Final Fantasy 16 art and story details revealed on new website

Square Enix has launched its official Final Fantasy XVI website, which reveals the first story and character details for the PlayStation 5 exclusive.

Final Fantasy XVI’s adventure takes place in a land called Valisthea, the site reveals, an area which is studded with colossal mountains of glittering crystal called Mothercrystals.

“These Mothercrystals have towered over the realms around them for generations, blessing them with aether,” explained producer Naoki Yoshida. “This blessing of the Mothercrystals has allowed these realms to thrive, and their people to live in comfort.

“Countless wars have been fought over the Mothercrystals all around the land, leading to the rise of nations such as the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, the Kingdom of Waloed, the Dhalmekian Republic, and the Iron Kingdom, each with their own culture and ideology.”

In FFXVI’s timeline, these nations have forged an uneasy peace, but the emergence of the ruinous Blight means the truce is beginning to deteriorate, Yoshida said.

The producer also confirmed that the young knight and the tattooed man featured in Final Fantasy XVI’s debut trailer are one and the same: His name is Clive Rosfield, and he’s the main protagonist of this game.

“The firstborn son of the Archduke of Rosaria, Clive is a Shield who protects his younger brother Joshua, the Dominant of the Phoenix,” Yoshida said. “Joshua bestowed the Blessing of the Phoenix upon him, giving Clive the ability to wield a part of the Eikon’s fire. However, as the story unfolds, he is swept up into a great tragedy.”

Joshua Rosfield is Clive’s younger brother and also the Dominant of the Phoenix—Eikon of Fire.

“Dominants are special beings who have the power of an Eikon residing within them. As a Dominant, Joshua transforms into the Phoenix and fights to protect his nation,” Yoshida said.

“Even though he was born into royalty, Joshua treats everyone with kindness, but he does have his childlike side, too, with a particular dislike of carrots.

“The two brothers find a confidant in Jill Warrick, who was raised alongside them. At an early age, Jill was taken from her homeland in the Northern Territories—a nation that swore loyalty to the Grand Duchy of Rosaria—to become a ward of the duchy, securing peace between the two realms. She spends her childhood years with Clive and Joshua as a member of the Rosfield household.”

Final Fantasy 16 is being directed by Hiroshi Takai, the designer who performed the same role for Final Fantasy XIV and The Last Remnant.

In August, an insider with a recent history of reliable news leaks claimed that the then-unannounced Final Fantasy 16 would be a PS5 timed exclusive and that “it’s supposedly closer than most people would think”.

Square Enix officially announced the new Final Fantasy instalment during a PS5 showcase the following month. While no release timing was confirmed, the reveal featured almost four minutes of footage from various aspects of the title, suggesting it was significantly into development.