Square Enix has announced that Final Fantasy XVI is scheduled for release on PC on September 17, 2024. This highly anticipated release follows more than a year after the game’s initial launch on PlayStation 5. The game’s director Hiroshi Takai has hinted at the potential for future entries in the Final Fantasy series to be launched simultaneously on PC and other platforms.
In a recent interview with GamesRadar, Hiroshi Takai shared insights into the strategic considerations surrounding the PC release of Final Fantasy 16. When asked about the possibility of future Final Fantasy games having day-one releases on PC, Takai suggested that this could be a possibility. “I think it’s possible – probably even likely,” he remarked while suggesting that the ultimate decision would be determined by the team responsible for each specific project.
Takai’s statements align with broader trends observed within Square Enix, as the company has increasingly prioritized a multiplatform strategy. This change is evident in their recent financial briefings, where Square Enix discussed a shift from focusing on the number of releases to prioritizing the quality of their offerings, with a strong focus on reaching a wider audience across multiple platforms.
Despite the anticipation surrounding the forthcoming PC release of Final Fantasy 16, Takai addressed the challenges associated with the porting process. He acknowledged the extended gap between the PS5 and PC releases, which has raised concerns about sustaining interest among PC gamers. However, Takai expressed confidence that the effort invested in optimizing the game for PC would be justified, stating, “Looking at the results, I believe the time we’ve spent optimizing the game for PC was indeed well spent.”
Ahead of the launch of Final Fantasy XVI on PC, Square Enix has made available a demo on Steam, allowing players to preview the game. However, it is currently standing at mixed feedback due to a surge of negative player reviews that are mostly complaining about its poor performance.