Naoko Yoshida has revealed that Square Enix is considering bringing Final Fantasy XVI to other platforms after its PC release.
As reported by Noisy Pixel, Yoshida shared this statement when asked about the looming end of their work on the title:
“It’s not over in the sense that we have the PC version. Once the PC version is released, we’re thinking about hopefully moving to other platforms as well. However, that’s not really talking about the story; it’s more about moving it onto different platforms.
So, there is a sense that while the project is still going, there is not that sense of being sad and having to leave them yet. But I’m pretty sure that once everything is released and we’ve moved on to the next project, that would be the time where it kind of hits us that, “Oh, it’s really it’s over?”
While Square Enix clearly had a lot of fondness for Final Fantasy XVI, the game didn’t quite sell as well as the company would have wanted to justify making a lot more content for it. They did decide to release two pieces of DLC, with Echoes of the Fallen releasing last December. The other DLC, The Rising Tide, is releasing on April 18, 2024.
On the other hand, Final Fantasy XVI’s PC release is coming, but with no confirmed release date in mind. It seems that Square Enix really didn’t work on this port until they announced it, so fans are eagerly waiting it out.
As for the matter of other platforms, there’s a few good guesses on what those platforms could be. Of course, the Xbox Series X|S is the obvious candidate for the next platform. Microsoft has entered in a new relationship with Xbox, and they seem interested in finding fans in the Xbox audience.
But, Square Enix has a famously rabid fanbase in a third platform, and that would be on Nintendo’s platform. If Final Fantasy XVI isn’t playable on the Nintendo Switch now, it may be ready to play on the Switch 2 when that console releases. This one is a no-brainer for Square Enix to do, and the only reason we don’t know about it yet is, of course, because Nintendo hasn’t’ even confirmed that they have a next console.
Outside of that, there could definitely be more possibilities. For example, cloud gaming promises new opportunities, if not for real huge sales, on the technical level, for Square’s Creative Business Unit to try it out. And then there’s MacOS and Linux, if Square Enix really wanted to expand the game’s potential player base.
