Final Fantasy 16 Successfully Expanded the Series to New, Younger Players, Says Square Enix

Final Fantasy is a long running series at this point — it's easily one of the most storied franchises in gaming. But when you're up to the sixteenth mainline entry, you must start wondering whether fresh installments still have the power to pull new players in. Indeed, audience growth will be an important metric for the suits upstairs at Square Enix.

[H9]

Pull new fans and push old fans

[shinoff2183]

Pretty much. It was barely an rpg. Sorry if I like a little rpg in my final fantasy games.

[-Foxtrot]

I really hope this doesn’t mean they are going to continue to streamline the games even more going forward

It didn’t even have element weakness and the like during battles. A game with element based Eikons you use in combat and they didn’t include any elemental strategic tactics

[Tacoboto]

I expected fire to burn grassy enemies. That didn't happen.

I also expected to see a "we have to go there!" moment in a cutscene, and have to travel there myself. FFXVI instead loaded the map to one selectable map marker and the next cutscene loaded to us there.

Disappointing as an RPG. Disappointing as even being "open area". I'll maintain that this game would've been best served as a more linear DMC-style experience than what we got, because the core of the combat and story were so great.

[shinoff2183]

Foxtrot

I can't imagine they'd try and go back to a turn based game to see if younger fans would like it. They've really never even tried though. Hell my 13 year old loves turn based jrpgs

[andy85]

I'll always play them because I've played every one, but if 17 goes in the same direction I'm not excited any more. It just wasn't a Final Fantasy game, just a decent action RPG. Thankfully Rebirth had everything that was missing in it.

[Cacabunga]

I think they should remake FF9 as action RPG or some similar fighting system as FFXV. It might be something!

[MrBaskerville]

Yeah, not sure why they even bothered to have money and purchasable equipment you barely have any choices and it never amounts to more than super basic stat increases.

All the abilities and moves that are added also felt a bit inconsequential, gameplay never really changes in any meaningful way. It's fun, but the first 2 hours don't feel much different than 30 hours in.

I like it, but could have been so much more. Feels very shallow in the gameplay department.

[VonAlbrecht]

I'm an old fan who's played literally every FF game (excluding 2) and I *loved* FF16.

I genuinely struggle to understand the mindset of people are who get weird and territorial over JRPG franchises. I think as a whole we should be encouraging developers to try new things. We're the old guard - what we want to see in a game is going to become increasingly irrelevant with time so we gotta change the way we think about this stuff.

[Vits]

Classic franchises thrive on their familiarity. While they can introduce new ideas, it's crucial that these innovations stay true to the essence of the franchise. Otherwise, it might be more appropriate to develop a new franchise or spinoff.

And that's where FFXVI sort of drops the ball for many. It doesn't offer much to old Final Fantasy fans. Honestly, I loved the game, but I feel it might have worked better as a spinoff, a new franchise, or even a reimagination of another classic series like Musashi or Dewprism.

[Elda]

I agree. FF games have always been about evolving when it comes to the gameplay mechanics. Big budget FF games like FFXVI with realistic graphics just won't sit too well with turnbase gameplay. The ones complaining are the old fans that are stuck in a rut or still stuck in the 90s style of gameplay.

[shinoff2183]

It didn't feel rpgish at all. It's not a territorial issue with everyone.

Elda

As much as I like turn based and would prefer that. If that's my only issue with ff16 then why am I loving rebirth, and remake. Truth is to me 16 just blew. Dark, dull, missing so much actual ff stuff, elemental damage non existence. It lacked to much of anything rpg like.

I get innovation but ff16 really didn't innovate anything. They just gave us a mainline title of a straight action game with lite rpg builds.

[MrNinosan]

I'm in the same boat.
Played every single Final Fantasy game, also the spinoffs and XI and XIV.

Few of them have dissapointed (some spinoffs did), but even if XVI is different, it still hit me very hard with the amazing story and excellent voice cast.

Sure, I'd like some more customization in loadouts etc, but the game was still amazing.

Probably top 5 of my FF-games, behind Rebirth, FFVII, Remake and X.

