Producer Naoki Yoshida has confirmed that Final Fantasy XVI will not be open world. Above all, it should not be taken as a defect.
Final Fantasy XVI will not be an open world game. It’s not a question of ambition, but an assumed design choice on the part of Square Enix. Producer Naoki Yoshida confirmed the information in an interview published on IGN June 22. Some could already see it as a defect, we prefer to remember that this is good news.
Fans may recall that the open world offered in Final Fantasy XV is not its greatest quality. In place, Final Fantasy XVI will rely on a structure articulated around zones, located in the world of Valisthea (composed of six regions). Through the words of Naoki Yoshida, we perceive the desire not to see the narration be diluted in environments that are too immense.
Final Fantasy XVI will be inspired by open worlds
” To build a story that could span an entire universe, we decided to avoid the open-world structure, which would limit us to a single environment. “, explains Naoki Yoshida. He admits, however, that Square Enix found inspiration in modern open-world RPGs. Titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and Elden Ring must have interested developers, for their excellence in various fields (exploration, narration, action, etc.).
If the open world has become a norm for ambitious games, it can also seem like a false good idea. There’s nothing worse than an experience that spans many settings, but feels empty when you look closely at the content. Recently, productions have not needed an open world to be considered great successes. We think of The Last of Us Part II or even to god of war.
As a bonus, an open world game requires a solid technical base to be credible and immersive – a level of requirement proven by case law Cyberpunk 2077. Some may feel that Square Enix is going a bit too far with the handbrake regarding Final Fantasy XVI, in view of the legacy of the saga (Final Fantasy is a beloved brand). But we must emphasize the audacity of a company that does not prefer to give in to a trend, for fear of disappointing. We will remind the most skeptical that the RPG is in good hands: Naoki Yoshida is the man who saved Final Fantasy XIV. And he surrounded himself with big names, according to this tweet posted on June 3.