Final Fantasy XVI is a 2023 action role-playing game created and published by Square Enix. It is the sixteenth main game in the Final Fantasy series. The game was first released for the PlayStation 5, with a version for Windows released in September 2024 and a version for Xbox Series X/S released in June 2025. The game includes open areas divided into sections and a combat system that focuses on action, using both close combat and magic attacks. Features from earlier games in the series return, such as Chocobos for traveling across areas and summoned creatures called Eikons, which appear as bosses and can be used in battle by channeling their power.
The game takes place on the twin continents of Valisthea, which are split into six nations. These nations gain power through access to magical Crystals and Dominants, humans who serve as hosts for each nation’s Eikon. Tensions grow between the nations as a magical drought, called the Blight, begins to harm the land. Clive Rosfield, who protects his younger brother Joshua, sees his kingdom destroyed and becomes involved in the conflict between the nations and a hidden force driving the war.
Development of the game began in 2015. Key members of the team included Naoki Yoshida as producer, Hiroshi Takai as main director, artists Hiroshi Minagawa and Kazuya Takahashi, Kazutoyo Maehiro as creative director and lead writer, Masayoshi Soken as composer, and Ryota Suzuki as battle designer. Yoshida aimed to create a dark fantasy story with wide appeal to renew interest in the series. The game’s production and promotion were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and later by the Russo-Ukrainian war.
Critics praised the game for its story, graphics, music, and gameplay. Some criticism focused on the lack of role-playing elements, technical problems, and the design of side quests. The game sold over three million copies in its first week after release but did not meet Square Enix’s expectations. After its release, the game received additional content through downloadable updates, including story-focused campaigns and smaller updates that added new features and in-game items.
Gameplay
Final Fantasy XVI is an action role-playing game where players control the main character, Clive Rosfield, and a group of AI-controlled companions. The game takes place in open areas across the continents of Valisthea. Familiar elements from previous Final Fantasy games, like the bird-like Chocobo and types of monsters, appear in the game. After a story-driven introduction, Clive can travel to different parts of Valisthea. The world includes enclosed dungeons, towns, and open fields, which players can choose from using a map and fast travel system. Travel in open areas is done on foot or by riding Ambrosia, a Chocobo. Clive's home base is a hideout where players can interact with non-playable characters (NPCs), track relationships with other characters, visit shops to buy or upgrade equipment, and accept side quests. A database called Active Time Lore stores information about locations, characters, and terms, which players can access anytime.
Combat happens in the same areas players explore, starting when enemies spot the party or when Clive attacks certain enemies like antelopes. Only Clive is controlled by the player, while other characters are AI-controlled and use their own attacks and magic. A companion dog named Torgal can perform special attacks or heal when following Clive's commands. During battles, Clive can use regular attacks, dodge, and cast elemental abilities from Eikons, which are summoned creatures from the game. Clive can switch between Eikon abilities during combat to create combination attacks. A key combat feature is "Stagger," where the party deals specific types of damage to fill a meter that stuns enemies temporarily, making them easier to attack. In some story sections, Clive fights Eikons and their users with unique mechanics. After defeating them, Clive gains new powers and techniques inspired by them.
The game begins with two difficulty settings: "Story" mode, which provides items to make combat easier and strengthen characters, and "normal" mode. After completing the game, players can choose New Game+, which carries over character stats and equipment to a new game, or a harder "Final Fantasy" mode with increased difficulty and different enemy placements. There is also an arcade mode that uses a point system to grade players' combat performance, including harder challenges in Ultimaniac Mode. In these modes, Clive can upgrade weapons, accessories, and face trials with specific limits, such as using only one Eikon ability in battle.
Synopsis
Final Fantasy XVI takes place in the fictional world of Valisthea. Across the two continents of Ash and Storm, there are huge magical crystals called Mothercrystals. These crystals provide energy called aether to people and power civilization through shards mined for use. Some humans, called Bearers, can use magic without crystals. However, Bearers face unfair treatment and forced labor, and their overuse of magic causes them to slowly turn to stone. Important to Valisthea's politics are magical creatures called Eikons, which are controlled by people called Dominants. There are eight Eikons, each tied to an element: Phoenix (fire), Shiva (ice), Ramuh (thunder), Leviathan (water), Titan (earth), Garuda (wind), Odin (darkness), and Bahamut (light). A second Eikon of fire, Ifrit, disrupts this balance and drives the main story.