[H9]

I have played every one as well excluding 5 and 11, want to play 5 tho, but when XVI released I gave up, I think your mindset is completely off I don't think we should accept every change that developers make because time have passed, like GRRM says "there's a hidden contract between me and the creator", that hidden contract is that when I play a FF game I expect FF, it doesn't matter to me if they see my old ways as irrelevant or not, it's not what I signed up for, make a new series if you want to shed your old clothes, so let's be honest the only reason why it didn't shed the FF cloth is to make us old fans play, so no I am not going to get denied what I want and see be baited to pay up

[thorstein]

16 is what brought me back to the series. I've played FF since the first released and stopped at 10. Things were stagnant.

And 16 feels fresh and new. Not to mention the voice acting and story are all really great.

[Asterphoenix]

Sounds exactly what Tales did with Arise. I enjoyed FF16 more than FF13 and FF15 personally. I just hope the next mainline entry Yoshida makes is more party RPG based.

[H9]

Actually I think Arise is more Tales than XVI is FF, it's not just about combat, XVI is not even a RPG to begin with, the foreign things to the franchise are too many it's exactly easier to count the similarities because they are fewer, Arise was Tales but not very Tales

[repsahj]

I'm one of those longtime FF fans who haven't been pushed away by this game. I liked it very much. Both Rebirth and 16 are great games IMHO.

[Lexreborn2]

I’m like new fans are the future of the franchise, you know older fans typically stop playing a franchise or worse, we get old and die.

There has to be a balance to the newer generations and not just older. Personally I’m not jaded by how they are operating. I wasn’t a huge fan of 16 but I didn’t think it was a terrible game either I finished it and hoping the dlc addresses issues I had (doubtful).

But when people tell me they enjoyed it I think that’s all that matters.

[neutralgamer1992]

Someone will always be unhappy. If it was up to FF fans they want all games to be turned based combat and that just doesn’t have the same reach as real time combat

As someone who wasn’t a FF fan as soon as they went real time combat I have bought every game. So yes new fans vs old fans argument is valid but publishers have to decided where they could make more money

[shadowT]

great game! Can't wait for the upcoming DLC

[jznrpg]

I enjoyed the game but I would like them to try making a turn based FF. It’s been too long. Even if it was a spin-off that would be fine.

[Nerdmaster]

For me the Bravely Default series is more Final Fantasy than current Final Fantasy. Since it started its development as a FF spinoff, it even keeps some FF stuff like magic names (Fire/Fira/Firaga etc.).
Unfortunately it doesn't sell that well and we can't be sure Square will keep making them, but I hope they do.

[shinoff2183]

I wish they'd at least take the chance. It'll sell off name alone. Hell at this point try and add both and let it be an option.

[VersusDMC]

"This doesn’t mean that all future Final Fantasy games will take a similar direction to Final Fantasy 16,"

Here is a quote from the article to keep the XVI haters easy .

I enjoyed the game for what it was. What the team wanted to make. And i hadn't enjoyed a mainline FF game like i did XVI since X. Not counting Remake. People say it isn't an JRPG but it's pretty much Kingdom Hearts gameplay wise.

I decided to play some Arcade mode in XVI to get ready for the DLC after 220 hours of Rebirth and i still love the gameplay.

Can't wait for the DLC to hit in less than a week and see how crazy the Leviathan fight will be.

[Elda]

I enjoyed FFXVI & I've played most of the numbered series going back to the SNES days. I can't wait to play the new expansion releasing this Thursday.

[z2g]

Yet sales were still underwhelming. Go home square, you’re drunk.

[MrNinosan]

And still the Final Fantasy that has highest attach rate, console wise.

[Barlos]

Now, I really enjoyed the game but come on, it was barely an RPG. I don't like this action orientated focus that SE is putting on its FF games these days.

[CrimsonWing69]

I’m scared for the future of FF games…

[Terry_B]

FF 16 successfully made me spend my money for something else. Just like how FF 14 and 15 were successful about that.

[Redemption-64]

Enjoyed it very much, glad to see new fans.