Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida has stated that the long-running role-playing game series will have a multi-platform focus going forward.
During an interview with Anime News Network, Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida was asked about the game’s recent release on Xbox and whether Square Enix will you go fully multi-platform for future titles. In response, he confirmed that this will indeed be the case, saying that the shift towards a multi-platform strategy was also announced by the company’s president and CEO, Takashi Kiryu,
Multi-Platform Future
Yoshida clarified that Square Enix’s strategy is that it wants to go multi-platform for its future titles. He pointed towards the recent announcement of the Creative Studio III developed Final Fantasy Tactics Ivalice Chronicles, which will be getting a multi-platform release on September 30, 2025. He added that it’s is safe to assume that Square Enix will strive for multi-platform releases moving forward.
Final Fantasy XVII’s Combat System: Turn-Based vs Action
The Final Fantasy XVI producer was asked about the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, its turn-based combat system, and the possibility of mainline Final Fantasy games reverting to a similar combat system. He responded by saying that the debate around turn-based versus action tends to isolate the gameplay to just the battle system. According to him, it doesn’t take into account what kind of game the creators want to deliver to players. He said that other factors such as the intended graphical quality and the narrative influence how the development team builds the game systems around it. This includes the battle system, game design, and gameplay feel.
Yoshida believes there’s no clear-cut answer on whether the next entry will become turn-based or remain action-based. He won’t necessarily be involved with the development of Final Fantasy XVII, and he also doesn’t want to obstruct or limit directors who will handle the development of future entries by putting them on a rail.
Lessons Learned From Final Fantasy XVI
As for lessons learned from the development of Final Fantasy XVI, Yoshida highlighted that the learning process that comes with the production of a high-end video game, which includes a lot of know-hows. He wants to challenge himself with how he can swiftly produce something of high quality and minimize the development period without compromising on said quality.
