Final Fantasy 16 didn't show up at E3 2021, but Square Enix did make it clear fans would learn more this year. It'll be interesting to see what more gets shown, and many are no doubt eagerly awaiting to know Final Fantasy 16's release date. While there's still a lot that is unknown, quite a few details regarding the game and its world have been shared before, and it sounds a lot like Dragon Age: Origins.
Obviously, there will be some clear differences. Final Fantasy 16's Valisthea and Dragon Age: Origins' Thedas are completely different worlds, but the general premise shares a lot of commonalities. There are some bigger elements at play, such as both being relatively mid-fantasy (or so it seems), but when boiling down the story elements, it's not just that. Both worlds are affected by similar elements, and it stands to reason they may play out in similar ways too.
Final Fantasy 16 and Dragon Age: Origins - The Blight
For Dragon Age fans, it's hard to hear the phrase "Blight" without thinking of the Darkspawn's assault on the surface. A Blight begins when the Darkspawn taint an Old God, thus transforming it into an Archdemon. This ravages the land and leads a war to the surface, with the fifth Blight lasting about a year and the first for a couple centuries. The Blight in the case of Dragon Age: Origins is an illness of sorts, otherwise known as the Taint, but also something tangible and destructive with the Darkspawn.
Final Fantasy 16's Valisthea is also being plagued by a "Blight," though less is known about it. It may not involved creatures like "Darkspawn," but then again, it might. Whatever it is, it is clearly scaring the citizens of the worlds, but its impact on the world has yet to be seen. However, there's a couple of plausible scenarios. First off, it's likely that it is a sickness that kills people, not unlike the Taint, and it's the most direct way for people to recognize it. This Blight and the taint inherently connect to sicknes.
However, a Blight in a mystical, medieval fantasy land isn't going to be so simple; with the existence of "Dark Eikons" in Final Fantasy 16, as well as the various crystals that play a big role in worldbuilding, it stands to reason that the Blight is also connected to either the Dark Eikons and/or corrupting the Crystals. In such a way, particularly with the former, it wouldn't be that different from the Darkspawn tainting an Old God. The Dark Eikons play similar roles, and there are many Dragon Age theories about the Old Gods—whatever role the Crystals play, it's a mystical higher power not unlike these beings.
Final Fantasy 16 and Dragon Age: Origins - The War
This is more of a general and perhaps sadly natural response to such events than an exact comparison, but it should be noted that as both worlds are consumed by this blight, nations and people don't exactly come together to fight it. In Dragon Age: Origins, instead of working together with the Grey Wardens in Orlais, Loghain Mac Tir betrays his king and prepares for war against the Darkspawn, the Blight, Orlais, or whatever may come. In-fighting among the nobles, against Alistair make sure that Ferelden is divided as the Archdemon weighs down. Combine that with the various Warden Contracts, there's a constant state of war in the first game (Elves vs. Werewolves, a Dwarven civil war of sorts, and Mages vs. Templars).
Made clear from the trailers, too, is that some countries in Final Fantasy 16 are at war amid and possibly related to the Blight. From the Grand Duchy of Rosaria to the Iron Kingdom, there's a total of 8 countries who could potentially be involved in this conflict (making this more worldwide than Dragon Age: Origins). At the same time, it could be that it's one nation or group who are against the Eikons and Crystals waging war during this Blight. It's unknown, but there's a blight and a war at play much like Dragon Age: Origins.
Taking that a step further, and it seems that there could potentially one more comparison: DA: O's Warden and FF16's Clive. Dragon Age: Origins doesn't exactly have a "Chosen One" storyline, as in the Warden was just a lowly newbie who found themselves in the right place at the right time (or the wrong place at the wrong time, depending on perspective). Nonetheless, the Warden was the only one who could stop it, becoming a legend in their own right. It's natural course for such a premise, but it stands to reason that Clive will fill a similar role.
Obviously, this could change as more details regarding the Blight and the war in Final Fantasy 16 come to light, but as it stands, there's some comparisons that could be extended here.
Final Fantasy 16 is currently in development for PS5.