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Final Fantasy 16 is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated titles this year as publisher & developer Square Enix looks to return to its roots with the 16th installment in the franchise later this month.

What is Final Fantasy 16's Story About?

Final Fantasy 16's story follows protagonist Clive Rosfield as he looks to wean off the world of Valisthea from its dependence on Mothercrystals (that fuel the world's 'magick') that are fading as the powers that be in the world fight to gain control of what remains of them while the Blight threatens to wipe out the world as a whole if left unchecked. Clive's story is fueled by revenge as he looks to embark on a quest to take on the second Eikon of fire, Ifrit, spurred by a faceoff that involved his brother Joshua who is a dominant (involuntary vessel of an Eikon) of the Eikon Phoenix and the Dark Ifrit.

RELATED: All Features Confirmed for Final Fantasy 16 So Far

When Does Final Fantasy 16 Release?

Final Fantasy 16 exclusively releases on the 22nd of June 2023 on the PlayStation 5 console. There is no word currently on a potential release for other platforms but Sony has stated that it has console exclusivity for at least 6 months in one of its advertisements for the PS5.

When Can You Preload A Copy Of Final Fantasy 16?

Sony currently does not have live preloads for people who purchased a digital copy of Final Fantasy 16, but we expect to have an update as the game nears its launch date later this month.

How Much Space Do You Need For Final Fantasy 16?

The expected download size of Final Fantasy 16 was rumored earlier to be 100GB. This seems to be more or less confirmed based on box art leaks that indicate the game will take up 100GB of space on the PS5's storage. Given the heft of both FF XVI and other games on the PS5, you might want to stock up on an additional internal storage upgrade prior to launch so you can have plenty of space for your game install and subsequent patches.

What Are My Buying Options For Final Fantasy 16?

Final Fantasy 16 Standard Edition PS5

The standard edition of Final Fantasy 16 for PS5 retails at $70 for both, physical and digital copies. It comes with the standard preorder bonuses that everyone preordering a copy is entitled to:

  • The Braveheart (Weapon) DLC
  • The Cait Sith Charm (Gil Boost Accessory) DLC

The physical copy of FF XVI comes with no physical extras on its own, but some retailers are now bundling their own extras to make buying the standard (and the deluxe edition by proxy) a more appealing prospect for both new gamers and Final Fantasy veterans.

Retail Bonuses:

FF16 Steelbook Bestbuy

The Best Buy Exclusive Steelbook Case For Final Fantasy 16

Best Buy offers an exclusive Steelbook case with any copy of Final Fantasy 16 you purchase including the standard edition. Sadly for those who already preordered elsewhere, you can not individually purchase one though you can consider getting a Deluxe Edition which comes with the official steelbook case as an alternative as shown below.

Final Fantasy 16 Gamestop preorder

The GameStop Exclusive Patches For Final Fantasy 16

GameStop is also offering its own preorder bonus for physical orders of the Final Fantasy 16 Standard and Deluxe editions by offering limited edition 'The Realms of Valisthea' patches to people preordering. Users ordering online will see them ship along with their game copies while people collecting can get them at the time they are picking them up in-store.

Note: If you pick up the digital edition of the game from the PlayStation store, you can get a copy of the Scholar’s Spectacles DLC as an added bonus instead of physical goodies.

Final Fantasy 16 Deluxe Edition PS5

The Final Fantasy 16 Deluxe Edition PS5 has all the benefits of the standard/digital physical edition and for $10 more than the digital edition that you can get only on the PlayStation Store, you can get access to two good-looking collectibles instead, a relative bargain in our opinion:

  • Special Clive Rosfield SteelBook® Case
  • Cloth Map of Valisthea

This, if you combine it with the Best Buy offer can help you get 2 very nice-looking steel books (one being the Best Buy exclusive) or you could round your purchase off with the GameStop offering of 'The Realms of Valisthea' patches instead. You could also go for the digital deluxe edition which means you would be unable to get the goodies that the physical Square Enix offering has but in return, you also save $10 a pop and get the following DLC packs:

  • The Digital Mini Artbook
  • The Digital Mini Soundtrack

The team at GameZXC feels the physical version would be a more rewarding collectible to get given the excellent physical goodies, more so if you take advantage of bonus retailer offerings, but one could argue that the convenience of a digital preorder edition and easier access to FF XVI in your library might outweigh the physical edition; The $10 savings are also nothing to scoff at and can be used towards a future title instead.

