For the longest time, people thought that Final Fantasy XV would never be a reality. The game was announced all the way back in 2006 as Final Fantasy Versus XIII, before shifting gears and turning into a fully-blown mainline title by the name of Final Fantasy XV. However, post this reveal, Final Fantasy XV's development was anything but smooth sailing. From scrapped concepts to the change of directors itself, there were several issues that worried fans about the fate of Final Fantasy XV.
Thankfully, Final Fantasy XV finally hit shelves in 2016, and the response was surprisingly positive. While the developmental problems were definitely there for all to witness, there's no denying that there were several facets of this title that were certainly excellent and made for a great experience.
With the massive history of Final Fantasy XV, it goes without saying that there are bound to be several things about the game that most fans have no idea about. Keeping this in mind, here are ten hidden things and lesser-known facts about Final Fantasy XV.
10 The Creator Of Final Fantasy Considers This Game To Be His Favorite Title Of 2016
Hironobu Sakaguchi might've parted ways with Square Enix after the disaster that was Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, but there's no denying the fact that he still holds his creation close to his heart.
This can be seen in the fact that Sakaguchi considers Final Fantasy XV to be his favorite game of 2016, which is pretty indicative of just how much he really treasures this franchise to this very day. Not that this would be a surprise, as anyone would be attached to a series they created that ended up being one of the greatest gaming franchises of all time.
9 The Name Engine Blade Was Coined By A Fan
The Engine Blade is Noctis' iconic weapon that can transform into an Ultima Blade with enough upgrades. However, what most people might not know about this weapon is the background of its nomenclature.
The name "Engine Blade" was actually coined by fans after its reveal in the Final Fantasy Versus XIII trailer. The developers liked this name so much that they made it the official moniker of this blade.
8 Nomura Wanted To Make The Game A Musical At One Point
Tetsuya Nomura was the original director of the game at one point, and his out-of-the-box ideas certainly play a huge role in his vision for any project. However, in the case of Final Fantasy XV, there was one idea that was just a bit too eccentric for anyone's liking.
After seeing the masterful Les Miserables, Nomura was so deeply affected by this piece of art that he pitched the idea of Final Fantasy XV being a musical. This was quickly shot down by the executives, who realized how ridiculous the idea was.
7 There Was A Massive Info Dump About The Game Six Months Before Release
It seems that most people already had a basic idea of how Final Fantasy XV would play out well before its launch date. After all, a user on 4chan ended up revealing pretty much everything there was to know about the game six months before its release.
It's a massive indication of the turbulent development period of the title that the state of the game was incredibly unfinished just a short while before the release date, which was quite worrying indeed. Thankfully, while the game did have its fair share of problems, it was still quite a fun ride indeed.
6 There's A Slight Variation To The Ending That Is Caused By Unknown Reasons
One thing that most fans don't know about Final Fantasy XV's ending is that there's a small variation in this sequence. If certain conditions are met, then Luna will shed a single tear before resting her head on Noctis' arm.
What's puzzling about this variation is that no one really knows what these conditions are, since no specific trigger has been discovered as of yet and most speculations lack any concrete evidence. From replying to her journal entries properly to using the picture of the wedding dress as the final piece of memorabilia, there is no shortage of theories surrounding this alternate ending.
5 A Discarded Concept For Final Fantasy VII
As per the words of then-director Tetsuya Nomura, the idea for Final Fantasy XV actually came from a discarded concept for Final Fantasy VIIÂ that ended up being fleshed out for the newest game in the franchise.
One can only wonder how much this concept was changed after Tabata took over the reins and switched up the concepts of Final Fantasy XV to fit better with his vision. Whatever the case might be, one can't deny that the end product is quite a fascinating visual treat indeed.
4 Ignis Was Originally Supposed To Use A Katana
In Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Ignis' main weapon was a katana. However, this was changed over time, with throwing knives and daggers becoming his weapon of choice instead.
Remnants of Final Fantasy Versus XIII can still be seen in the Armiger Chain, where Ignis will use a katana to attack the enemy instead of his dual daggers.
3 Luna's Backstory Would've Involved Abuse, But This Was Thankfully Scrapped
One rather controversial aspect of the game's development was Lunafreya herself, who was apparently supposed to face abuse at some point in her life.
However, this was changed during development due to massive fan backlash, and rightfully so. The idea of Lunafreya facing abuse from soldiers time and time again would've been too much to handle in a Final Fantasy game, after all.
2 The Developers Clearly Loved Back To The Future
Back to the Future is one of the most influential games of all time, and it seems that the developers of Final Fantasy XV couldn't escape its grasp either. For starters, Ignis quotes the famous "where we're going, we don't need roads" like when the Regalia Type-F takes flight for the first time.
Along with this, the design of various cities and landscapes in Final Fantasy XV was also inspired by the design and feel of Back to the Future Part II. The idea was to make players feel the same level of shock and awe that Marty felt when he landed in the future.
1 The Architecture Of Insomnia Was Inspired By Shinjuku
Insomnia is one of the more interesting locations in Final Fantasy XV, and it's a shame that it took an enhanced release for fans to finally explore this city in its entirety, regardless of how ruined it may be.
The city was actually inspired by the design of Shinjuku, which is perhaps the most well-known district in Tokyo...and also the flashiest. Therefore, in a bid to make the biggest city in their game feel as fleshed out as can be, Insomnia ended up taking a ton of design inspirations from Shinjuku.