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Final Fantasy XVI Producer on the Series' Future

Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida discusses how the series will progress in the future, as well as what he'd like to accomplish in the next several years.

www.animenewsnetwork.com

With the recent release of Final Fantasy XVI on Xbox and the launch of Switch 2, have Square Enix's future launch plans changed? Final Fantasy XVI was a launch exclusive on PS5, so will you go fully multi-platform for future Final Fantasy titles?

For sure, this was also announced by our president and CEO, Takashi Kiryu. Our Square Enix strategy is that we want to go multi-platform for our future titles. As you have seen, in terms of titles released from our Creative Studio III, we announced that Final Fantasy Tactics Ivalice Chronicles will be releasing on September 30, multi-platform. It is safe to assume that we will strive for multi-platform release moving forward.

There's a game called Claire Obscur: Expedition 33 that has a lot of critical acclaim and successful sales. One of the things that stood out about the game was its turn-based combat. Expedition 33 was inspired by games like Final Fantasy and Persona. I know that you said in the past that Final Fantasy XVI's more action-based combat was sort of a natural progression, or way of keeping up with modern gaming.

But with the success of Expedition 33, do you think that possibly mainline Final Fantasy games could go back to being turn-based, as that seems to be something that players have an appetite for?

With this question of turn-based versus action, it tends to isolate the gameplay to just the battle system. That doesn't take into account what kind of game the creators want to deliver to players. For example, based on a certain graphical quality we want to present to our players, or the narrative we want to deliver to our players, it relates to how we set up the game's systems around it. This includes the battle system, game design, and gameplay feel. It's not a clear-cut answer, whether it will become all turn-based, or if it's going to become more action-based.

[I'm] not necessarily going to be on Final Fantasy 17, so we also don't want to obstruct or limit our future director or whomever will be producing the games like 17 or even 18. We don't want to put them on a rail.

What lessons did you learn from the development and release of Final Fantasy XVI that you can take with you to the next Final Fantasy game?

There's a lot, but if I were to pick one, we were able to learn how to produce a high-end video game. There were a lot of learning points through that, and I feel like we gleaned a lot of know-how through the process. I want to challenge myself or apply to future works on how we can swiftly produce something of high quality and minimize the development period without lowering the quality.

 

[Yoshichan]

The shit I would do for Matsuno to have the reins once again

 

[Memati187]

If its not turn based, then fuck you. Keep that shit. Claire obscure just showed how to make it great again.

 

[kazuyamishima]

SE keeps thinking that the multiplatform route will grant them millions and millions of copies sold when they should start fixing the quality output first.

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

My favorite FF battle systems are XII and XIII. The ones that aren't turn based but aren't really action games either. I'd love something like that.

 

[rofif]

If its not turn based, then fuck you. Keep that shit. Claire obscure just showed how to make it great again.

nah. Turn based can go suck a dick.
It only existed because real time combat was difficult to do back in the day.
remake/rebirth got great combat.
ff16 got fantastic combat.

Clair obscur? I love that game DESPITE it's combat. Way too over menued and turn based is just dumb to stand there.
Yeah i GOT IT and was doing 300k attacks. sure, no problem. I don't see whats so rewarding or challenging in pressing a button to kill an enemy once.
edit: so no. I hope it's action or a hybrid. ff16 was so fun

 

[Zacfoldor]

I agree, it must be turn based square enix. I do not need to cuss them they know what they did.

 

[Memati187]

nah. Turn based can go suck a dick.
It only existed because real time combat was difficult to do back in the day.
remake/rebirth got great combat.
ff16 got fantastic combat.

Clair obscur? I love that game DESPITE it's combat. Way too over menued and turn based is just dumb to stand there.
Yeah i GOT IT and was doing 300k attacks. sure, no problem. I don't see whats so rewarding or challenging in pressing a button to kill an enemy once.

Despite the hate here for ff16, that was the only FF game I really liked since 12.

But for me FF was always this chill turn based franchise. I just can't stand this mid combat style with these new games. Didn't even start ff7 rebirth yet, never will.

But clair obscure destroys these FF games, especially the stupid remakes imo.

 

[Zacfoldor]

nah. Turn based can go suck a dick.
It only existed because real time combat was difficult to do back in the day.
remake/rebirth got great combat.
ff16 got fantastic combat.

Clair obscur? I love that game DESPITE it's combat. Way too over menued and turn based is just dumb to stand there.
Yeah i GOT IT and was doing 300k attacks. sure, no problem. I don't see whats so rewarding or challenging in pressing a button to kill an enemy once.

Chess did not originate because balls were not invented yet.

 

[MagiusNecros]

He really should focus on taking care of FFXIV to be honest. Kind of sad he only considers XI and XIV to be the only online games when....DQX exists and still gets expansions.

