As Square Enix declare that Final Fantasy XVI development is has “entered the home stretch”, they’ve released a third trailer for the game titled ‘Ambition’. Final Fantasy 16 is expected to release in mid-2023 exclusively for PlayStation 5.
Accompanying the trailer, game director Hiroshi Takai shared a statement:
Hello!
Our third trailer is finally here and jam-packed with exciting new information that provides a better picture of how the game’s setting, lore, and characters tie in with our compelling narrative. Hopefully it was worth the wait!
As the game edges closer to completion, the team has turned its full attention to debugging and final adjustments. Now that things are starting to come together, the game is sizing up to be something truly special.
We know you are all hungry to see more, but for now we hope that this little peek into the world of FINAL FANTASY XVI is enough to keep you both satisfied and (of course) speculating until our next big reveal.
– Hiroshi Takai, FINAL FANTASY XVI Director
The new trailer tours Valisthea’s regions, showing gorgeous vistas dominated by giant, magical crystals. War is starting to consume this land, and the trailer also introduces two central characters, the Dominants of Bahamut and Odin. Dion Lesage is the leader of the Dragoons of Sanbreque and the Dominant of Bahamut, while Barnabas Tharmr, the Dominant of Odin, is a wanderer. They are the representatives of these deities, able to wield their power in battle.
There was also a glimpse of the game’s new dynamic action battles, with Clive Rosefield, the protagonist of the game, facing the powerful Eikons.
You can read more about the six realms that make up Valisthea here, which are called The Grand Duchy of Rosaria, The Holy Empire of Sanbreque, The Kingdom of Waloed, The Dhalmekian Republic, The Iron Kingdom, and The Crystalline Dominion. It’s an epic medieval fantasy setting, that’s sure to tap into the continued popularity of the Game of Thrones series – you can definitely hear that in the regional accents they chose to cast for!
Final Fantasy 16 was originally pencilled in for release in 2022, but as the pandemic affected work over the last few years, Square Enix were forced to adapt their plans, pushing the game back to 2023. Thankfully it sounds as though development has progressed well and they’re on target to deliver the game on their new schedule.
Source: PS Blog
