Final Fantasy 16’s release date has been confirmed for PS5, but whether it’ll come out for consoles like Xbox, Switch, or PC remains to be seen.
Final Fantasy 16 is due to be released for PlayStation 5 on June 22, 2023, but when it will arrive on PC, Switch, or Xbox isn’t yet clear. Final Fantasy 16 was originally announced as a timed exclusive for PS5, meaning that other consoles’ releases would supposedly be revealed for a later date. Square Enix has used a similar strategy before: Final Fantasy 15 came out for PS4 and Xbox One in 2016, and a PC release followed two years later.
No actual release dates for Final Fantasy 16 on other platforms have been confirmed, but official Microsoft documents, offhand comments by some Final Fantasy 16 developers, and fine print in some of the game’s trailers provide an idea of just how long Final Fantasy 16 will remain a PS5 exclusive.
Final Fantasy 16 May Not Be Coming To Xbox
Details about FF16‘s Xbox release have been revealed in connection to Microsoft’s attempt to buy Activision Blizzard. Regulatory agencies have attempted to block the acquisition, claiming it would give Microsoft too large a share of the market. In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority issued a statement to that effect. Microsoft’s official response claims Sony has made similar exclusivity agreements with developers. The reply lists examples, including Final Fantasy 16. Whether this refers to permanent exclusivity isn’t clear, but as it’s listed adjacent to games that don’t have plans to release on Xbox (Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Silent Hill 2‘s remaster, and Bloodborne), it appears there’s little possibility of an Xbox release date for Final Fantasy 16.
There Seems To Be No Plans For Final Fantasy 16 On Switch
Final Fantasy 16 it is built for the beefier hardware of the PS5, and likely wouldn’t hold up on Switch. However, that doesn’t mean a Switch version is completely out of the question. Square Enix has published Switch versions of some of its more resource-demanding games by using a cloud service. However, it’s not a perfect system. Some players have complained of input lag or choppy visuals, which could be detrimental to the action gameplay of Final Fantasy 16. Plus, cloud games require constant Internet connectivity, so they can’t be taken on the go. While it’s possible that there’ll be a cloud version, at the moment there seems to be no intention to release Final Fantasy 16 on the Switch.
Final Fantasy 16 May Be Coming To PC In Early 2024
Final Fantasy 16‘s biggest mystery is its PC release date. The 2020 reveal trailer unveiled by PlayStation displayed the fine print, “Also available on PC.“The Revenge trailer for FF16which came out in December 2022, states that the game will remain a PS5 exclusive until December 31, 2023. However, during a Final Fantasy 14 Mahjong livestream (spotted by @aitaikimochi), producer Naoki “Yoshi-P” Yoshida refuted the idea that the PC version will come out in December 2023. It would seem that while Final Fantasy 16‘s exclusivity deal with PlayStation expires in December 2023, the PC release might take more time. Hopefully, that means an early 2024 release for Final Fantasy 16‘s PC port.
While PS5 owners will be able to begin exploring the world of Valistea as they play Final Fantasy 16 for the first time on June 22, 2023, it looks like PC players will have to wait a little longer. Although there are no plans at present for Final Fantasy 16 on Xbox or Switch, anything’s possible after exclusivity expires at the end of 2023.
Sources: GOV.UK, PlayStation/YouTube, ☆オードリーAudrey☆/Twitter