With the release final fantasy 16 Just a day later, Square Enix has been hanging around promoting its upcoming role-playing game and discussing its controversial decision to ditch turn-based and ATB combat in favor of an action, spectacle fighting style.
But while Final Fantasy is an umbrella in which many different styles can and have existed, the developers don’t think it needs to be limited to the genres you’d traditionally associate with the series.
What other types of games could a future Final Fantasy try? Well, it might just be a first-person shooter. At least Square Enix isn’t opposed to the idea. Square Enix vice president Yoshinori Kitase admitted in an interview with Bloomberg that Final Fantasy fans want new characters, new storylines, and even new mechanics for each new game.
According to Kitase, the only requirement is that the game needs to include crystals as part of its narrative. Crystals are often contested by the game’s factions due to the power they possess. That might explain why the Final Fantasy veteran has no problem with future games turning into first-person shooters like Call of Duty.
“My imagination really has its limits,” he said. “So it’s really great to have a new generation of creators on board.”
Naoki Yoshida, the producer of Final Fantasy XVI, even jokingly pointed out that despite the technology, era, tone and genre, Call of Duty is about “this small group of people going around saving the world-it’s very interesting. “Final Fantasy.”
But that malleability also brought criticism from fans, especially those who expected Final Fantasy to play and look a certain way. In fact, Yoshida admits that Square Enix has not always been successful when it comes to deviating from what many consider a standard Final Fantasy MO, citing the original launch of Final Fantasy XIV and Final Fantasy XV as examples.
We’ll see if Square Enix has it right when Final Fantasy XVI reviews drop later this afternoon. Check back to hear our thoughts on this bold new transformation.
