In a recent financial briefing, Square Enix president Takashi Kiryu revealed that Final Fantasy XVI has sold approximately 3.5 million copies globally since its launch on June 22, 2023. This figure, as reported by Japanese securities analyst Hideki Yasuda, positions the title behind previous installments like Final Fantasy XV, which famously surpassed 5 million units shipped on its first day, setting a franchise record.
Final Fantasy XVI has been praised for its spectacular highs, notably epic battles involving the Eikons. Gigantic summoned creatures whose clashes deliver memorable cinematic experiences. However, the game has not escaped criticism, particularly concerning its world-building, sidequests, and gear progression systems. Interestingly, these criticisms echo similar issues found in Final Fantasy XIV, developed by the same core team. Players have pointed out that both games struggle to create compelling open worlds or meaningful sidequests or progression, often feeling like repetitive filler rather than enhancing the main storyline.
Has the Strategy for FF16 Failed?
Square Enix’s recent strategy for new releases in the Final Fantasy franchise have pivoted away from traditional JRPG mechanics, opting instead for a more westernized, action-heavy approach as seen in both Final Fantasy XV and XVI. This move comes amidst a general resurgence of JRPG popularity, with numerous traditional JRPGs finding renewed success. Despite this, Final Fantasy appears determined to distance itself from the JRPG label, chasing broader appeal with more action-oriented gameplay.
Final Fantasy 16’s team had a press release shortly after the launch covering the fact that 3 million copies were sold within the first week of the games release. The downside of this, is that this means only 500,000 copies have sold in the 2 years after launch which includes a PC port as well as DLC releases.
On the other hand, Final Fantasy VII Remake also achieved similar sales figures, hitting over 3.5 million copies. However FF7R managed to do this within its initial three days and then continued to sell well even after that point. It is safe to say that the strategy and ideas used in FF16 have not helped grow the franchise, especially when considering how few new sales the PC port and DLC’s brought in.
How Have Other Square Enix Games Fared?
While Final Fantasy 7 Remake has been a success, Square Enix also saw success elsewhere in its lineup, notably with the Dragon Quest III re-release, which exceeded expectations with over 2 million copies sold. Yet, the publisher has also faced setbacks where the latest Life is Strange title fell short of sales targets, significantly impacting Square Enix’s annual profitability and falling short compared to the same quater last year.