Final Fantasy 16 Release Date “Coming Sooner Than People Think,” According to Report

Final Fantasy fans may be getting the next installment in the beloved RPG series sooner than they think. At the very least, it sounds like fans won’t have to wait another decade to play the game like they did with Final Fantasy 15.

Speaking on his Triple Click games podcast (via Games Radar), Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier revealed that Final Fantasy 16, which was only announced earlier this month, has been in development for quite some time.

“I’ve heard from people who are familiar with the game’s development that it’s actually been in development for at least four years in some capacity, so it’s coming sooner than people think,” said Schreier, who is one of the most reliable sources on behind-the-scenes game development in the business.

This makes sense considered just how far along the game looked in the announcement trailer during the PS5 showcase in September. We got a look at quite a few minutes of cutscene footage as well as gameplay, teasing a fully-formed and pretty polished product. It’s unclear just how close the game is to release, of course.

The trailer features many of the series’ big staples, including a mix of summons, magical crystals, and a medieval setting.

“The exclusive footage, comprised of both battles and cutscenes running in real-time, represents but a fraction of what our team has accomplished since the start of development on this, an all-new Final Fantasy game,” wrote Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki Yoshida, who is producing the new installment, in the PlayStation Blog. “In that span, the team’s size has grown from a handful of core members to a full-fledged unit that continues to polish and build upon what they have created so far, all to provide players an experience unmatched in terms of story and gameplay.”

Yoshida promised that more will be revealed about the game in 2021, teasing that there’s plenty more in store “not only for Final Fantasy XVI, but for Final Fantasy XIV, too.”

“From the establishment of an all new development environment, to learning the ins-and-outs of the PlayStation 5, the team and I have taken on countless challenges during our journey to bring you the sixteenth chapter in the storied Final Fantasy franchise,” wrote game director Hiroshi Takai of the team’s work on bringing Final Fantasy to the PS5. “And though we’re pouring our hearts and souls into this project each and every day, it may still be some time before we can get it into your hands. However, I promise it will be worth the wait!”

The game is coming exclusively to the PlayStation 5, although the original announcement referenced a PC port of the title as well. Sony said this was done in error. No release date has been set for the Final Fantasy sequel.