Final Fantasy XVI, the highly anticipated action RPG from Square Enix, will be exclusively available on PlayStation 5 when it launches on June 22nd. There has been some criticism of this decision, but Square Enix says it’s due to the “power of PlayStation 5” that allows them to achieve next-gen combat. In a recent interview with IGN, Square Enix sheds more light on this decision and explains why the game will be PS5 only.
Seamless Transitions
According to producer Naoki Yoshida, the PS5 is working hard in the background to make the game’s boss battles seamlessly transition between player-controlled combat and cinematic cutscenes. “While you’re battling Ifrit and Garuda and having that big battle [in the hands-on demo], in the background, the PlayStation 5 is loading the next scene,” Yoshida told IGN. “It’s getting ready, so we can seamlessly move into it.”
Eikon Battles
The Eikon battles in FFXVI are massive, kaiju-like fights in which you, as protagonist Clive Rosfield, can assume the body of the series’ iconic summons to stomp on another summon. Combat director Ryoto Suzuki said that without the PS5’s memory and transfer speed of the SSD, the game “would still be in development right now.” Suzuki explained that the PS5 allows them to graphically represent the fists, claws, and wings of the Eikon abilities in real-time and in beautiful graphics, without any load times. Furthermore, the PS5 allows them to do all of these things seamlessly, giving players access to a limited moveset and restricted movements, but with impressive visuals on display.
Is The PS5 Necessary?
While Square Enix claims that the PS5’s power is necessary for achieving next-gen combat, some gamers are skeptical. Yoshida and Suzuki are talking about seamless transitions from cutscenes to gameplay – something that has already been done in previous games. They are not introducing revolutionary new features, but rather improving on something that has already been done. That being said, without the power of the PS5, the game would still be in development, and the Eikon battles may not have been possible.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Final Fantasy XVI will be a PS5 exclusive due to the power of the console. The PS5’s memory and transfer speeds allow Square Enix to graphically represent the Eikon abilities in real-time and seamlessly transition between player-controlled combat and cinematic cutscenes. While some gamers may question the need for a next-gen console for what is essentially an improvement on something that has already been done, there is no denying that the PS5’s power has enabled the development of the game. Only time will tell if the game lives up to its hype, but it’s clear that Square Enix is utilizing the PS5’s power to its fullest potential.
