Summary
Final Fantasy 16director Hiroshi Takai thinks that future installments may be released on PC at launch. When the latest mainline title in the franchise was released on the PlayStation 5 to rave reviews last summer, Square Enix promised fans that a PC port would be coming in the future, though exactly when remained a mystery. Complicating the matter was the fact thatFinal Fantasy 16was a timed exclusive on PlayStation hardware for six months after its release, with producer Naoki Yoshida admitting that the PC version wouldn’t come right away.
The wait for the PC version ofFinal Fantasy 16is coming to an end, as Square Enix recently announced that the port would be launching on September 17. In addition to the base game, thisPC port ofFinal Fantasy 16will come packaged with theEchoes of the FallenandThe Rising TideDLC campaigns, as well as numerous graphical options to ensure that the mystical land of Valisthea looks and plays like never before. A freeFinal Fantasy 16demo is currently available to download on Steam and the Epic Games Store, giving curious players a taste of the game’s opening prologue.
Fans have been wondering if the upcomingFinal Fantasy 16PC port could pave the way for future entries to be multiplatform at launch, and director Hiroshi Takai seems to think this is possible. While speaking toGamesRadar+, Takai said thatnewFinal Fantasygamescould be released on PC on release day, but that this choice would ultimately fall to the development team in charge of each project. He does point out that said developers “don’t get anything out of delaying [a PC] release,” noting that his team at Creative Business Unit 3 did everything they could to bringFinal Fantasy 16to PC as soon as possible.
Future Final Fantasy Games Could Come To PC On Day 1
Hiroshi Takai’s statement seems to reflect Square Enix’s increasing efforts to bring its games to the larger PC market in recent years. Earlier this year, the company announced that it was‘aggressively’ pursuing multiplatform publishingin the face of declining sales. Sure enough, theKingdom Heartsseries finally made its way to Steam in June, and some believe that the thirdFinal Fantasy 7 Remaketitle could be Square Enix’s last timed PlayStation exclusive.
This strategy is continuing withFinal Fantasy 16, with Hiroshi Takai even stating that he would love to seeFF16ported to Xbox Series X/Sin the future, though his team’s focus is understandably on the upcoming PC version. ShouldFinal Fantasy 16prove successful on Steam and the Epic Games Store, it could lead to futureFinal Fantasytitles being released on PC alongside their console versions, which would increase the number of gamers jumping into Square Enix’s legendary JRPG mega-franchise.
Final Fantasy 16
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An epic dark fantasy world where the fate of the land is decided by the mighty Eikons and the Dominants who wield them.This is the tale of Clive Rosfield, a warrior granted the title “First Shield of Rosaria” and sworn to protect his younger brother Joshua, the dominant of the Phoenix. Before long, Clive will be caught up in a great tragedy and swear revenge on the Dark Eikon Ifrit, a mysterious entity that brings calamity in its wake.
