Final Fantasy is one of the most long-standing franchises out there, with the series beginning in 1987. Throughout the years, Square Enix has released numerous spin-off series as well as highly-beloved mainline ones.
2020, despite being a turbulent year for most, has been a great one for the Final Fantasy franchise. For instance, Final Fantasy 7 Remake was recently nominated for Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2020.
Not only that, but Square Enix also revealed the next installment for the series, Final Fantasy 16. However, the release of Final Fantasy 15 has been fairly recent, with the game officially launching last 2016.
With the title celebrating its 4th anniversary, a throng of Final Fantasy 15 fans have come out to show their love and appreciation for the game and for the company that created the franchise.
If you type the hashtag “FFXV” on Twitter, you will find a multitude of posts from fans talking about the game and how much it means to them. There’s a variety of tweets dedicated to the game’s anniversary — from cosplays, screenshots of favorite or iconic scenes, to fan art.
From what we can see, there’s a pattern or a theme to what the fans are saying. More specifically, many fans mention how Final Fantasy 15 provided a truly memorable feeling of camaraderie and adventure. Despite its flaws, many players talk about how much they played the game, with some even clocking over hundreds of hours.
A little something for the 4th anniversary of #FinalFantasyXV. A game that still keeps me going for a lot of reason even after this time, but especially because of the friends I found through it. #HBDFFXV #Noctis #Ignis #Prompto #Gladio #FFXV #FF15 #HBDFF15 pic.twitter.com/ly0NXzhMBx
— NightysWolf 🐾🐉🐬 (@NightysWolf) November 29, 2020
Didn't turn out exactly the way I wanted but I'm too tired to edit it more. Also should have placed Luna higher… Anyway, probably won't get to posting anything tomorrow so happy 4th anniversary 🎉 #FFXV #FF15 #FF15MOD
⬇️4K wallpaper: https://t.co/enP4oX5tFm pic.twitter.com/WjOjmYPbV2— wondrous_eos (@wondrous_eos) November 28, 2020
Happy Anniversary #FFXV 💙💙💙💙 I was a latecomer to the fandom but I’m so glad @CHEZPHOTO pulled me in. This story, these characters, have come to mean so much to me. Let’s keep making memories!! pic.twitter.com/YJrGcnJ485
— JJ @chocobros own my soul (@jjpyropi) November 28, 2020
Final Fantasy XV is another one in the series that is isn't the best or worst, but means a lot to me. I think this game here is a flawed masterpiece, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Also, fun fact, I broke down when the vocal version of Somnus played in Insomnia. #FFXV pic.twitter.com/rBJP0PG6wC
— 🥞 w ī ļ ĺ 🥞 (@simplywunderful) November 29, 2020
As one fan who goes by the Twitter handle @VahBrandoh states, Final Fantasy 15 is “a great game that had a rough launch. But, the team delivered and spruced it up with some amazing post-launch work.” The user goes on to say that they now “consider it among the best of the series.”
On the other hand, another player tweets that this fifteenth mainline entry in the franchise was the one that introduced the world of Final Fantasy to them. “I’m so glad I played it,” they add.
As mentioned, Final Fantasy 15 was released in 2016 and what made it really stand out is the fact that it was the first single-player mainline title in the series since the release of Final Fantasy 13 which was all the way back in 2009.
The game was kept in development for a really long time, but thankfully, it was able to live up to the hype. Final Fantasy 15 was able to meet the players’ expectations, which is most likely why it’s so highly praised amongst the fanbase.
In this title, players follow the adventures of a group of friends as they travel across Eos trying to find a magical crystal. As they progress on their journey, they come across the evil and dark beings of Niflheim, which they have no choice but to fight.
Final Fantasy 15 was generally well-liked upon release, although some players and critics noted that its launch was not as smooth-sailing and one would have hoped. However, things have greatly improved since then, as Square Enix has released regular updates to make the game even better.
Now, fans await the release of Final Fantasy 16, the next mainline title in the series, which is said to contain darker and more mature themes than previous iterations.