FINAL FANTASY Pixel Remaster launched on Xbox this week, and Square Enix could also be planning a Final Fantasy XVI release for the console.
This week, Square Enix launched three titles on the Xbox platform, including FINAL FANTASY Pixel Remaster and two titles from the Mana series (Legend of Mana and Trials of Mana), both making their debut on Xbox. Last week, Naoki “Yoshi-P” Yoshida, the producer of Final Fantasy XVI, mentioned in an interview with Sports Illustrated that the latest mainline entry in the Final Fantasy franchise could potentially come to the Xbox platform as well.
The interview initially focused on Final Fantasy XIV and its future direction, but partway through, the conversation shifted to Square Enix’s plans for the most popular MMO moving forward. Yoshida mentioned, “So my target with Final Fantasy XIV is to have as many players as possible enjoy the game across all devices,” which naturally led to a question about whether Final Fantasy XVI would come to Xbox.
Yoshida had a hopeful response: “Of course, we did announce the PC version of the game, so looking towards the Xbox version, we do want to release it on Xbox. But when it comes to the specifics, such as when the game would be available and such, we are not in a position to be able to share anything. But of course, I want to say that it’s not as if there’s zero hope, and we very much do want to achieve that. So players should not give up in terms of their hopes.”
While Yoshida’s quote demonstrates his desire, as Producer, to bring Final Fantasy XVI to Xbox and allow a broader audience to experience the game, it stops short of confirming Square Enix’s full commitment to releasing the title on the platform.
While Yoshida’s comments are hopeful for Xbox fans, the decision to launch Final Fantasy XVI on Xbox likely comes from higher up within Square Enix, and Yoshida is “not in a position to share anything.” So, while Final Fantasy XVI could come to the Xbox console, fans should temper their excitement until an official announcement is made regarding a potential release. However, according to Yoshida, fans shouldn’t give up hope.