The main countries in Valisthea are the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, and the Dhalmekian Republic on the Storm continent, the Kingdom of Waloed on the Ash continent, and the neutral Crystalline Dominion between Ash and Storm. The Iron Kingdom, an isolated nation near Storm, is overseen by the Crystalline Orthodox. In the past, an ancient group called the Fallen once ruled Valisthea before a disaster destroyed their civilization, leaving ruins. Today, Valisthea suffers from a shortage of aether, called the Blight, which harms all life and causes conflicts between nations. Dominants, who can control Eikons, are important in politics and warfare. Depending on where they are born, Dominants may be leaders, tolerated, or mistreated and used as weapons.
The game's main character is Clive Rosfield, the eldest son of Rosaria's ruling family. His younger brother, Joshua, becomes the Dominant of Phoenix, so Clive is not chosen as a successor. Clive can use power from multiple Eikons. A future companion is Jill Warrick, Clive's childhood friend and the Dominant of Shiva, who is often held as a political prisoner. Clive travels with his dog, Torgal, and Cidolfus Telamon, the Dominant of Ramuh, who helps Bearers and Dominants. Other important characters include Barnabas Tharmr, king of Waloed and Dominant of Odin; Benedikta Harman, a Waloed spy and Dominant of Garuda; Hugo Kupka, a political leader in the Dhalmekian Republic and Dominant of Titan; and Dion Lesage, the crown prince of Sanbreque and Dominant of Bahamut.
As a teenager, Clive protects Joshua, who is a Bearer with some power from Phoenix. Clive lives with his parents, Duke Elwin and Duchess Anabella, and Jill. When Elwin takes Joshua to a ceremony to awaken his powers, they are attacked by Sanbreque soldiers. Elwin dies, causing Joshua to transform into the destructive Phoenix. Moments later, an Eikon named Ifrit appears and kills the Phoenix. Clive vows revenge, but Anabella, who dislikes Clive's lack of power, betrays Rosaria to protect her family and enslaves Clive to Sanbreque's army.
Thirteen years later, Clive is sent to assassinate the Dominant of the Iron Kingdom, who is revealed to be Jill. After recognizing her, Clive deserts to free Jill. They are rescued by Cid, who agrees to help Clive find Ifrit's Dominant. Clive and Jill fight Benedikta, taking her Eikon Garuda. Benedikta is attacked by bandits and transforms into Garuda, causing Clive to transform into Ifrit and kill her. Clive feels guilt over killing Joshua but is encouraged by Cid to continue searching for answers.
After seeing the suffering of Bearers in occupied Rosaria, Clive and Jill join Cid in destroying the Mothercrystals, which are causing the Blight by draining aether. They attack Sanbreque's capital but face a being called Ultima, who injures Cid before the Mothercrystal is destroyed. Ultima tries to take over Clive, but Joshua, who survived Ifrit's attack, sacrifices himself to stop Ultima. Hugo, who loved Benedikta, is manipulated into attacking Cid. Five years later, Clive, now using the name "Cid," destroys the Iron Kingdom's Mothercrystal with Jill. Anabella replaces Dion, Sanbreque's prince, with her son Olivier. Hugo invades Rosaria to find "Cid," leading to a fight where Clive reveals himself as Benedikta's killer. Hugo transforms into Titan and is killed by Clive, who destroys the Dhalmekian Mothercrystal.
With Joshua's help, Dion stages a coup against Anabella but accidentally kills Sylvestre, Sanbreque's emperor, and transforms into Bahamut. Clive reunites with Joshua, helping him defeat Bahamut. Anabella kills herself after Dion kills Olivier. Barnabas reveals Ultima's plan to turn Clive into a vessel for Ultima. After Jill gives Clive the power of Shiva, Clive kills Barnabas and destroys Waloed's Mothercrystal. Joshua's research shows that Ultima's people created the Mothercrystals to gather aether for a resurrection spell. Ultima plans to destroy all life outside its civilization. Clive, Joshua, and Dion attack Ultima's fortress, where Ultima kills Dion and injures Joshua. Joshua sacrifices himself to give Clive his Eikon. Clive defeats Ultima, heals Joshua, and destroys the final Mothercrystal, removing magic from Valisthea. A post-credits scene shows a peaceful future where magic is forgotten, and a book about the events is credited to Joshua.
Post-release content, such as Echoes of the Fallen and The Rising Tide, expand the story. These additions focus on the Motes of Water, a group linked to the Eikon Leviathan. In Echoes of the Fallen, Clive, Joshua, and Jill investigate artificial Mothercrystals made by the Fallen. They fight an artificial Eikon called Omega and destroy the tower's Mothercrystal. In The Rising Tide, Clive, Jill, and Joshua travel to Mysidia with Shula, leader of the Motes and Famiel's sister. They learn about the Dominant of Leviathan, a baby.
