Square Enix Confirms 'Final Fantasy XVI,' Exclusive For PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4

In a surprising move during the PlayStation 5 Showcase, Sony revealed Square Enix’s long-rumored “Final Fantasy XVI,” the next installment in the popular Japanese role-playing game franchise.

The trailer revealing the title from Square Enix showcased the game’s fantasy elements and combat. At present, it is believed that “Final Fantasy XVI” will be a PlayStation-exclusive title.

The PlayStation Blog notes that Hiroshi Takai will serve as director for “Final Fantasy XVI.” He previously worked on “Romancing SaGa” and “The Last Remnant.” Producing this title will be “Final Fantasy XIV” director Naoki Yoshida.

In “Final Fantasy XVI,” you play as a bodyguard to Joshua, the son of the Archduke of the region the game is set in. There seems to be some sort of blight taking hold of the land around you, bringing with it all sorts of dangers.

GameSpot notes that the “fantasy" in this particular “Final Fantasy” looks like it's inspired by something akin to “Game of Thrones,” meaning that it looks quite different from past games in the series. Some fans have also noted similarities to Square's PlayStation 1-era RPG, “Vagrant Story.”

“Final Fantasy XVI” is the first new mainline installment in the RPG series since “Final Fantasy XV” launched in 2016 although other games have been released. “Final Fantasy XVII Remake” launched on the PlayStation 4 earlier this year and follow-up titles are supposedly in the works.

For its part, “Final Fantasy XIV” has continued to receive an ongoing stream of content, with the “Shadowbringers” expansion launching in July 2019. Its most recent update just arrived last month.

There were some who surmised that Square Enix skipped presenting “Final Fantasy XVI” during the big revelation event of the PlayStation 5 in June because another title, “Project Althia,” had graphics and gameplay that could highlight the PS5’s capabilities further.

At present, the date for the release of “Final Fantasy XVI” has not yet been announced, but it is expected to come out in 2021. Sony announced that the game will be a console exclusive on PS5, suggesting that it will not be coming to Xbox Series X or Series S.