Final Fantasy 16 PC Release – Everything We Know So Far

Being one of the hottest titles of the year, we’ve been wondering “What happened to the Final Fantasy 16 PC Release?” So here is everything we know about the PC version.

Final Fantasy 16‘s release is just around the corner and at this point everyone is probably sick of hearing about how it’s gonna be a PlayStation 5 exclusive. But we also know that that’s not going to be the case forever.

The exclusivity deal between Sony Interactive Entertainment and Square Enix ends on December 31, 2023, which means a PC port, maybe even an Xbox port could be on the way sooner rather than later.

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So When Is the Final Fantasy 16 PC Release?

There is no real answer to this question as of writing. While many in both the fandom and the media have claimed that Final Fantasy 16 is coming to PC next year guaranteed, that statement is simply not true.

While it is true that the exclusivity contract between Square Enix and Sony is running out at the end of the year, that doesn’t mean ports for other versions are done and ready to be released.

According to Producer Naoki Yoshida (on the FF14 Live Letter from the 14th of May 2023), they have never confirmed or said anything about a potential PC port or other platforms. And that they would not even consider working on a port until the game has shipped.

While he’s also stated that the game was specifically designed around the PlayStation 5 and its architecture, he also said that wanted as many people as possible to play Final Fantasy 16. We’ll have to wait until there are any new developments on that front.

*UPDATE* Square Enix just announced that an official PC port of Final Fantasy 16 in addition to 2 DLCs is now in development. We’ll have more information as soon as it becomes available.

Is an FF16 Port Likely? And an abridged history of recent ports by Square Enix.

We don’t even know with what engine Final Fantasy 16 is running, which means that a port might be a herculean task or as simple as just configuring all the options. While FF16’s development started out on the Unreal Engine, the team eventually moved on to another engine.

The going theory is that FF16 is running on a modified version of FF14’s engine which itself is a heavily modified and updated version of Crystal Tools which was used for Final Fantasy 13.

Traditionally Square Enix had ignored the PC as a platform for their mainline Final Fantasy titles. Final Fantasy 7 Remake received a PC port almost 2 years after its original release despite running on Unreal Engine 4.

Similarly, Kingdom Hearts 3 was also released on PC around 2 years after its console release. Both games were also timed exclusives on the Epic Game Store.

So if you’re waiting on an FF16 PC port or one to the Xbox platform, you’ll probably have to wait for a while. At least PlayStation 5’s are now available almost everywhere and in October you’ll have 2 reasons to own one.

For more on Final Fantasy 16, stick with us here on ESTNN