Development
Final Fantasy XVI was created by Creative Business Unit III, a team within Square Enix, the company that makes and sells the games. The team included people who worked on Final Fantasy XIV, a game that lets many players play together online, and others who had worked on the Ivalice universe, a series of games. Producer Naoki Yoshida, who helped make Final Fantasy XIV as both a leader and a planner; main director Hiroshi Takai, known for working on the SaGa series and The Last Remnant; creative director and lead writer Kazutoyo Maehiro; lead gameplay designer Ayako Yokoyama; lead system programmer Yusuke Hashimoto, who used to work as an engineer for Level-5; and art director Hiroshi Minagawa, with characters designed by Kazuya Takahashi. The logo, showing the Eikons Phoenix and Ifrit fighting, was made by long-time artist Yoshitaka Amano.
Work on the game started in 2015 after Square Enix’s leader, Yosuke Matsuda, asked Yoshida to create the next main Final Fantasy game. Yoshida was finishing work on an expansion for Final Fantasy XIV called Heavensward, and he understood the request because another team was already working on Final Fantasy VII Remake. However, he needed to manage his time between Final Fantasy XIV and Final Fantasy XVI. To begin planning, Yoshida formed a small team with himself, Maehiro, and designer Mitsutoshi Gondai. Yoshida decided to take on the role of producer because his previous job as both producer and director for Final Fantasy XIV was too demanding for another large project. Takai, who had also worked with Yoshida on Final Fantasy XIV, was chosen as main director because of his experience with the series, his popularity with the team, and his knowledge of visual effects. Full development of Final Fantasy XVI began in 2016 after the release of Patch 3.4 for Heavensward, when Takai and Maehiro found new staff for the next expansion, Stormblood. The team received help from Tai Yasue’s Kingdom Hearts team in Square Enix’s Creative Business Unit I and a team at PlatinumGames led by Takahisa Taura.
When designing the game’s world and story, the team considered criticism about Final Fantasy XV (2016), especially its open world and story problems. Takai’s main goal was to create an easy-to-use action combat system and a mature, dark fantasy story that would address difficult themes. Yoshida wanted the game to appeal to players of all ages, not just children or adults. He also wanted to avoid stereotypes linked to the franchise, such as an anime-style art look or a story focused on teenagers. The game was initially made only for PlayStation 5, though a PlayStation 4 version was considered but later canceled to avoid limiting the team’s goals.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the team had to work from home, and development was delayed by six months due to communication problems with Square Enix’s main office and outside companies. By late 2020, basic game work and story ideas were complete, and the team was working on large parts like boss fights and tools. By April 2022, the game was nearly finished, with the team focusing on side quests. The game was fully playable from start to finish by June 2022, with work on improving the game and recording voices for different languages. Originally planned as a two-disc release, the team managed to fit the game onto one disc to save costs and avoid issues with production. After the game was released, the team moved on to other projects.
When choosing the combat system, Yoshida asked Final Fantasy fans for their opinions and found that some preferred action-based fighting while others liked traditional turn-based battles. After thinking about sales and modern trends, he chose a real-time action system. Yoshida admitted this choice, along with other decisions, might divide fans, but he believed trying to please everyone could lead to a weak game. During early development, the growing team tested many gameplay ideas and discarded those that didn’t work, which sometimes frustrated Square Enix’s leaders. The team avoided an open world because it would have taken too long to develop. Clive, the main character, is the only one the player controls, while other characters use AI to simplify controls, though limited commands were added for some control.
Outside the Kingdom Hearts team, Square Enix had little experience with action combat. Yoshida brought in Ryota Suzuki, a veteran from Capcom who worked on Devil May Cry, as the battle designer. The combat system was based on turning mechanics from Final Fantasy V into a real-time battle style. Each Eikon battle had unique mechanics not used elsewhere. One of the first completed Eikon battles was with Garuda, and its design stayed mostly the same throughout development. There were no loading screens during these battles, with gameplay and dialogue mixed into the final scenes. Early in development, a system allowing Clive to use Eikon powers was planned but later removed because it limited how Clive could look. Classic Final Fantasy jobs inspired enemy and NPC designs.
Yoshida brought Maehiro on board because he liked his writing and world-building skills. Maehiro was busy working on the Heavensward scenario and started full work in 2016. The initial story was inspired by the first seasons of Game of Thrones, with other influences like classic and modern anime to avoid too many similarities. Maehiro wrote the first script, which was reviewed and completed by Michael-Christopher Koji Fox. Dialogue was written before the game’s design was finalized. The script was first written in Japanese and then translated into English for early dialogue and cutscene recordings. The team chose a traditional medieval setting because they liked that style from older Final Fantasy games and wanted to move away from the science fiction elements in newer games, which they felt made the series feel unchanging. The world map and nations were created based on geography before the story was developed.
