Summary
- Final Fantasy 16 was shadow-dropped on Xbox with base game and expansions after PS5 exclusivity.
- The Final Fantasy 16 trailer at the Xbox Games Showcase confirmed availability on Xbox Cloud Gaming.
During the June 8 Xbox Games Showcase, Square Enix surprised viewers by shadow-dropping Final Fantasy 16 on Xbox Series X/S and the Xbox app for Windows PCs. The Xbox port of Final Fantasy 16 arrived nearly two years after its initial launch on PS5 and includes the base version along with the Echoes of the Fallen and The Rising Tide expansions.
Originally released in June 2023, Final Fantasy 16 is the first mainline Final Fantasy title to earn a Mature rating across the board. Set in the dark and war-torn land of Valisthea, players control protagonist Clive Rosfield and his Eikon, the fiery Ifrit, as he seeks to end the reign of the Mothercrystals and the god-like entity known as Ultima. A year after its PS5 exclusivity window ended, Final Fantasy 16 launched on Steam and the Epic Games Store, which brought more players into the fold. Although rumors about Square Enix's involvement with Xbox Games Showcase have persisted, the company remained tight-lipped about when Xbox fans could play Final Fantasy 16.
June 20 Will Be A Big Day For Final Fantasy 14 Fans
Final Fantasy 14 fans should circle the third Friday of June on their calendars, as Square Enix will offer a glimpse into the future of the game.
Now, the wait is over for Final Fantasy and Xbox fans. Toward the end of the Xbox Games Showcase on June 8, Square Enix shadow-dropped Final Fantasy 16 on Xbox consoles and the Xbox app on Windows 10 and 11. Final Fantasy 16 is now available in both the base version for $49.99 and the Complete Edition for $69.99. The latter includes the base game and both the Echoes of the Fallen and The Rising Tide expansions. Both expansions can later be purchased separately or via the Expansion Pass. Purchasing either the base or complete editions will also grant players some in-game items, including the Blood Sword weapon glamour and the Sixteen Bells Orchestrion item. Square Enix and Creative Studio 3 released a trailer that showed snippets of gameplay from Final Fantasy 16.
Final Fantasy 16 Is Out Now on Xbox
Along with the Xbox console port, the trailer confirmed that Final Fantasy 16 is now also available for Xbox Cloud Gaming users to play on supported devices. Although Final Fantasy 16 is available as part of the Xbox Play Anywhere program, the game is currently not on Xbox Game Pass. However, Xbox fans will have more content from the Final Fantasy franchise to look forward to in 2025.
In addition to the new Final Fantasy 16 port, Creative Studio 3 will launch the highly anticipated Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles on September 30. Between that and the long-awaited Xbox port of Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade hitting store shelves this winter, Final Fantasy players on Xbox will have a busy year ahead.
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Final Fantasy 16
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- June 22, 2023
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Franchise
- Final Fantasy
WHERE TO PLAY
An epic dark fantasy world where the fate of the land is decided by the mighty Eikons and the Dominants who wield them.
This is the tale of Clive Rosfield, a warrior granted the title “First Shield of Rosaria” and sworn to protect his younger brother Joshua, the dominant of the Phoenix. Before long, Clive will be caught up in a great tragedy and swear revenge on the Dark Eikon Ifrit, a mysterious entity that brings calamity in its wake.
