Final Fantasy 16 fans might have some exciting news headed their way at this year's Game Awards, as the game's Producer Naoki Yoshida is hosting a live presentation that will likely reveal its release date. The world of Valisthea represents a return to the classical medieval settings of Final Fantasy, not seen in a single-player title from the franchise since Final Fantasy 12 in 2006. It is developed by the team that brought Heavensward and its Dragonsong War to the world, an expansion beloved by most Final Fantasy 14 fans.
The next installment of the Final Fantasy franchise puts the players in the role of Clive Rosfield, the eldest son of the Archduke of Rosaria, and a young man thrust into a story of vengeance after witnessing the fall of his kingdom. Over the course of his adventures, Clive will get to travel throughout the six nations of Valisthea that have enjoyed prosperity under the Mothercrystals, and make allies and enemies from representatives of these nations – both fallen and prosperous.
To everyone's surprise, the official Twitter account for The Game Awards announced that it would be welcoming Naoki Yoshida to a special live presentation next Thursday on December 8. While the contents of this presentation remain the subject of speculation, based on the rumors circulating Final Fantasy 16's release date, it would seem that players will find out when the game officially launches during The Game Awards.
Though Naoki Yoshida is also in charge of Final Fantasy 14 as its Executive Producer, Final Fantasy 16 is taking on a brand-new direction for the saga as it definitely moves out of its tactical, turn-based combat and into a more action-focused one. Final Fantasy 16 will still have party members, but they will be helping Clive on their own in a more diminished role compared to the fully controllable parties of past installments.
That being said, if director Kazutoyo Maehiro's words from a recent interview are to be believed, Clive Rosfield may not be the sole protagonist of Final Fantasy 16. The catch behind this statement is that Maehiro could have been referring to an older build of the game – and not its final iteration – as Final Fantasy 16 has been in development for over 6 years.
In addition to possibly getting a release date, players should also expect a playable demo for Final Fantasy 16 ahead of launch. While the content provided in the demo is unknown at this point, Final Fantasy fans will likely hear more at The Game Awards next week when Naoki Yoshida takes the stage.
Final Fantasy 16 will launch in 2023 for PS5.