Final Fantasy 16 producer hopes it will bring back lapsed players
"For those who have grown up and realised reality isn't kind to you and have drifted away."
Final Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida hopes the forthcoming game will "bring back anew the passion" players had in the series.
His comment is taken from the Final Fantasy 35th anniversary Uniqlo magazine, which accompanies a new line of t-shirts celebrating the series.
Final Fantasy fan and translator Aitai Kimochi shared a translation of Naoki's comments on Twitter, as he noted the game is now in the final stages of development.
"We're in the final stages of development for the new numbered game in the series, Final Fantasy 16," said Yoshida.
"We aim to deliver a comprehensive game full of story and gameplay. Unlike an online game that involves many players at the same time, FF16 offers a different experience where it focuses on the individual player and immerses you in the story. I think it's a very fleshed out story.
"For those who have grown up and realised that reality isn't kind to you and have drifted away from Final Fantasy, we hope that FF16 will be a game that can bring back anew the passion that you once had with the series."
Yoshida is also the producer on MMORPG Final Fantasy 14, which was announced last October as the most profitable game in the series.
By contrast, the single player games have been heavily criticised: from the linear progression of Final Fantasy 13, to the messy story of Final Fantasy 15.
It seems, then, that Square Enix intends to ride the wave of success of its MMORPG and is aiming for its next game to be a return to form for the series.
Final Fantasy 16 was announced back in 2020 as a console exclusive on PlayStation 5 (plus a PC release). Little is known beyond that initial announcement and the introduction of lead character Clive Rosfield.