Final Fantasy 16 will have a New Game+ mode and multiple difficulty options to choose from when it launches next year. Square Enix's Final Fantasy is one of the gaming industry's longest-running and most popular franchises, so it's no surprise many fans are eagerly awaiting the launch of Final Fantasy 16 for PlayStation 5 next year.
Square Enix has assured fans that Final Fantasy 16 development is going well. According to the latest reports, Final Fantasy 16 has passed the 95% completion mark, and it's expected that the game's specific release date will be announced before the year is out. With Final Fantasy 16 expected to launch within the next year, Square Enix has been pumping up its marketing efforts for the title, recently releasing a new trailer and having its developers give interviews on the project.
One recent Final Fantasy 16 interview was conducted by 4Gamer, spotted by Twitter user Genki_JPN and Push Square. In the interview, Final Fantasy 16 director Hiroshi Takai confirmed that the game will have a New Game+ feature that will allow players to replay the adventure with everything they unlocked in their initial playthrough. This wouldn't be the first time that the Final Fantasy series has had a New Game+ option, and it will likely be well-received by franchise fans.
Besides confirming that Final Fantasy 16 will have a New Game+ mode, the same interview touched on the different difficulty settings that players will have access to once the game launches next year. Aside from the standard game mode, players will also have the option to increase the difficulty or make things easier by choosing Story Focus, which, as its name implies, will let players focus on enjoying the story instead of combat.
More information on Final Fantasy 16's difficulty modes and New Game+ feature should come to light in the months ahead. The 4Gamer interview revealed some interesting gameplay details about Final Fantasy 16 and will likely get fans of the franchise even more excited about the new game. However, another recent interview has actually drummed up some controversy, calling into question Final Fantasy 16's lack of diversity with its characters. Square Enix explained that the lack of diversity was due to the game being based on Medieval Europe, but some fans have not been satisfied with that particular explanation.
Assuming Square Enix is being truthful when it has indicated that the Final Fantasy 16 release date is going to be announced this year, one has to imagine that The Game Awards 2022 on December 8 would be a prime candidate for such an announcement. Of course, the reveal could happen on a different day as well, but FF16 fans may want to tune in to the event just in case.
Final Fantasy 16 is in development for PS5.
Source: 4Gamer (via Push Square), IGN