Naoki Yoshida, the man behind the revival of Final Fantasy 14 and producer of Final Fantasy 16, recently shared exciting insights about the future of Final Fantasy.
During an interview at Gamescom, Yoshida revealed Square Enix’s commitment to a multiplatform strategy, with a particular focus on strengthening the Final Fantasy franchise’s presence on Xbox.
This comes after Square Enix saw little to no reason why it should continue with its exclusive partnership with Sony after the lackluster sales of both FF16—one of the best entries in the franchise in years— and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, which initially saw it release FF14 on the Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X.
In the same interview, Yoshida emphasized the importance of this release, stating, “With Final Fantasy XIV as an opportunity, we can take this opportunity to strengthen the community on Xbox towards the Final Fantasy franchise.” He further explained that this initiative is crucial not just for Final Fantasy XIV, but for Square Enix as a whole.
While Square Enix has a reputation for never feeling satisfied with its games’ sales, the decision to diversify its releases does make sense. Rising development costs, the lingering effects of the COVIC-19 pandemic, and Japan’s ongoing economic struggles are forcing many publishers within the country to reconsider their former approach to video game releases.
Interestingly, Square Enix already has a considerable presence on Xbox platforms. Contrary to popular belief, many popular Final Fantasy titles are available to play Microsoft’s bespoke platform, including Final Fantasy 7 through Final Fantasy 10, Final Fantasy 12 through 15 and many other popular JRPG franchises like Octopath Traveler and so much more. However, with best-sellers like the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters, FF16, and Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth all missing, Xbox fans are right to feel left out.
“So with Final Fantasy XIV as the starting point, we do want to release more Square Enix games on Xbox, and there will be more of our titles released on Xbox,” commented Yoshida, suggesting that Square Enix and Xbox will bridge this gap in due time.
Square Enix is smart enough to know that the immediate increase in sales on Xbox might not be massive, but the added exposure and minimal effort required for multiplatform releases could lead to substantial benefits in the long run.
The commercial success of best-selling multiplatform titles such as Hogwarts Legacy, Elden Ring, and even Baldur’s Gate 3, are prime examples of the potential of this renewed approach.
Moreover, there’s precedence here. FF15 saw a simultaneous release on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. To date, it remains the fastest-selling video game in the franchise, moving five million copies in its first 24 hours, dwarfing the numbers posted by FF16 and FF7 Rebirth at launch.
If Square Enix does indeed stick to this multiplatform strategy, the future bodes well for Final Fantasy 17. The next installment in the anthology series could release on the PS5 and Xbox Series S and X when both consoles have reached their peak install bases, potentially setting new sales records.
However, while this news is encouraging, Yoshi-P hasn’t confirmed anything outright yet. The exact timeline for when we might see more Final Fantasy games on Xbox remains uncertain.
With Square Enix moving away from platform exclusivity, at least for its major franchises, it’ll be interesting to see how this will impact its relationship with Sony.
Square Enix is set to release Final Fantasy 16 on PC on September 17. A free demo is currently available.
