Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XVI Producer, Naoki Yoshida, prefers creating new games over working on a sequel.
The end of FFXVI was satisfying and didn’t demand a follow-up. In fact, a sequel might have a negative impact considering the game’s ending and the sacrifices made by the characters. And Yoshida seems to feel the same, with the Producer claiming that the team is focused on exploring fresh gaming ideas instead.
In a recent podcast, Final Fantasy XVI Producer Naoki Yoshida shared that instead of focusing on a sequel or spinoff, his team at Creative Business Unit 3 wants to keep growing Final Fantasy XIV. But not only Final Fantasy, Yoshida also expressed a keen interest in creating new games.
The Producer said that he and his team aim to leverage their experience from Final Fantasy XVI to develop a completely different game, possibly the next installment in the Final Fantasy series, Final Fantasy XVII, or even a brand-new intellectual property (IP).
In 2015, a team led by Naoki Yoshida began working on Final Fantasy XVI. The staff included Hiroshi Takai, Hiroshi Minagawa, Kazuya Takahashi, Kazutoyo Maehiro, Masayoshi Soken, and Ryota Suzuki. They aimed to create a dark fantasy game with a broad appeal and revive the series.
After its release, Final Fantasy XVI received positive reviews, however, some criticism focused on the lack of deeper role-playing elements, issues in performance mode, and more. Despite this, the game sold over 3 million units in its first week and became the second-best-selling game for the PlayStation 5.
Now, should there have been a sequel, the Leviathan DLC might introduce a different ending that could set the stage for a sequel?
Well, players would prefer a new game with multiple characters to play and a new story centered around summons and crystals. Many people are bothered by a common aspect of Nomura’s games, specifically Final Fantasy 7, 13, and 15. These games felt the need to expand their universes through additional media instead of providing a complete experience on their own.
However, there is no news of any Final Fantasy sequel, and we are yet to hear about any new game.
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