His XIV line of "We're working towards a framework that we have built for ourselves" is not reassuring since it implies it's more for them and not the players themselves.

I highly doubt they thought ahead to 10.0 with that dumpster fire of a story in Dawntrail.

Regarding E33 he just vomits word salad all over the place because it's not just about the battle system but also the world, the story, the characters and how they all interact with each other with a beginning, middle and end. A lot of artistic ideas that blend well together and he is really out of his element.

This is the guy that said turn based games don't sell and shortly after E33 slapped that statement in the face.

I would prefer if he stayed away from FF17 entirely.

 

[rofif]

Chess did not originate because balls were not invented yet.

you have to be braindead to make that comparison

 

[Plies]

rofif , you need to shut the f*ck up.

 

[rofif]

rofif , you need to shut the f*ck up.

lol why?
I don't care what ff you like.
I loved xv and 16 and I want more of that.
Sorry

 

[ElFenomeno]

No , please don't touch another single player FF ever again.

 

[Memati187]

This is the guy that said turn based games don't sell and shortly after E33 slapped that statement in the face.

Yeah fuck this guy, frame him and send him to the canvas.

 

[adamsapple]

rofif , you need to shut the f*ck up.

 

[Parazels]

There are only two platforms on the market (and Earth), capable of running graphically demanding games, yet one of them (Xbox) had laughable sales numbers of FF16.
So what Square is relying on with their "multiplatform fever"?

 

[StereoVsn]

There are only two platforms on the market (and Earth), capable of running graphically demanding games, yet one of them (Xbox) had laughable sales numbers of FF16.
So what Square is relying on with their "multiplatform fever"?

PC? Switch 2 should be able to be targeted as well since XSS exists.

 

[rofif]

it's ok.
The grandpas can't take me liking latest FF games.
I don't like turn based. I think it's antiquated and I thought so already in the late 90s.
Why pretend to have a battle... while you can battle?

Anyway. Clair obscur had some cool twists to their battle system and I liked it well enough
And while the game might be goty, it's for the story, characters and the music. Combat is interesting but you spend so much time in menus perfecting your pictos.
And then I ended up barely using parry. just dodge until you charge your 1 shot attack and the fight is over.

 

[rofif]

There are only two platforms on the market (and Earth), capable of running graphically demanding games, yet one of them (Xbox) had laughable sales numbers of FF16.
So what Square is relying on with their "multiplatform fever"?

They are delusional.
No way sony pays LESS than they earn from these few xbox and pc sales.
over 3 mill on ps5
almost 300k on pc
less than 30k on xbox...

I could see 300k on pc giving them a decent money shot but is it more than few mill sony would pay them? Also, I think that on ps5, more gamers might butt full priced games on release because there are simply less options to do otherwise there

 

[Parazels]

PC? Switch 2 should be able to be targeted as well since XSS exists.

I'm not sure about the Switch 2. And its sales numbers are not big yet.
pc is not a gaming platform.

 

[StereoVsn]

I'm not sure about the Switch 2. And its sales numbers are not big yet.
pc is not a gaming platform.

PC isn't a gaming platform? Ok then.

 

[Efren is G.O.A.T.]

nah. Turn based can go suck a dick.
It only existed because real time combat was difficult to do back in the day.
remake/rebirth got great combat.
ff16 got fantastic combat.

Clair obscur? I love that game DESPITE it's combat. Way too over menued and turn based is just dumb to stand there.
Yeah i GOT IT and was doing 300k attacks. sure, no problem. I don't see whats so rewarding or challenging in pressing a button to kill an enemy once.
edit: so no. I hope it's action or a hybrid. ff16 was so fun

They can both exist. FF1-10 were S Tier, FF7 Rebirth is S Tier. We can both eat from the same cake!

 

[ZeroZeroQuatre]

It's not just about the game being turn-based or not.
It's also about the writing and the overall game-philosophy. At this point, Square Enix might simply lack the creative talent (and courage) to push for a bold new vision.
Beyond that, after nearly 40 years, the Final Fantasy franchise has simply become too heavy, trapped by its own conventions and choked by self-references, doomed to endlessly revisit and deconstruct itself.
The franchise has far bigger issues, and bringing back turn-based combat won't be enough to salvage it.

 

[rofif]

They can both exist. FF1-10 were S Tier, FF7 Rebirth is S Tier. We can both eat from the same cake!

of course. remake and rebirth had great combat

 

[Generic]

Hopefully it's a turn based system with QTEs and parrying.

 

[MagiusNecros]

Hopefully it's a turn based system with QTEs and parrying.

Need me some Bravely Third and Octopath Traveler 3.

 

[Rentahamster]

I'd be fine if they stuck to traditional FF games be turn based, and remakes be real time action hybrid.

