The release of Final Fantasy 16 by Square Enix is next month and is receiving a lot of attention. It’s owing in large part to the action RPG’s producer, Naoki Yoshida of Final Fantasy 14 renown. For the first three hours, which appears to be the demo that goes live next month, there are various impressions accessible.
Yoshida, though, spoke with GQ about a different yet fascinating subject: declining sales of upcoming Final Fantasy titles. “A lot of gamers are going to enter and view it like a comic book where you have to start at the beginning to understand what is happening right now. It’s challenging for marketing because we have to start every numbered title in the series by saying, “It’s OK; you don’t have to play the others.
Does this imply that Square Enix might cease numbering upcoming entries? Not yet, but Yoshida claims that it has been discussed. “I’ve actually brought up the topic with the superiors. Perhaps it’s time to get rid of the numbers in the title.
You have Final Fantasy 14, for instance. When a new player joins, they ask, “Wait a second—why do I have to play Final Fantasy 14 when 16 is out?” Why don’t we just call it Final Fantasy Online? Eliminating the number entirely would make it simpler to comprehend.
But ultimately, it will rely on whoever creates the upcoming sequels. “That’s their problem, not ours! Whether Final Fantasy 17 or Final Fantasy 18 should have a number or not is going to be on whoever has to develop that game and whoever’s in charge of the branding.”
On June 22, Final Fantasy 16 will be made available exclusively on the PlayStation 5 for at least six months. A PC version has been requested by Yoshida, but it won’t be released right away after the exclusivity period. The PS5 demo is scheduled to launch around two weeks prior to the general release. As always, check back for additional developments.