Final Fantasy is one of the most successful and dearly beloved game franchises of all time, and fans will have been saddened to see the latest edition, XVI, delayed once again. According to GamesRadar, ongoing development on the XIV – an MMORPG edition of the series – has meant that normal series editions of the series have had to be delayed. XIV, and its Endwalker expansion, has provided plenty of fodder for fans of the franchise, but the wealth of new technology and content that a brand new edition brings cannot be overlooked. Delays can sometimes mean greater levels of content development, and this is what fans will be looking for in the news.
Nod to the past
Final Fantasy is one of the oldest continuously running game franchises. The first Final Fantasy game was released in 1987, and as a result, there’s a huge and fanatical community around that has helped to provide players with the guidance they need to really get immersed in Final Fantasy lore. The series is packed with callbacks and tidbits as a result, and it’s going to be important that this is preserved in the latest generation of games. As GameRant notes, several of the earlier Final Fantasy games have recently been re-released under the Pixel Remaster flag. Square Enix love callbacks, and love using their storied past to influence the future; as Final Fantasy XIV continues to dominate the discourse, it’s important that game XIV presents that vibe for its loyal fanbase.
Embracing, not rejecting, grit
As highlighted by PC Gamer, early promotional material for XIV has shown a distinctly darker and grittier tone to the world. Final Fantasy has always had a light-hearted touch to it; it’s a fun word, and despite the grave danger most of its heroes face, the peril is always counterbalanced by the quirks and unique features of the series. Preserving this is important, but so is giving a nod to the darker side of fiction. Some of the best-loved media in recent years have embraced darker worlds, whether that be Game of Thrones or The Witcher (in TV or game form). His will help to ensure the series has a place in the modern world.
Focusing on quality
In a review of XVI progress so far, Laptop Mag noted one key feature of development – Square Enix recording English voice actors first. Final Fantasy dubs have been of dubious quality in the past, and while this has built a certain level of charm in the series, many fans have been keen to see the improved quality. The same goes for the graphical and gameplay engines used in the series, although XIV has set a high bar for visual quality in the online world. Producing consistent quality across the story, sound, visual, and design will help the latest edition to shine.
With delays needed, fans of Final Fantasy will be hoping to see more hours poured into development. There’s no reason that XVI can’t piggyback off the success of the most recent titles and become an all-time great in FF history.
