Finally, after many years of speculation (deja vu) we were given the release date for the long-awaited Final Fantasy XVI at The Game Awards 2022. In addition, we were given yet another new trailer delivered straight to us by Yoshi-P himself. The development of Final Fantasy XVI has indeed been a long one. But, show me a mainline entry that hasn’t, and I’ll show you a green sky.
So, when can eager players get their hands on the latest in the long-running franchise? In the new trailer, subtitled “Revenge,” we were indeed given a date. And, the good news is … it’s not that far off!
When is Final Fantasy XVI Being Released?
If you simply couldn’t wait until the end of the two-and-a-half-minute trailer, Final Fantasy XVI will release on June 22, 2023. This lines up with the quote we were given earlier this year, when they said it’d drop in ‘Summer 2023.’ But, where that could’ve been July or August, thankfully, we’re going to be eating good in the first half of Summer. It was also announced that pre-orders are open, as of writing!
What We Know So Far About Final Fantasy XVI
The story this time around seems to focus on a group of humans called Dominants. The Dominants have the power to transform into a classic Summons monster seen in several mainline games. Pheonix, Titan, Garuda, Ramuh, Shiva, Odin, Bahamut, and Ifrit receive tittles at the end of the trailer. Each Summons is a mainstay gameplay mechanic in multiple games throughout the series.
Square Enix Creative Business Unit III is developing the game. Hiroshi Takai and Kazutoyo Maehiro are co-directing. The June 2023 release will be for only the PlayStation 5 as per the trailer announcement.
Related: Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker Early Access Now Live
If you can’t wait so long for your Final Fantasy fix, don’t forget Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins, released earlier this year. The game is a reimagined pseudo-remake of the very first Final Fantasy game. Developed by Team Ninja for Square Enix, it brings the first game in the series to a modern audience with modern gameplay mechanics.