Yoshida always saw the story as being about Clive and the relationships he forms with others in the warring nations. The story’s main theme was the conflict between different values. Clive and Dion were designed as opposites, representing princes of darkness and light. Crystals, a common feature in the series, were shown as a metaphor for used-up fossil fuels, while Dominants and Eikons were compared to weapons of mass destruction. A marketing tagline, “The legacy of the crystals has shaped our history for long enough,” symbolized moving away from science fiction and questioning the crystals’ role in giving humans power. Eikons were based on popular summons from other Final Fantasy games, with Ifrit given a major role to contrast his earlier image as a summon for beginners. Instead of using CGI, the story was told through real-time cinematics and in-game dialogue. Cinematics were handled by veteran director Takeshi Nozue.
Masayoshi Soken was the lead composer for the game.
Release
In late 2019, people began talking about Final Fantasy XVI after reports said Creative Business Unit III had completed early work for a new major game. The game was officially announced in September 2020. The first trailer used real-time footage instead of pre-made movie scenes to show the game was far along in development and close to release. A second trailer, released in June 2022 and showing the Eikons and related gameplay, was ready in March 2022. However, because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine the previous month, the team decided to delay the trailer’s release due to the game’s depiction of countries at war. Yoshida recorded a message to introduce the trailer and separate it from world events. A third trailer, featuring more gameplay and the release date, was shown in December 2022 at The Game Awards. The game was confirmed to be finished by the end of March 2023, and a demo covering the opening scenes and a later dungeon was released on June 12.
The localization was led by Fox, with casting and recording handled by the UK branch of audio company Side. While the script was written in Japanese, unlike earlier games, it was translated and motion-captured in English. Because of this, there was no Japanese lip syncing, though the team tried using an automated system to match the Japanese dub to the characters, which did not work. Yoshida avoided the recording process due to company rules and out of "respect" for the writers. All English voice work was done by European actors, a choice meant to attract the North American market. The English and Japanese voice cast was announced in December 2022. Unlike other recent Final Fantasy titles, the game did not include extra content like downloadable content (DLC) or books, with the full story told within the game.
Some Western media criticized the team’s explanation for the game’s limited ethnic diversity. Yoshida said the lack of diversity fit the game’s Medieval European setting and the isolation of Valisthea’s lands in the story. He acknowledged possible representation issues but worried about breaking player immersion or creating stereotypes. The team focused on characters’ personalities and stories instead of their appearances. Yoshida later said the game’s world was inspired by global cultures, though some might disagree with their approach. He also avoided calling the game a "JRPG," as he disliked the term’s negative history.
Final Fantasy XVI was released worldwide on June 22, 2023. It received high age ratings in major regions. The game was banned in Saudi Arabia because Square Enix refused to change its content to meet local guidelines, including a relationship between two male characters. The game had digital and physical Deluxe and Collector’s Editions, including in-game items, art books, and a steel case with unique artwork. A real-life replica of Clive’s sword, made by blacksmith Tod Todeschini, was displayed at the Tower of London from June 20 to July 19. The team aimed to avoid needing a software patch at launch but released one to fix small gameplay issues and improve performance. Copies of the game leaked a week before release, and Square Enix asked people who had early copies not to spoil the game.
After release, the game received updates for camera, control, and graphical settings, and some visual issues were fixed. In September 2023, Yoshida confirmed two paid DLC episodes were being developed, along with a PC version. A new update added costume changes for Clive, Jill, and Torgal. The first DLC, Echoes of the Fallen, was released on December 7, 2023, and followed Clive exploring an ancient tower. The second DLC, The Rising Tide, was released on April 18, 2024, and featured the Eikon Leviathan. A patch added more control and graphical options and a new combat challenge. The DLC was directed by Takeo Kujiraoka, who worked on Final Fantasy XIII and the Dissidia series. The team focused on exploring unexplained parts of Valisthea’s world in the DLC, which had been hinted at in the game. A crossover event with Final Fantasy XIV ran from April 2 to May 8, 2024.
The game was a timed exclusive for PS5 for six months after its release. While a Windows version was rumored, Yoshida denied knowledge of a port. He later confirmed a PC version was planned but would not arrive quickly. The Windows version was released on September 17, 2024, in standard and "Complete Edition" formats with both DLCs. A demo covering the game’s opening section was released in August 2024 alongside the port’s announcement. The port was made by the same team as the main game, with new graphics and performance options for different PC setups. Takai said the port’s delay was due to the exclusivity deal and the difficulty of optimizing for both PS5 and PC. An Xbox Series X/S version was released on June 8, 2025, with the same editions as the PC release.
