Final Fantasy XVI is finally making its way to PCs this year, and Director Hiroshi Takai has hinted at a promising future for the franchise on other platforms. Read on to learn more about the game’s PC port and Takai’s comments.
Final Fantasy XVI Teases Simultaneous PC and Console Launches for Future Titles
Final Fantasy XVI Comes Out on PC September 17th
Square Enix has confirmed that the critically acclaimed Final Fantasy XVI will make its debut on PC on September 17 of this year. The news comes with an optimistic outlook for the franchise’s future on PC, as the director hints at the possibility of future titles releasing simultaneously on multiple platforms.
Final Fantasy XVI’s PC version will be available for purchase at $49.99, with a Complete Edition priced at $69.99. The latter includes the game’s two story expansions, Echoes of the Fallen and The Rising Tide. To whet players’ appetites before release, a playable demo is now available. This offers a taste of the game’s prologue and a combat-focused "Eikonic Challenge" mode. Progress made in the demo can be carried over to the full game.
Aside from these, FFXVI Director Hiroshi Takai said in an interview with Rock Paper Shotgun, that, for the game’s PC release, "we’ve increased the frame rate cap to 240fps, and you can choose from various upscaling technologies such as NVIDIA DLSS3, AMD FSR, and Intel XeSS."
Final Fantasy XVI's PC release is just around the corner. If you haven't already, check out our review of the console version to learn why we believe it's a "good step in the right direction for the series overall."
Final Fantasy Day-One PC Releases ‘Possible—Probably even Likely,’ Says FF Director
While the original reveal trailer for Final Fantasy XVI in September 2020 labeled the game as a "PlayStation Console Exclusive," it also included an asterisk specifying that it would "also [be] available on PC." Subsequent trailers emphasized the game’s exclusivity to PlayStation 5 until December 31, 2023, aligning with Square Enix’s initial six-month exclusivity deal with Sony. However, it seems as though it wasn’t only the exclusivity agreement that was holding the game’s PC release back.
"The reasons vary for each title," FFXVI Director Hiroshi Takai, according to Rock Paper Shotgun. "But in the case of FFXVI, it primarily comes down to the original game being tailored for the PS5 in a lot of different ways, and it was impossible to do this at the same time as all the optimization work that was needed for the PC version."
Final Fantasy has a history of delayed PC ports. For instance, Final Fantasy VII Remake took over a year to arrive on the Epic Games Store after its PlayStation 4 debut. Similarly, Final Fantasy XV faced a nearly two-year wait before arriving on PC.
"Naturally, we wanted to get the PC version into players’ hands as quickly as we possibly could," Takai told GamesRadar+. "We don’t get anything out of delaying its release either. That said, I don’t think there’s much more we could have done to speed up the porting process. Looking at the results, I think the time we’ve put into optimizing the game for PC was time well spent."
When questioned by GamesRadar+ about the possibility of future Final Fantasy titles launching simultaneously on PC and consoles, director Hiroshi Takai expressed optimism. He stated, "I think it’s possible—probably even likely. That said, the team in charge of each project gets to decide its own policy, so this is just my personal opinion."
Takai’s comments align with Square Enix’s broader company strategy. In the company’s financial briefing for the last fiscal year, they outlined a "shift from quantity to quality", accompanied by an aggressive "multiplatform strategy." This includes bringing major titles to "Nintendo platforms, PlayStation, Xbox, and PCs," as they commit to "build an environment where more customers can enjoy" their games.
Source:
FINAL FANTASY XVI "DELIVERANCE" - PC Trailer
GamesRadar+’s Interview with FFXVI Director Hiroshi Takai
Rock Paper Shotgun’s Interview with FFXVI Director Hiroshi Takai
Square Enix’s Consolidated Financial Results for the Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2024
