The confusion, broken promises, and uncertain announcements continue to haunt PlayStation 5’s recently concluded live streaming event.
Sony opened its PlayStation 5 Showcase with a reveal trailer for Final Fantasy XVI. It was the only title in the event whose footage was captured on a PC while mirroring the capabilities of Sony’s next-gen console. The rest of the featured games were all captured running on the PlayStation 5.
Final Fantasy XVI’s trailer ended stating that the game will be a PlayStation exclusive but will also be released on the PC. However, Square Enix clarified in a special announcement via its official channels without mentioning other platforms aside from the PlayStation 5.
When the media followed up with Square Enix, it stood up to its announcement stating that. “We have no further information on if Final Fantasy 16 will be released on platforms other than the PS5.”
I asked Square Enix about the PC version of FF16 since it's not mentioned in the official trailer or press release.
Response:
"We have no further information on if FF16 will be released on platforms other than the PS5."
Left: Trailer from stream.
Right: Uploaded trailer. pic.twitter.com/xvmDE5ror1— Gematsu (@gematsucom) September 16, 2020
This looks like a classic case of miscommunication between the publisher and PlayStation. Final Fantasy XVI was from the start a PlayStation exclusive, with more ports to be announced later down the line. For example, the recently launched Final Fantasy VII Remake specifies that the game will be exclusive for the PlayStation 4 for one year only.
What likely occurred here was Sony immediately jumped the gun and didn’t clarify if a PC version of the game really exists. Analysts predict that Final Fantasy XVI will be released on the PC six months after its launch on the PlayStation 5, and on other platforms a year later.
