Final Fantasy 16 producer explains why they changed combat for younger audiences

Lawrence Scotti
final fantasy xvi

Final Fantasy 16’s producer Naoki Yoshida opened up about why the game opted for action-combat rather than turn-based, citing the taste of younger generations of players.

Final Fantasy 16 may still be a long way away from release, but details continue to emerge about the game’s development.

The PlayStation 5 console exclusive has experienced delays, but could still be gunning for a release sometime in 2023.

In an interview with Famitsu, then translated via VGC, legendary Final Fantasy producer Naoki Yoshida, shed light on why the upcoming FFXVI decided against having turn-based combat.

ff 16 clive holding sword
Final Fantasy XVI is not an open-world game.

Yoshi-P explains why Final Fantasy XVI opted for action combat

Yoshida said that he grew up with turn-based RPGs, and appreciates how immersive they are. Despite that, it seems that younger players and broader gaming audiences prefer more action.

“For the past decade or so, I’ve seen quite a number of opinions saying ‘I don’t understand the attraction of selecting commands in video games.’ This opinion is only increasing, particularly with younger audiences who do not typically play RPGs.”

The producer explained that the advancement of technology in gaming influenced role-playing games away from turn-based combat, removing the need for command systems.

He also admitted he had sales in mind when choosing the style of combat for FF16, “I believe I know the fun of command system RPGs, and I want to continue developing them, but I thought about the expected sales of Final Fantasy XVI and the impact that we have to deliver.”

Yoshi-P has served as lead producer for FFXIV, one of the most popular and successful MMOs of the last decade, so Final Fantasy fans are in good hands with FF16.

Transcribed from the same interview, Yoshi also commented on why Final Fantasy 16 will not have an open world.

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About The Author

Lawrence is a former Dexerto writer, based in New York City, who covered entertainment and games for Dexerto focusing on Hearthstone, World of Warcraft, NBA 2K, and any indie game he can review.