RELATED: Final Fantasy 16 Digital Deluxe Edition Has Fans Unhappy

If you want to get an idea of what the materials used and the sizes of the map and steelbook are, Square Enix has already published the following information on-site:

Special Clive Rosfield SteelBook® Case

  • A SteelBook® case featuring artwork of Clive Rosfield, the protagonist. Use the case to store the disc-based media of your choice.
  • Material: Tin, Polypropylene

Cloth World Map of Valisthea

  • A cloth map of Valisthea where the story unfolds.
  • Approx. size: W615mm x D350mm, Thickness 0.3mm
  • Material: 100% Cotton

Final Fantasy 16 Collector's Edition

The Collectors Edition of Final Fantasy 16 happens to be a Square Enix site exclusive, and it comes in priced at a whopping $350 which puts it at the far high-end side of the spectrum when collectors editions are concerned with Square Enix looking to cash in on Final Fantasy fans with the deepest pockets. That does not however take anything from the fact that the CE does look spectacular in its own right.

Square Enix has provided the following details about the CE's contents (including dimensions):

Premium Statue - Phoenix vs Ifrit

  • A premium statue depicting a battle between two eikons - Phoenix and Ifrit.
  • Approx. size: W230mm x D150mm x H270mm
  • Material: PVC, ABS

Metal Eikon Pin Collection

  • A premium metal pin collection featuring eight eikons.
  • Approx. size: W33mm x D5mm x H35mm (Ifrit)
  • Material: Zinc Alloy, Brass

Special Clive Rosfield SteelBook® Case

  • A SteelBook® case featuring artwork of Clive Rosfield, the protagonist. Use the case to store the disc-based media of your choice.
  • Material: Tin, Polypropylene

Cloth World Map of Valisthea

  • A cloth map of Valisthea where the story unfolds.
  • Approx. size: W615mm x D350mm, Thickness 0.3mm
  • Material: 100% Cotton

While we do have gripes about the pricing of the collector's edition, it also offers the most complete package possible to play Final Fantasy, essentially marrying the digital and the physical deluxe editions, offering both the exclusive digital-only DLC and everything you can get from the physical deluxe edition and adding the metal Eikon pin collection as well the premium statue of Ifrit and Pheonix seemingly fighting it out. It's yours if you are willing to shell out $350 for the CE for what is surely a GOTY contender in 2023 if it holds up to its promise.

FF16

The different Final Fantasy 16 Editions and their bundled contents detailed

The Final Fantasy 16 PlayStation 5 Console Bundle

If you don't own a PlayStation 5 console yet and are on the fence about such a purchase, Final Fantasy 16 might make you reconsider given that it is a 3rd party exclusive to the platform at launch, making it the only way to play the game when it releases next week. While it isn't the best of discounts, with only $10 off buying the game and the console separately while limiting you to a digital voucher instead of a physical one, it does happen to be the cheapest way to play FF 16 at launch if you don't own a console.

The Sony PlayStation 5 is currently the only way to play the Square Enix-published title, and while availability has greatly improved, some retail stores might not have one on the shelf when the title arrives on the 22nd of June. This bundle releases the same day the title launches which means you might have to wait a bit for the game to download and be ready to play, but it just might be the most simply 1-click order to be game ready for any title in 2023. And if your Internet speeds are decent, you won't be waiting very long on launch day.

Are there Any Freebies Available With Final Fantasy 16?

As mentioned above, all copies of Final Fantasy 16 (if preordered) come with 2 DLC packs: the Gil Boost Accessory also known as the Cait Sith Charm, and the bonus Weapon: Braveheart. Retailers such as Best Buy and Gamestop have their own physical freebies with copies purchased from their respective storefronts.

Final Fantasy 16 Preorder Bonus

The preorder bonuses included with each preorder copy on display above

FAQ

Q: What is the install size of Final Fantasy 16?

A: Based on information available due to the box art of the title now being public, the download and the install size are expected to hover around the 100 GB mark with an expected day 1 patch increasing that count slightly.

Q: When does Final Fantasy 16 Launch?

A: Final Fantasy 16 is expected to launch on the 22nd of June 2023 in all major territories including the United States, UK & Canada. It has already gone gold 3 months ago, pointing towards a smoother launch instead of last-minute changes that some recent titles have been prone to.

Q: Is Final Fantasy 16 Coming To Xbox Or PC?

A: Sony's own marketing material claims timed exclusivity over Final Fantasy 16. That indicates that the PS5 currently will enjoy exclusive launch access to the title but that could change after 6 months or more with more platforms getting access to the game possibly. Whether that includes Xbox, PC or other platforms is something that has not yet been confirmed or denied by the publisher.