The Japanese version of Final Fantasy 16 uses a rather weird name for Chocobos by referring to them as "horses," with the game's developers recently going on record to explain why that is. Their insights into the latest rendition of these iconic birds follow the latest wave of Final Fantasy 16 previews.Designed by Mana series creator Koichi Ishii, Chocobos have been part of the Final Fantasy series since the early days of the long-running franchise. The original Final Fantasy from 1987 already featured a room with Chocobo-like statues, with their first proper appearance arriving a year later as part of Final Fantasy 2. Chocobos appeared in some capacity in every subsequent installment, including a remake of the original game released as part of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster collection from 2021.As for why the Japanese version of the upcoming title refers to them as horses, or "uma," Final Fantasy 16 Creative Director Kazutoyo Maehiro told IGN that the moniker stemmed from a desire to root Chocobo lore in reality. While the very notion of giant domesticated birds is inherently fantastical, the fact that Final Fantasy 16 is heavily inspired by medieval Europe and that Chocobos are its functional equivalent to horses prompted Square Enix to literally label them as such. Apart from one special summon, actual horses won't be found in the upcoming game, although that's not to say they don't exist elsewhere in its world, Maehiro explained.
The English version of Final Fantasy 16 will stick with the Chocobo name, so the majority of its players are unlikely to notice this minor change. It was suggested that the Japanese audience will deem the name a sensible choice, given how Chocobos pretty much act as horses in the game. Elaborating on that stance, Maehiro highlighted how the Japanese already follow a similar train of thought in real life when they colloquially refer to cars as "legs."
An even bigger change to Chocobos that Final Fantasy 16 is set to introduce has to do with the appearance of these iconic birds. Namely, the Chocobos that the game's protagonist—Clive Rosfield—will be able to ride during his adventures will span a variety of colors, with their appearance possibly depending on the Final Fantasy 16 country from which they originate. The promotional materials for the game that Square Enix shared to date showed glimpses of white, cream, and classic light yellow Chocobo species.
Final Fantasy 16 launches June 22 for PS5.
Source: IGN
