It has been a long time since fans have gotten any new updates about the upcoming Final Fantasy 16. As it pertains to the next mainline entry in one of the most beloved series of RPGs ever, that wait may feel agonizing for fans. After missing the Square Enix E3 presentation outside of a sizzle reel near the end, it seemed like the PlayStation Showcase 2021 would have been the perfect time to reveal more about Final Fantasy 16. But missing the event has only worsened some fans' concerns about history repeating itself.
Any new Final Fantasy game is going to draw a lot of excitement. The franchise has been running for decades, and Final Fantasy 16 represents both the continuation of that history after mixed reactions to FF15, and the first wholly next-gen Final Fantasy. FF15 itself is why the lack of new information has fans worried about Final Fantasy 16. Infamously, FF15 started its life as a spin-off game called Versus 13 before getting locked in development hell for more than a decade, only to be changed into FF15.
Final Fantasy 16 Missed a Key Opportunity
The issues that led to the delay and metamorphosis of Versus 13 were specific to the project itself. For example, major talent like Tetsuya Nomura were pulled from the game to work on other games like Kingdom Hearts. These issues don't seem to be occuring with FF16, but the COVID-19 pandemic caused industry-wide delays that have snowballed for many games. Many are worried that it nearing two years since an update on Final Fantasy 16 means the game could be much farther away than initially believed.
It's likely that Square Enix is choosing to keep its cards close to its chest after the lackluster reception of FF15 and other releases throughout the last year-and-a-half. Making sure the game is up to snuff for what it releases to the public is an admirable goal, but the issue is that this quiet approach with Final Fantasy 16 could have backlash. It probably would have been a safer move to release at least a short preview with new gameplay or story elements. The market for action RPGs is only going to grow by the time Final Fantasy 16 releases, so keeping fans engaged is key.
The PlayStation Showcase would have been a great place to show off something new with Final Fantasy 16. It felt odd that the flagship title was missing when other Square Enix projects like Forspoken were featured heavily. It's worth noting that the games shown off at the recent showcase aren't coming from the same development team as Final Fantasy proper, but as what's likely the most anticipated game coming from Square Enix, the vacuum of FF16's absence was hard to ignore.
Whatever its reasons for skipping the showcase were, Square Enix missed a big opportunity to build a lot of excitement for Final Fantasy 16 after a long silence. Dedicated fans are probably going to keep an eye on the game regardless, but the PlayStation Showcase was a chance to put eyes on the game with potential new fans during a widely-viewed event. Many elements from Final Fantasy's past are impacting FF16, but hopefully Versus 13's development history isn't one of them.
Final Fantasy 16 is in development for the PlayStation 5.
