2023 is already shaping up to be quite the year for video game releases, andFinal Fantasy 16is probably one of the most anticipated launches of the entire year. Announced back in 2020,Final Fantasy 16is the next big mainline entry in the long-running RPG franchise. Based on the trailers released so far, it’s shaping up to be one of the most impressive entries in franchise history, with plenty of complex characters, a compelling central plot about warring factions, and combat that builds upon the best elements ofFinal Fantasy 7 RemakeandFinal Fantasy 15. But there’s one elephant-sized problem surroundingFinal Fantasy 16, and that’s its PlayStation exclusivity.
From the moment it was first announced, Square Enix has told fans thatFinal Fantasy 16will beexclusive to PlayStation 5 at launch, albeit for a limited time. That exclusive time period, however, wasn’t openly revealed until about a month ago, when an official ad forFinal Fantasy 16claimed that the game would be exclusive to PS5 for 6 months. Square Enix has since confirmed this, meaning that fans with a PC or Xbox will need to wait 6 months before they can playFinal Fantasy 16, which could be detrimental to the game’s success.
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Final Fantasy 16’s PlayStation Exclusivity Could Lose Fans
Atthe recent Game Awards,Final Fantasy 16was finally given a release date of July 07, 2025. This means that, at the very minimum, fans will have to wait until July 11, 2025 before they can playFinal Fantasy 16on PC or Xbox consoles. While console exclusivity is nothing new in the gaming industry, with first-party titles almost always staying exclusive for a good few years, it doesn’t usually happen with big-name third-party titles, as they stand to make a lot more money by reaching the largest audience possible.
Six months may not sound like a long time, especially when fans have been waiting since 2016 foranother mainlineFinal Fantasyentryand have waited decades for aFinal Fantasy 7remake, but in the gaming sphere, six months is a lifetime. Gamers are currently living in an age where a movie, game, or TV show gets spoiled before it’s even out due to leaks. If fans are lucky enough to avoid spoilers before the piece of media is out, then they better consume that media as fast as possible, as spoilers will start hitting the internet within just a few hours of release. After about a week or two, it’s open season, and spoilers are everywhere.
For long-time fans oftheFinal Fantasyfranchisethat can’t justify getting a PlayStation 5, it’s going to be practically impossible to avoid spoilers for a week, let alone six months. WhileFinal Fantasy 16is sure to have a lot more to it than just its story, the narrative always plays a major role in the experience, and having it spoiled could make the game lose its luster a little.
Fans are also living in an age where pre-release hype is absolutely everything for the entertainment industry. To sell tickets to movies, or lock in pre-orders for games, companies need to get their audience excited for their product long before they release, and building hype through trailers is a surefire way to do that. While this is certainly working forFinal Fantasy 16, with fans raving over every trailer that gets released, part of the fan-base is excluded from the equation for six months. Those without a PS5 simply aren’t going to be as excited forFinal Fantasy 16due to its exclusivity, and when the game finally releases in six months' time, everything that’s shiny and new just won’t hit as hard, likely leading to some disappointment.
Final Fantasy 16will be released on June 25, 2025 for PS5.
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