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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Final Fantasy is a long running series at this point — it's easily one of the most storied franchises in gaming. But when you're up to the sixteenth mainline entry, you must start wondering whether fresh installments still have the power to pull new players in. Indeed, audience growth will be an important metric for the suits upstairs at Square Enix.

With Final Fantasy 16 being so different from its predecessors — it's essentially an out-and-out action game, in case you don't know — it's clear that the development team didn't want to be shackled to series tradition. And with that approach, you naturally start to gravitate towards attracting new players — people who have never necessarily been sold on Final Fantasy's more traditional gameplay.

Fortunately for Square Enix, it sounds like Final Fantasy 16 managed to accomplish that goal. Speaking to Push Square as part of an upcoming interview, DLC director Takeo Kujiraoka gave us some insight on the matter: "In recent years, players of the Final Fantasy series have tended to skew towards a higher age range. However, this time there are survey results showing that more people in their teens and 20s played Final Fantasy 16."

He continues: "I think this shows that, to a certain extent, we’ve achieved one of our initial goals – to have players of all ages play the latest Final Fantasy game."

"This doesn’t mean that all future Final Fantasy games will take a similar direction to Final Fantasy 16," Kujiraoka clarifies, "but I do think it means that we’ve been able to bring new players on board and open new possibilities for the development teams that will work on future instalments in the series."

Again, opening such a dense franchise up to newcomers is never easy, but the desperate tale of Clive Rosfield seems to have resonated with a wider audience. It does leave us wondering how Square Enix will approach the inevitable Final Fantasy 17.

Final Fantasy 16 Successfully Expanded the Series to New, Younger Players, Says Square Enix

Hot topic

www.pushsquare.com

 

[Deft Beck]

Ironic, given that for most of the game, the protagonist is

Spoiler

older than most mainline Final Fantasy protagonists have ever been.

 

[Celcius]

I feel like just releasing a new FF game would expand the series to new players and I just hope they don't take away from this that now we only want action games.
I think the Persona series proves that turn-based games can still be amazing as well.
FF16 is great though.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

The Rising Tide DLC comes out in 3 days, so bring it on.

It'll be interesting to see what the setting will be for 17 - modern/real world, dark fantasy, high fantasy, industrial, steampunk etc...

With 16 we kinda had a hunch it would be medievil again as the series hadn't gone there in a while.

 

[Mister Wolf]

Looking forward to the PC release.

 

[cormack12]

I am young

 

[crunchyBiscuits]

Finished it over the weekend (after taking a break since last August). Awesome game. Yes, it has its flaws. And the highest points in the game are followed by stupid fetch quests but overall, it's really solid.

I'd like CBU3 to take another crack at a mainline title and improve on the feedback/learnings from this one

 

[Exede]

Hope 17 will be like 16s prologue expanded to the hole game.

 

[RoboFu]

I don't believe it. Let's wait to see if the game sells as well if they make the next one the same way. I think most people just tried it because it was different.

 

[Northeastmonk]

Now all generations will know how disappointed we are and will look forward to their remakes and remasters.

I like Square-Enix when they go back to their Squaresoft ways. New Square-Enix is just weird. I can’t say I am the same type of fan of theirs as I want to buy their classic stuff and Rebirth.

One thing they’ve shown is how much production value they will put into these crazy ideas. I enjoyed Nier Replicant more than I did 16.

 

[Tiago Rodrigues]

I don't believe it.

ok...

 

[rofif]

Fantastic game. Just pure insanity all the way.
Graphics, music, characters, combat...
Better than 7 rebirth. It knows what it is and it executes it from start to finish. Full story.

 

[Chukhopops]

As much as I disliked XVI, simplification was a clear design goal so I’m glad they achieved that part at least. Maybe they’ll manage to get the zoomer audience interested in the brand in the long run.

 

[MagiusNecros]

I believe it was successful since IMO it's by far the easiest Final Fantasy game with the casual player options it has. You can be a total amateur and complete it no problem with accessibility options. And the lack of RPG elements or party(lol) management ensures no one will have a hard time.

 

[FoxMcChief]

 

[Punished Miku]

My older brother just let me borrow his copy and he's 46, so technically that is true.

 

[FoxMcChief]

I am young

Music Band, lol. Never gets old.

 

[FoxMcChief]

As much as I disliked XVI, simplification was a clear design goal so I’m glad they achieved that part at least. Maybe they’ll manage to get the zoomer audience interested in the brand in the long run.

I wonder if that’s why the kids like it. You can hold one button down and win the game if you equip that one ring.

 

[Draugoth]

Waiting for the PC Release

 

[rofif]

As much as I disliked XVI, simplification was a clear design goal so I’m glad they achieved that part at least. Maybe they’ll manage to get the zoomer audience interested in the brand in the long run.

Not every FF needs to be similar.
I liked how game of throney the game was but with ton of twists

I wonder if that’s why the kids like it. You can hold one button down and win the game if you equip that one ring.

if you don't use these rings (I only used dog ring) it is not an easy auto play game. You need to really get the parry going.
At least until the end. In this game, you get more powerful the further you get.

