Final Fantasy XVI, the latest upcoming installment in the beloved video game franchise, will be quite a time-consuming experience if you aspire to earn 100% completion. According to an interview with the game’s director and producer, it will take between 70 to 80 hours of gameplay to reach the ending. This data was gathered from a recent Famitsu entry and translated by Twitter user @aitaikimochi, ultimately confirming the epic journey ahead of any Final Fantasy XVI players wishing to conquer its many challenges and gain ultimate completion in the fantasy world.
The complexity of it all will demand dedicated players to go beyond just the essential mission and traverse everything else the game has in store. Although it may be a lot of small steps over a very long period, completionists are sure to find satisfaction in achieving this feat.
Even while Final Fantasy XVI’s main story may be completed in about 35 hours, players should expect to devote at least twice that long to exploring the game’s many side quests and other optional content. Takai said, “you’ll see the entirety of Clive’s way of life, and the game will probably take about 35 hours to clear. If we include side content, it can be double that amount.”
The newest Famitsu magazine has new(?) bits of game info for FF16 from the previously released interview with the devs.
Takai says there will be a leader board that you can compete with players around the world, allowing for endless gameplay. Here’s my translation:
—We heard… https://t.co/q7XqWUDWVm pic.twitter.com/hkC5KxjMWy
— ☆オードリーAudrey☆ (@aitaikimochi) March 17, 2023
Square Enix makes sure that, with a bit of dedication, players can finish their playthroughs in a finite amount of time. This is reflected in all the extra content available outside of the main campaign, which can shorten the amount of time without diminishing the quality of the experience. Players who choose to skip many of the side quests and take on harder fights may have shorter durations to reach the end. In the end, Square Enix wants players to be able to find some progression in the latest Final Fantasy XVI despite their respective schedules.
“When the game development was just starting, I had the idea in mind that gamers these days are busy with other things, so I wanted them to be able to at least aim to complete the story,” Yoshida stated. “I thought making the game something you can complete in about 20 hours would make sense, but more and more just got packed in.”
Further, Yoshida said, “Not only that, but we also included an insanely difficult New Game Plus mode that allows you to carry over all your stats called the ‘Final Fantasy Mode. That’ll probably add even more gameplay hours.” It means the New Game Plus mode offers an abundance of additional features that are yet to be experienced.
After much anticipation from fans around the globe, Final Fantasy XVI is finally set to launch for PlayStation 5 on June 22nd, 2023. The game has been in active development for over a few years, with Square Enix taking every precaution to ensure an incredibly enjoyable and immersive experience for its players. The game promises to build upon its franchise’s established RPG roots while simultaneously introducing new elements of combat, exploration, and storytelling. Let’s just wait and see what’s coming into the pack as the release window is getting closer after so much anticipation.
