going by how Yoshi P has hyped up the world of Valisthea, we can expect a lot of politics, fights for power, and deep backstories for each of the nations in the world of Valisthea.
Final Fantasy 16 characters
Here are some of the major characters that have been revealed so far:
Torgal
While Torgal might not be the most important figure in the lore to us, he has earned the title of “best boy” among many fans. Torgal is a hound that will serve as your companion during your adventures. You can issue commands during combat and also interact with him during your gameplay.
Clive Rosfield
Clive is Archduke of Rosaria’s eldest son and is expected to be the next Dominant to inherit the power of the Phoenix. Due to unknown reasons, Clive’s younger brother is the one who ends up getting Phoenix’s powers. Clive is the “First Shield of Rosaria” and he is tasked with protecting his brother.
Joshua Rosfield
Joshua is Dominant with the power of Phoenix. He is your bookish nerd with a softspoken attitude. He did not want to wield Phoenix’s powers and wished Clive would be the Dominant to receive the powers instead. Joshua and Clive seem to have an amicable relationship and we will explore their brotherhood in detail during the campaign.
Jill Warrick
Jill is from the northern territories and is the ward who helped secure the two nations. She is a sister figure to Joshua and Clive.
Combat should be a blast
Final Fantasy 14 Director Hiroshi Takai is in charge of combat and Square Enix has also reportedly hired Ryota Suzuki of Devil May Cry 5 fame as the “battle director”, so our expectations are understandably high.
Final Fantasy 16 features third-person combat with a party system. You also get to summon Eikons, which is the game’s iteration of summons we’ve had in previous titles. If you were expecting turn-based combat, we have some bad news for you.
We don’t think Final Fantasy’s upcoming mainline titles will return to turn-based combat anytime soon. Whether turn-based combat makes or breaks a Final Fantasy game for you is a personal factor but is what Square Enix envisions for the future of the franchise.
A PC port is coming, but not anytime soon
The first Final Fantasy 16 announcement mentioned PlayStation and PC as the two compatible platforms, but you should not get your hopes up for a PC port anytime soon. The game is a PlayStation exclusive for 6-months and Final Fantasy producer Naoki Yoshida has confirmed that a PC port will happen eventually but it will not arrive in six months, so fans will need to wait longer.
There is no release window for PC. For context, the PC port of Final Fantasy 15 came around 14 months after the release of the PlayStation and Xbox versions. An Xbox version is unannounced at this point and we don’t know if Square Enix intends to release the game on Microsoft’s platform anytime soon.
Want to preorder the game? Here’s what you’ll get
The pre-order bonuses for the game include a Cait Sith Charm (Gil Boost accessory) and Braveheart (weapon). You are eligible for these bonuses as long as you purchase the game from any official retailer.
Here is everything you get with each edition of the game.
Standard Edition ($69.99)
- A copy of Final Fantasy 16
- Steelbook case (Best Buy purchases only)
Digital Deluxe Edition ($89.99)
- A copy of Final Fantasy 16
- Digital mini art book
- Digital mini soundtrack
Deluxe Edition ($99.99)
- A copy of Final Fantasy 16
- Cloth map of Valisthea
- Clive Rosfield steelbook case
- Additional steelbook case (Best Buy purchases only)
Collector’s Edition ($349.99)
- A copy of Final Fantasy 16 (with Clive Rosfield steelbook case)
- Ifrit statue
- 8 pins
- Cloth map of Valisthea
- Blood Sword (in-game item)
You do not want to miss the pre-launch celebrations
There will be a live stream from Los Angeles on June 11, 2023, ahead of the game’s launch. We will get a preview of the game and there are rumors that a demo will be available after the live stream, but there’s no official confirmation yet.
Save the date. #FF16 pic.twitter.com/G1lMTd0PxK
— FINAL FANTASY XVI (@finalfantasyxvi) April 18, 2023
Final Fantasy 16 Release Date
The game is out on June 22, 2023, for PlayStation 5.
That is all you need to know about the upcoming game and we hope you have an enjoyable experience in Valisthea.