 

[VideoGameEnjoyer]

I really wish they would send out player feedback surveys to everyone who bought 16 and Rebirth. To SE, I just look like a FF fan who bought both.

I could not feel more differently about both games, and I legitimately need to let SE know that even though I purchased both Rebirth is infinitely better and is the type of game I'd want more of in the future. While I hated 16 and want nothing to do with it or similar games going forward.

The sales and engagement data we see implies the complete opposite has happened, which is depressing as hell. And it legitimately sucks that I would be used in the sample for people who liked 16 and want more of it. Check the playtimes for each game SE! 16 sucks, Rebirth is amazing.

 

[iHaunter]

I like that they tried something different.

 

[Brock2621]

Dope, good to hear it. Game was EPIC. Watching Afro replay it right now

 

[rofif]

I really wish they would send out player feedback surveys to everyone who bought 16 and Rebirth. To SE, I just look like a FF fan who bought both.

I could not feel more differently about both games, and I legitimately need to let SE know that even though I purchased both Rebirth is infinitely better and is the type of game I'd want more of in the future. While I hated 16 and want nothing to do with it or similar games going forward.

The sales and engagement data we see implies the complete opposite has happened, which is depressing as hell. And it legitimately sucks that I would be used in the sample for people who liked 16 and want more of it. Check the playtimes for each game SE! 16 sucks, Rebirth is amazing.

see this is the thing. We got 2 different games for 2 different audiences.
I loved 16 and everything about it while I grew to hate rebirth by the end.
Never ending stream of mini games, open world activities and they kingdom hearted the shit out of the story.
While 16 is just simple but very well executed story. There is beauty in simplicity... and rebirth forgot that

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Sounds good.

About time SE started focusing on important stuff.

Maybe some way to do this without dumbing down your game? Younger audience are not necessarily noob players, they are good at games.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

I really wish they would send out player feedback surveys to everyone who bought 16 and Rebirth. To SE, I just look like a FF fan who bought both.

I could not feel more differently about both games, and I legitimately need to let SE know that even though I purchased both Rebirth is infinitely better and is the type of game I'd want more of in the future. While I hated 16 and want nothing to do with it or similar games going forward.

The sales and engagement data we see implies the complete opposite has happened, which is depressing as hell. And it legitimately sucks that I would be used in the sample for people who liked 16 and want more of it. Check the playtimes for each game SE! 16 sucks, Rebirth is amazing.

Not everyone is going to agree with you

I bought both and loved both

Prefer different aspects of each - the story and presentation of FF16 is really well done but in typical FF fashion gets too crazy at the end. But the areas are small and linear with really poor side quests

Rebirth has more “RPG” depth that I prefer - better item economy and combat depth/customization. But the game can be too cartoony and quirky for my personal tastes although it does have its charms.

I wouldn’t mind if they simply tried different teams to create different styles of games and improve the flaws of each

 

[GymWolf]

I couldn't even finish it tbh.

Super easy, terrible sidequests and the plot and characters become incresingly more anime cringe the more you play, the odin dude was such a fuckin disappointment and that scene between clide and shiva chick in the beach gave me cancer, the first half of the game is so much better.

The wait for another decent main ff continue.

 

[Fbh]

I'm sure younger gamers felt instantly at home with the F2P mobile MMO tier fetch quests and the press X to awesome gameplay

I couldn't even finish it tbh.

Super easy, terrible sidequests and the plot and characters become incresingly more anime cringe the more you play, the odin dude was such a fuckin disappointment and that scene between clide and shiva chick in the beach gave me cancer.

The wait for another decent main ff continue, last good one was 9.

I've never felt a game degrade so much as it went on.

The first 5-6 hours it was like "this is amazing, what the fuck are all the haters even talking about?".
Then the more I progressed the more I start to get the criticism. By the end they even manage to screw up the story which was the one consistently good thing about it IMO.

 

[VideoGameEnjoyer]

see this is the thing. We got 2 different games for 2 different audiences.
I loved 16 and everything about it while I grew to hate rebirth by the end.
Never ending stream of mini games, open world activities and they kingdom hearted the shit out of the story.
While 16 is just simple but very well executed story. There is beauty in simplicity... and rebirth forgot that

Simplistic ass combat artificially stretched to 100 hours was so insanely bad. I was utterly bored by the combat a dozen hours in, and in 16 that is the only way to engage with the world.

Rebirth has SUCH a better, deeper, combat system while still giving you dozens of other things to do. Superior game in every way.

Different strokes and all, glad you liked 16.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

 

[rofif]

Not everyone is going to agree with you

I bought both and loved both

Prefer different aspects of each - the story and presentation of FF16 is really well done but in typical FF fashion gets too crazy at the end. But the areas are small and linear with really poor side quests

Rebirth has more “RPG” depth that I prefer - better item economy and combat depth/customization. But the game can be too cartoony and quirky for my personal tastes although it does have its charms.

I wouldn’t mind if they simply tried different teams to create different styles of games and improve the flaws of each

ff16 story does get tiresome crazy near the end but it still establishes and resolves it's story bits. Everything is set up and I don't think anything came out of nowhere.
So while it is a bit stupid near the end, it's not nonsense out of ass like multiverse crap in rebirth. (I say that and I loved Zack bits).