 

[Fbh]

It being turn based or real time is irrelevant if it's going to suck anyway...like XIII...and XV...and XVI.
XVI wasn't bad because it was real time, it was bad because virtually everything about it except the graphics, music and that cool real time lore check feature sucked.

I don't expect much from the next one. Real time or turn based, it's going to be another bland game inexplicably designed around accessibly because they think your average soccer mom and 70 years old grampa will decide to jump from candy crash to FFXVII if they dumb down the game enough.

SE keeps thinking that the multiplatform route will grant them millions and millions of copies sold when they should start fixing the quality output first.

SE setting their expectations for the next game
"So if we released just on Ps5 it will obviously sell 10 million in a month, but if we also release on PC and Switch 2 that's easily 30 million in a month!!!!"

 

[Ebrietas]

So after the next game underperforms despite being "multiplatform", what will SE's excuse be then? I thought they already learned this lesson with FFXIII and FFXV, neither of which set new sales records despite "look ma, more platforms!". But I guess not.

PC users don't really care about this franchise. And by the time FFXVII comes out there won't even be a Xbox to release on. Do they think Switch 2 will be their savior? Yeah good luck with that. Those dudes aren't interested in much else besides Mario.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

Oh lord. It's years away you guys. They have no idea what it's gonna be yet. The fact they're even willing to entertain turn-based for a new mainline FF game is a good sign. Would love to see the series go back to its roots. It's honestly a shame the FFVII R trilogy isn't turn-based. I'll reluctantly try it once it comes to Switch 2 or Xbox.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

Do they think Switch 2 will be their savior? Yeah good luck with that. Those dudes aren't interested in much else besides Mario.

Huh? are you implying Square doesn't sell lots of games on Switch? I'm like sure that's not the case.

 

[Doom85]

I don't care how Yoshi-P sees the future of the franchise, because I don't want him heading another single player FF game after what he did to XVI. You can't have a RPG franchise makes the RPG elements so meaningless and/or non-existent. There are other criticisms I could make, but that's the big one right there. Even XIII and XV understood the assignment in terms of the series' genre much more than XVI did.

Unless I hear him clearly promise the next one absolutely will have RPG elements that matter, I want him to stick to the online titles.

 

[Arsic]

FF16 is a good blueprint starting point for a game and combat :
-Flesh out interesting side quests. See WRPGs for influence.
-Reward players for exploring the world, and put things in said world
-Combat let us flip between 3-4 characters
-Inteoduce a hard mode from the start for players with more than 2 brain cells
-Add back rpg systems. More fleshed out skill trees like FF12, armor I can see change on my character, crafting that's more involved, and various job builds. Let my Clive be a blue mage for 2 hours then a samurai the next few. Variety is the spice of life.

 

[MagiusNecros]

Eh just outsource to Tecmo Koei and give us Stranger of Paradise 2. All the action you need.

 

[SILKYSMOOTH30FPS]

Woud bet money that it'll be turn based. These fuckers needed somebody to guide their little hand before they feel safe enough to release a turn based title, and that's exactly what Exp33 did.

 

[TheMule1983]

SE keeps thinking that the multiplatform route will grant them millions and millions of copies sold when they should start fixing the quality output first.

This series will never sell well on Xbox.

 

[Donald mac Ronald]

There are only two platforms on the market (and Earth), capable of running graphically demanding games, yet one of them (Xbox) had laughable sales numbers of FF16.
So what Square is relying on with their "multiplatform fever"?

Pc gamers give these games a chance if they release with the console version and aren't broke pieces of shit.

When you wait over a year to release it. The hypes been missed and they feel treated like an afterthought. I honestly don't think there's pc gamers aren't rushing out to buy ps5s to play final fantasy.

 

[kazuyamishima]

SE setting their expectations for the next game
"So if we released just on Ps5 it will obviously sell 10 million in a month, but if we also release on PC and Switch 2 that's easily 30 million in a month!!!!"

And 30m. plus 22k if they add an Xbox Version.

This series will never sell well on Xbox.

GamePass money I guess, SE would be happy by having it.

Huh? are you implying Square doesn't sell lots of games on Switch? I'm like sure that's not the case.

I don't think their mainline FF games will sell gangbusters just by putting them on Switch 2 too if they continue delivering similar output.

I mean there are several franchises that sell a lot on PS and PC, if games like FF16 didn't light the charts on fire on those platforms do you reckon it would do it on the Switch 2?

 

[Synless]

You guys and your fucking turn based. The new titles have been fantastic. I'll take both but to pretend they haven't created fantastic battle systems in the new games is ludicrous… they are best in class.

 

[Loomy]

It only existed because real time combat was difficult to do back in the day.

Zelda, Star Ocean, Tales of Phantasia, Secret of Mana.

