Final Fantasy XVI has been kicking around various gaming shows for the last two years, but we still don’t know a tremendous amount about the game. Various trailers have given us glimpses at the story, setting and gameplay, but the next flagship Final Fantasy title is still mostly an unknown quantity.
Unfortunately, the game didn’t show up at the recent Tokyo Game Show — but its producer did. He suggested that a new trailer could debut in October, and more information about the game’s release window could follow.
Information comes from the Tokyo Game Show’s YouTube channel, as translated by Gematsu. Naoki Yoshida, producer of Final Fantasy XVI (and Final Fantasy XIV, for what it’s worth), took to the stage to accept a Future Division award for FF16, even though the game itself did not show up at TGS.
“I haven’t gotten a chance to talk to the marketing or public relations team at all, so I’m not sure how much I’m allowed to say,” Yoshida said, “but I think we’ll probably be able to release the next trailer next month or so … And after that, I hope to be able to give a rough of idea of when [FF16] will be released.”
It’s not much to go on, but it’s still good news for eager FF16 fans. A new trailer should be out in October; a better idea of the game’s release window should follow soon after that, perhaps even before the end of the year. Right now, Square Enix has a “summer 2023” launch window, so Yoshida might be able to pinpoint a month — or even a proper release date.
If you haven’t been keeping up with the game so far, FF16 will be the first mainline Final Fantasy game since Final Fantasy XV debuted in 2016. For the record, Tom’s Guide adored FFXV, calling it a “masterpiece” and awarding it 4.5 out of 5 stars:
“Final Fantasy XV manages to feel both familiar and exciting, both nostalgic and innovative,” we wrote. “Whether you play Final Fantasy XV for the refined gameplay, the endearing characters or the unpredictable storyline, just make sure you play it.”
So far, FF16 looks similarly promising, with fast-paced gameplay, fluid graphics and an ambitious setup for its story. As we pointed out when we ranked every Final Fantasy game, there aren’t any bad games in the mainline series, although some are better than others.
