Final Fantasy XVI announced, storyline revealed in new trailer

Everything that made the Final Fantasy franchise great – from chocobos, Ifrit, Shiva, spells, summons and crystals – is finally making a comeback as Final Fantasy XVI arrives on PlayStation 5 in 2021. 

During Sony’s PlayStation 5 showcase event on Thursday, more than a dozen new games were announced, and the biggest of which, arguably, was Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XVI which kicked off the show.

The four-minute gameplay trailer opens with the lead character being the personal bodyguard of a prince named Joshua. A few fight scenes and dialogue later, familiar names from the series like Shiva, Phoenix, and Ifrit pop up. This time, the story is set in a medieval war between two kingdoms.

Additional cutscenes also show chocobos, magic spells, summons and mother crystals – all things reminiscent of the Final Fantasy franchise.

There’s a big difference this time though. Final Fantasy is famous for its party systems that synergize the strengths of each party member during battles. Yet interestingly, the trailer shows only the main character during battles – although every bit of combat still oozes with visual treats.

Could it be that Final Fantasy XVI is ditching party play in favor of single combat? Maybe. If so, this could be a big change.

The final detail is an epic battle between Phoenix and Ifrit, two flame-powered mythical beasts locked in a vicious struggle. This dramatic CG trailer showcases the stunning visuals and sound as expected from a PS5 game, while staying true to original Final Fantasy lore.

Though Square Enix hasn’t posted an exact release date yet, Final Fantasy XVI was announced as a PS5-only exclusive, but developers did mention availability on other platforms later on.