Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida has properly, officially confirmed that work has begun on bringing Final Fantasy XVI to PC. In a post made to X, formerly known as Twitter, from the official Final Fantasy account Yoshi-P confirmed what he had wanted to say for some time.
Here’s a special video message from Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida. #FF16 pic.twitter.com/MjyKzQXHRNSeptember 3, 2023
“While Final Fantasy 16 launched as a Playstation 5 exclusive, we are aware that many of you have been asking for a PC version. So, allow me to take this opportunity to officially announce that development on a PC version is currently underway,” he said in the video. That continues to rule out the idea that we’ll get it within the year.
“I hope to be able to give you more information on both the upcoming DLCC and the PC version before the end of the year, so please stay tuned,” said Yoshida. The announcement was made alongside news of FF16’s first big patch and DLC, and the phrasing makes it seem like Yoshida’s previous statements still stand—we won’t get it before the end of 2023.
The DLC is news as well, since previously there was no plan for DLC in FF16 until fan feedback and sales seemingly convinced Square Enix otherwise. No knowing what the DLC will be, but the free update for the game that dropped this weekend includes alternate costumes for characters, a new weapon for the main character, and the ability to change the appearance of the main character’s weapons while keeping the stats of the one you’re properly holding.
Yoshida had previously said that optimizing a PC version was a matter of time and resources: “Even if we start optimizing the PC version after the PS5 version comes out, we won’t be able to optimize it in half a year, so it won’t come out in a short span of half a year. I would like to release it eventually, and I think I will, but I am not at the stage where I can say when.”
Then he said that it was next on his to-do list. Now he’s properly, truly, officially saying it’ll come. This is of course not a surprise, because Square Enix previously accidentally announced it.
Final Fantasy 16 got pretty positive reviews, especially on the combat. PC Gamer’s won Mollie Taylor is pretty mad about waiting for it, because in her reckoning it might well be one of the best RPGs of the last decade.