As for side quests - People keep saying 16 quests are mmo trash but are they much different than rebirth? It's still go there and collect/kill that.
I found that side quests start really bad in 16 and then the side quests pick up a bit. At least it's not minigames galore. And hunts are cool af.

 

[VideoGameEnjoyer]

Not everyone is going to agree with you

I bought both and loved both

Prefer different aspects of each - the story and presentation of FF16 is really well done but in typical FF fashion gets too crazy at the end. But the areas are small and linear with really poor side quests

Rebirth has more “RPG” depth that I prefer - better item economy and combat depth/customization. But the game can be too cartoony and quirky for my personal tastes although it does have its charms.

I wouldn’t mind if they simply tried different teams to create different styles of games and improve the flaws of each

As long as we get both it's fine. And of course everything I say is jmo.

Just seeing the metrics it seems SE thinks they would be better served going the 16 route more than the Rebirth route going forward. Which would really suck for me, and even moreso if my purchasing habits influence that decision instead of how I actually feel about the game. (I know that is not some unique thing. And plenty of people end up contributing to sales of games they don't end up liking. rofif seems to be my exact opposite, so I guess together us two cancel each other out, so no harm done.)

 

[rofif]

Simplistic ass combat artificially stretched to 100 hours was so insanely bad. I was utterly bored by the combat a dozen hours in, and in 16 that is the only way to engage with the world.

Rebirth has SUCH a better, deeper, combat system while still giving you dozens of other things to do. Superior game in every way.

Different strokes and all, glad you liked 16.

100 hours?
Game took me 50 and I did side quests.
The combat is simple but not at the beginning. It is simple after you put 50 hours into it, learn to parry and get all the spells.
I think the combat is great but I can see why you say it's simplistic... because it is. but that's good. I loved combat in hogwarts too. I don't need the combat to be ultra overcomplicated.

Rebirth combat is good too but I disliked the reliance on constant enemies scanning, weakness/resistance importance and the fucking adamantium turtles... I had no idea to use deshell lol. It was just tiresome by the end

 

[The artful mincer]

I really wish they would send out player feedback surveys to everyone who bought 16 and Rebirth. To SE, I just look like a FF fan who bought both.

I could not feel more differently about both games, and I legitimately need to let SE know that even though I purchased both Rebirth is infinitely better and is the type of game I'd want more of in the future. While I hated 16 and want nothing to do with it or similar games going forward.

The sales and engagement data we see implies the complete opposite has happened, which is depressing as hell. And it legitimately sucks that I would be used in the sample for people who liked 16 and want more of it. Check the playtimes for each game SE! 16 sucks, Rebirth is amazing.

The youtube channel Final Fantasy Union do fairly intensive surveys that Square Enix are aware of.

I guess you will be pleased to know that FF Remake was easily the most liked out of the recent entries.

They haven't done Rebirth yet.

 

[proandrad]

I don't believe it. Let's wait to see if the game sales as well if they make the next one the same way. I think most people just tried it because it was different.

Totally agree, people that think FFXVI gain any new fans probably think birds are also real.

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

 

[FalsettoVibe]

Add more actual RPG elements and I'm down for more.

 

[RoboFu]

Totally agree, people that think FFXVI gain any new fans probably think birds are also real.

birds are dinosaurs.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Totally agree, people that think FFXVI gain any new fans probably think birds are also real.

Square has more data than you do

 

[FoxMcChief]

Square has more data than you do

 

[rofif]

Totally agree, people that think FFXVI gain any new fans probably think birds are also real.

You would be surprised. The game demo itself made a ton of fans

 

[ssringo]

My only real problem with 16 was the performance. Day 1 when it comes to PC unless it has a bad release window. Rebirth on PC is a deep discount purchase if at all. Blech.

I'm definitely not in sync with the majority of modern FF fans.

 

[Sleepwalker]

I'm not younger but it was the first final fantasy I beat, so I'm new audience.

I loved it and it was my goty last year, bring on the DLC.

 

[K' Dash]

All 4 of them are really happy.

 

[sigmaZ]

Make it a third person shooter with microtransactions that's free to play and you'll get even more

 

[Hudo]

Good for them. Now stop acting like a second-party and release your biggest IP on all platforms. It's only beneficial for your IP.

 

[ssringo]

Make it a third person shooter with microtransactions that's free to play and you'll get even more

I'm kinda surprised they haven't whored out the franchise to Koei Tecmo to do another copy/paste Warriors game.

I'm also disappointed by that fact...

 

[rofif]

Good for them. Now stop acting like a second-party and release your biggest IP on all platforms. It's only beneficial for your IP.

You will get your epic store version soon enough

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Just seeing the metrics it seems SE thinks they would be better served going the 16 route more than the Rebirth route going forward.

In terms of maturity of the story and characters, that’s probably true.

I do think the game of thrones style is more appealing globally

 

[Pilgrimzero]

"We have to cater to the lowest common denominator."