The Final Fantasy series has had a long and successful run, but it seems like the fanbase keeps aging. With each new game, like the recent release of Final Fantasy 16, Square Enix works on keeping the series popular while drawing in new players. It seems like they’ve finally got a good hold on the younger fanbase.
Final Fantasy 16 has changed from its usual style and is now more action-packed. This new direction seems to have worked well for Square Enix as they try to reach more fans. According to Takeo Kujiraoka, the DLC director of Final Fantasy 16, recent surveys indicate a noticeable rise in players in their teens and twenties compared to previous games. He told Push Square about this in an interview.
“I think this shows that, to a certain extent, we’ve achieved one of our initial goals – to have players of all ages play the latest Final Fantasy game. This doesn’t mean that all future Final Fantasy games will take a similar direction to Final Fantasy 16, but I do think it means that we’ve been able to bring new players on board and open new possibilities for the development teams that will work on future instalments in the series.”
Takeo Kujiraoka
He views this as evidence that the aim of making Final Fantasy more accessible to a broader range of players has been successful. This achievement shows the potential for the series to explore new opportunities and attract a new audience.
Developer Kujiraoka emphasizes that while aiming for a wider audience with Final Fantasy 16, it does not mean that all future games will be strictly action-oriented. The game still has a focused genre, and switching over to action would be a huge change in pace.
The growing interest in Final Fantasy 16 among younger players raises important questions for Square Enix and its development teams. This report is based on an interview with Takeo Kujiraoka conducted by Push Square and set for release soon.
