WhileFinal Fantasy 16is the much-anticipated next installment in the long-running JRPG franchise, updates on the game have been very sparse since its announcement back in 2020. Little more than a trailer and information about the game’s world on the official site has been offered, leading many fans to worry about when the game will actually release. Some fans have become worried thatFinal Fantasy 16will end up going the same route as the infamousVersus 13, but there are several reasons why that’s likely not the case this time around.
The impact thatVersus 13has had onFinal Fantasyand its spin-offs likeKingdom Heartsis hard to overstate. Originally the brainchild of Square Enix veteran Tetsuya Nomura, the game had a rocky development cycle even before it was shifted to becomingFinal Fantasy 15. The game ended up being in development for more than a decade after Nomura was moved to focus onKingdom Hearts 3, but narrative elements of the original concept have gone on to affectFF7 Remake,Kingdom Hearts, and nowFinal Fantasy 16. The concept of defying fate has been a strong through-line in the franchise, andFF16is likely to do just that with some fans' expectations.
Final Fantasy 16 is a Mainline Title, so Fans Shouldn’t Compare It to Versus 13
Final Fantasy 16has a much different settingthanVersus 13and the other games it influenced, but the comparisons made so far are fair. The game has a darker tone than most of the earlierFinal Fantasygames, somethingVersus 13opened the floodgates for, and is set to make some radical changes to the formula. The similarity that fans worry about, though, is the amount of time that’s passed since a major update onFF16. Many had expected to see the new JRPG make an appearance at this year’s online E3 presentation, but that show has come and gone.FF16made a quick appearance in Square Enix’s sizzle reel about upcoming projects, but didn’t provide any new video or information.
Now that it seems likely thatFF16will also miss the Tokyo Game Show, fans are getting a little anxious. While 2021 will forever be a year associated with delays and sparse updates, many feel thatFF16needs to release something soon. Still, while the comparisons toVersus 13have come quickly, they are largely unfounded. While it can certainly be frustrating for fans to wait this long, it’s important to remember that it has only been about a year since the game was announced.Final Fantasyis a major property for both Square Enix and to Sony, so both are likely working hard to verify that the PS5 exclusive arrives in a timely manner. That’s one of the main reasons fans shouldn’t be too worried in and of itself, asFF16is a mainline game.
Conversely,Versus 13was originally exactly what it’s title suggests: a spin-off. While the game drew a lot of attention and was exciting for fans ofFinal Fantasy, it was not a mainline entry at first. That isn’t to say that Square Enix wasn’t dedicated to the project, but it’s an important distinction fromFinal Fantasy 16. Having begun its life as a major numbered entry, the game is likely a singular focus for its teams, despite how muchFinal Fantasy 16is breaking series traditions.
It’s natural for fans to worry about when the next iteration of a beloved franchise will release when it’s been practically silent for nearly a year. But comparingFF16toVersus 13in terms of release timing is fairly hyperbolic. The fact that Square Enix has been soquiet aboutFF16is both good and bad. While not updating fans very often can have its own issues, the relative radio silence is likely intentional. After the somewhat rocky release ofFF15, Square Enix is most likely keeping new gameplay or story elements hidden until they are at a level of polish that it feels comfortable sharing. Luckily, based on everything known so far, it seems likeFF16is shaping up to be one of the standouts in a franchise of greats.