An art book titled The Art of Final Fantasy XVI was released in Japan in 2023 and in the West in 2024. Two books are planned: Logos: The World of Final Fantasy XVI, which details the game’s lore and story, is set for release in late 2025 in Japan and 2026 in the West. A second art book covering the DLC, The Art of Final Fantasy XVI: Echoes of the Rising Tide, will be released in 2026. A stage adaptation by the Takarazuka Revue’s Cosmos Troupe was planned for 2024 but has been postponed indefinitely.
Reception
Final Fantasy XVI received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to the review aggregator website Metacritic. According to OpenCritic, 91% of 205 critics recommended the game.
Regarding the story, Michael Higham of GameSpot praised the writing for how it handled serious themes and said the characters were enjoyable. IGN’s Mitchell Saltzman was very positive about the story and characters, and he praised the main characters’ performances. Game Informer’s Wesley LeBlanc liked the larger story, and Edge noted the story’s grand scale, even though it sometimes conflicted with the game’s structure. Jordan Middler, writing for Video Games Chronicle, said the story was well told and the characters became likable after a slow start that included worldbuilding and unfamiliar terms. Iain Harris of GamesRadar+ described the setting as similar to earlier games in the series and noted its environmental themes, but mentioned some weak dialogue. Eric Van Allen, writing for Destructoid, said the story had ambitious ideas but some themes were not clearly resolved. Eurogamer’s Edwin Evans-Thirlwell praised Clive’s storyline and how the narrative explored themes from the series, though he noted a tone of "wanton backstabbing and ambient misogyny" among other characters. Similarly, Zach Wilkerson of RPGFan said the female characters were not fully developed, though he praised the story and overall cast. Giovanni Colantonio of Digital Trends said the story became less interesting after moving away from Clive’s revenge quest and found few characters memorable, but praised the game’s lore. Some critics mentioned a lack of ethnic diversity and representation.
Higham praised the graphics and cinematics for helping tell the story and improve the game’s design. Both Edge and Wilkerson praised the detail and variety in the game’s graphics. Middler praised the overall visual design but noted some awkward animation for side characters in some scenes. Harris said the visual effects used in battles and Eikon setpieces sometimes made it hard for players to see the action. LeBlanc noted that NPC designs lacked detail and variety, and that visual effects sometimes interfered with gameplay. Both Saltzman and Higham mentioned the game had an unstable frame rate. Soken’s score for the game received high praise.
Higham described Final Fantasy XVI as the most significant change in gameplay for the series, praising the variety of ability combinations available later in the game. Colantonio was pleased with the scale and excitement of Eikon fights and enjoyed the combat, even though it was driven by the story; he hoped the series would improve these elements in future games. Allen called the gameplay "flat out good," while Harris said it might be divisive but still enjoyable because of its action focus. Edge enjoyed the early parts of the game and the combat system but said the pacing slowed later. Evans-Thirlwell noted the wide variety of special abilities and customization options that supported the basic combat mechanics, while LeBlanc called the battle system "[his] favorite action combat system to date" despite pacing issues. Saltzman highlighted the focus on knocking enemies down and using combos as the strongest part of the combat system. Wilkerson praised the customization that allowed players to expand combat options for both new and experienced players but said the difficulty was too easy and noted a lack of enemy variety. Middler praised the action combat, saying its quick pace and lack of unnecessary filler allowed players to move through the game quickly. Several reviewers compared the scale and excitement of Eikon battles to setpieces from God of War III and Asura’s Wrath. Recurring criticism focused on the lack of depth in gameplay mechanics and uninteresting side quests.
Final Fantasy XVI was the best-selling retail game in Japan during its release week, with over 336,000 physical units sold. In the United Kingdom, the game was the best-selling title during its first week, but had significantly lower physical sales than Final Fantasy XV. During its first month in the United States, the game was the second best-selling title behind Diablo IV. During its first week, Final Fantasy XVI sold over three million units. Reports from Square Enix stated that despite strong sales, the game did not meet the company’s higher expectations, and this, along with other factors, contributed to the company’s falling share value. President Takashi Kiryu blamed slow adoption of the console and said the company would continue marketing it. In May 2024, Kiryu stated that Final Fantasy XVI and other major titles had failed to meet long-term sales goals. It was the 16th best-selling video game in the United States in 2023.