It wasn't difficult, it was a design choice.

 

[Kumomeme]

from what i see based on their trajectory since FF12 and FF13 before halted, Square actually didnt want to limit themself for merely 'turn based Final Fantasy developers'. i dont think they want to specify them self as action combat developers too. they actualy want to be neither of that. a something else, unique own system. thats why FF12 combat system exist. Tactics exist and we see how FF13 vertical slice combat originally is. something like LR13 is probably what they want and closest we got with FF7 remake system. they dont want to be neither specific style but something unique to them. they attempted it with the Last Remnant too. at one point Sakaguchi also did it with The Last Story. we got tons of JRPG with that style at early of PS3 era. if the Crystal Tools fiasco not happened, im not suprise if FF keep pivoted to this kind of style of unique combat system at each entry. neither turnbased, neither action but something else.

it just, it was due to FF15 that originally come from spin off FF13 universe is the reason why that game end up as action. when Versus 13 announced with action combat, people doesnt mind since it just a spin off while the 'main game' FF13 is basically still in realm of turn based style of combat. despite it technically not. the developers or the company as whole has habit of trying to do better by next installment which why partly the reason FF16 end up action too rather than pivot back to turn based. from Naoki Yoshida interview, they took lot of feedback from 15 and aimed to to it 'right' into 16. 15's 10 million sales also end up convinced them to keep to do action combat. there is also matter of attracting newer generation of audience amidst of the franchise slowly fall to niche space.

while FF7 remake goes different route. the devs is come from FF13 and KH3 team. so they bring their style form FF13 and LR13 mix it with KH3's developers background of action style of combat while taking account of newer audience. that give birth to 7 remake system.

so it not simply just giving orders of do this style of combat or not. there lot of aspect to be looking for which is basically what Yoshida said in this interview :

..so we also don't want to obstruct or limit our future director or whomever will be producing the games like 17 or even 18. We don't want to put them on a rail.

people can voice up what kind of system they want and they should do. but in the end from developers perspective there is tons of others aspect to consider.

for me, im prefer they stick back to their original vision since atleast 12 and 13. FF7 remake is good result of that. we already got tons of turn based game. tons of action too. give me something new, fresh and unique. nowdays our industry lacking of innovation. it might give birth to newer genre too. Square Enix's Final Fantasy i know keep innovating. not copypasta.

 

[kpopSuperstar]

So after the next game underperforms despite being "multiplatform", what will SE's excuse be then? I thought they already learned this lesson with FFXIII and FFXV, neither of which set new sales records despite "look ma, more platforms!". But I guess not.

PC users don't really care about this franchise. And by the time FFXVII comes out there won't even be a Xbox to release on. Do they think Switch 2 will be their savior? Yeah good luck with that. Those dudes aren't interested in much else besides Mario.

RPG's did great on Switch, a good Final Fantasy would sell millions in Japan alone. But it has to be built for the system like Monster Hunter Wilds.

 

[Katatonic]

Multiplatform on day one is what diminished the series' prestige in the first place with FFXIII. I don't want Square to be stuck in this loop of constantly miscalculating the market.

 

[Chukhopops]

The good news here is that it's not guaranteed his team will be in charge of FFXVII.

It seems he learned nothing from XVI and hopefully he won't have a chance to shit the carpet on another mainline entry, I would rather have Nomura or (even better but unlikely) Asano.

 

[flying_sq]

Series should have died a long time ago. They're all the same, 16-25 year olds who look 35-40 being a chosen one. Slightly angsty, who team up with stereotypical personalities around the same age and end up killing god for one reason or another. Also spoilers: the bad guy isn't the real bad guy. Also shitty dialogue written by a 15 year old slightly mad at his parents.

 

[SamuraiEdge]

The shit I would do for Matsuno to have the reins once again

A man dare dreams.

 

[Hudo]

The shit I would do for Matsuno to have the reins once again

I want to join your utopia.

 

[Fess]

They are delusional.
No way sony pays LESS than they earn from these few xbox and pc sales.
over 3 mill on ps5
almost 300k on pc
less than 30k on xbox...

I could see 300k on pc giving them a decent money shot but is it more than few mill sony would pay them? Also, I think that on ps5, more gamers might butt full priced games on release because there are simply less options to do otherwise there

A late release always sell mid, no matter where it happens, at that point it's an old game with almost no hype. You can't use those LTTP sales figures as an example on how much a game would sell as a day 1 multiplat. When you go day 1 everywhere you also get hype everywhere and boosted sales everywhere.

 

[IAmRei]

based on FFXVI, they could remake FF1 - 5 with AAA graphic, make it turn based, it will sell a lot. don't need to remake much if they reusing assets from FFXVI.
If they want money of course...