Summary
- Final Fantasy 15 & 16 offer unique modern and medieval settings with distinct gameplay styles from classic FF games.
- FF16's release as a PS5 exclusive in 2023 suggests a possible long wait for FF17, possibly for PS6 generation consoles.
- Rumors hint at exciting surprises from Square Enix, such as a possible Final Fantasy Tactics remaster and FF9 remake in the works.
The last two mainline installments in the Final Fantasy franchise, FF15 and FF16, offer very unique takes on the series' classic formula. Final Fantasy 15 is set in a modern world with high fantasy elements, and the adventures of a prince and his band of friends on their quest to reclaim one of their countries' valuable possessions from an enemy nation. Final Fantasy 16, on the other hand, takes place in a dark, medieval-inspired world and chronicles the story of a man who sets out for revenge after being betrayed and subjected to a tragic event. Besides setting and plot, these two Final Fantasy games are also quite distinct in terms of gameplay. Even though these titles garnered somewhat divisive reactions from the Final Fantasy community because of how different they were from typical FF fare, they still managed to cultivate passionate fanbases.
Final Fantasy 15 was released in late 2016 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Meanwhile, its successor, Final Fantasy 16, launched as a PS5 exclusive in June 2023, which was roughly 7 years later. This was a large gap between two major mainline Final Fantasy games. At the rate that Square Enix is releasing numbered FF entries nowadays, it seems likely that Final Fantasy 17 won't come out anytime soon. In fact, it won't be surprising if this title isn't even released on current-gen consoles and is instead reserved for the PS6 generation. While it's unfortunate that players will probably have to wait until the late 2020s or even early 2030s for FF17, rumors suggest that Square Enix could have some surprises in store to keep FF fans busy until the eventual release of the next numbered entry in the franchise.
Square Enix Could Have Some Surprising Game Releases in Store Leading Up to FF17's Launch
Rumors Suggest That a Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster May Be in Development
One unannounced FF title that's reportedly in development is the Final Fantasy Tactics remaster. For those unfamiliar with the game, Final Fantasy Tactics is an isometric tactical RPG that came out exclusively on the original PlayStation in 1997. The title was universally acclaimed and is still widely regarded to this day as one of the best games in the entire Final Fantasy franchise. Although FF Tactics received an enhanced port on PSP, iOS, and Android, the game sadly never came to modern consoles or PCs. As such, Final Fantasy fans have been begging Square Enix to bring the acclaimed RPG to current-gen platforms. Fortunately, it seems like their wish may finally come true.
Proof of a Final Fantasy Tactics remaster first came to light in 2021's infamous Nvidia GeForce Now leak, which contained titles and codenames for dozens of unannounced projects. The existence of the re-release was further corroborated by the credible insider Jason Schreier in a post he made on Reddit earlier this year, where he stated that "the Final Fantasy Tactics remaster is real and happening." While no specific details have been leaked about this rumored project, it does seem like it could be in development.
Square Enix Could Be Making a Remake of Final Fantasy 9
One other FF title that's rumored to be in the works is the Final Fantasy 9 Remake. Like the FF Tactics remaster, evidence of this game also emerged as part of the Nvidia GeForce data mine in 2021, but the title has been the subject of many other rumors lately, as well. Reports seem to suggest that this unannounced game will be more of a traditional, one-to-one remake of the classic 2000 RPG, unlike the FF7 Remake games. Furthermore, insiders have also claimed that the FF9 Remake won't be PlayStation exclusive and will instead be multiplatform on day one.
Assuming that the FF9 Remak e and the FF Tactics remaster are indeed real, they're likely still a year or two away, at the very least. Even still, these titles could serve as a great way to tide Final Fantasy fans over before the release of FF17 and the third installment in the FF7 Remake trilogy.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 81%
- Released
- July 7, 2000
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Violence, Mild Language
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
- Engine
- Unity
- Multiplayer
- Local Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Final Fantasy
