Final Fantasy 16 was officially unveiled during the PlayStation 5 showcase, and we learned that Final Fantasy XIV producer & director Naoki Yoshida is involved as the producer. Furthermore, Hiroshi Takai, who directed The Last Remnant and worked as an assistant director on Final Fantasy XIV, is the director.
On the PlayStation Blog, Naoki Yoshida said that the trailer comprised of battles and cutscenes running in real-time. According to the producer, what we saw was just a fraction of what the team has accomplished since the start of development.
While we still don’t know when exactly development started on the sixteenth installment, the team’s size is said to have grown from a handful of core members to now a full-fledged unit. The team is looking to continue polishing and building what they hope will be an unmatched experience in terms of story and gameplay.
Considering what Naoki Yoshida accomplished with Final Fantasy XIV, it comes as no surprise to see him tasked with another huge project from Square Enix with Final Fantasy 16. Interestingly enough, Yoshi-P was asked in an interview in February 2019 about what kind of elements he’d like to see Final Fantasy 16 (and Final Fantasy 17) offer. At the time, he said that he wanted to see a Final Fantasy that is a “straightforward fantasy” and one that doesn’t have much machinery and no mecha in it.
Back in March 2016, Square Enix revealed that then-Business Division 5, led by Naoki Yoshida, was working on a new project. We didn’t hear about the project for a few years, but in April 2019 Yoshida reminded us in an interview that the large-scale project was still underway and being made for the next generation. With that being said, it’s safe to assume work on the project has been underway for over four years if you count the planning stage.
Yoshi-P ended his message by saying that the next “big information reveal” is scheduled for 2021.
Final Fantasy 16Â is in development for the PlayStation 5 and PC.
