Expectations, Adaptations, and Joy: Final Fantasy XVI Part 1
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Final Fantasy XVI has been out for about three months so I think it is more safe to add some content which will have some spoilers in it while not diminishing too harshly the amount of people who can read the document. I’ve been thinking about sales expectation, Square Enix’s latest profit statement, and feelings about characters in a thread of expectations, adaptations, and joy and how peoples’ feelings about the game are grounded in an expectation of what Final Fantasy is. Joy is a difficult state to build and maintain, especially when all things change and our ability to adapt is vital to our sense of satisfaction. I am writing this as an introduction to Final Fantasy XVI as a whole before delving into more depth in future articles.
What is Final Fantasy?
Final Fantasy has a long history considering the first game was released in 1987. With 16 mainline entries and over a dozen spin-offs, the name Final Fantasy has seen a lot of iterations. As with all art, Final Fantasy has developed some key identity markers which give it its brand. Key things which are in most Final Fantasy games are chocobos, moogles, crystals, and some variant of a battle system with a gradual evolution from static turn-based battles to active time battle and now in the latest iteration action combat. Most Final Fantasy games have some variant of magic and summons. Ifrit, Shiva, Ramuh, Odin, and Bahamut have been summons in many of the Final Fantasy games. There is almost always a Cid.
These building blocks which are consistent are then blended with unique story elements and characters to create an idyllic and unique world. Final Fantasy has developed many unique worlds by this dynamic exercise of old and new. I am hard pressed in my position to think of a Final Fantasy game that I thought was bad. There were definitely times I had to adjust to new systems and was confused but I have never had a bad experience with a Final Fantasy game.
However, it is important to note: I have a minimal essence of what I think makes a Final Fantasy game. For me, the major essence of a Final Fantasy game is change because of how Final Fantasy has attempted to implement a variety of systems and changes in the variations of Final Fantasy. I also know that for many, their understanding of the essence of a Final Fantasy game hearkens to memories of specific games or moments. In our own reflections about the history of Final Fantasy, we need to remember our own experience about the best Final Fantasy or the essence of Final Fantasy is going to be different than others. I personally have loved the changes over time and try to enjoy each game as a slice of history.
Sales Figures and Historical Drama
Sales numbers are a key way many examine the reception of a video game as art and appreciation. Final Fantasy XVI hit 3 million players in September 2023. However, there were articles also talking about a 2 billion dollar shortfall SquareEnix suffered and there was much debate about whether Final Fantasy XVI has been successful. Helpful context emerged after the IGN article explaining that the shortfalls were connected to previous games which did not hit sales expectations and that 3 million was expected for Final Fantasy XVI.
This situation showed a lot of reactions with people seeing what they wanted to see when initial headlines were emerging. These reactions are grounded in an idea where the perfect Final Fantasy game for one individual is what the perfect Final Fantasy game should be for all. Those who get what they want often find every reason to show or defend information about its success while those who are disappointed often find every reason to celebrate perceived failures. These are discussions in which I do not participate often because I want to evaluate what I see as art in its own context, on its own merits, in the game itself more than the hype and discussion. Social context is always a part of how the game is remembered and evaluated but we lose so much beauty remaining stuck in our communal identities and do not explore things on our own.
What do we think of Jill?
Heroes and Hopes
Clive and Jill are not the heroes one expects. Both characters are flawed as people and have terrible trauma which haunts them throughout the game. Neither is very extroverted and are nervous around people. For some people, this turned them off to the game because they want more perfect heroes. For others, they did not like Jill for being too weak and not involved in the plot at all. For the record, I really like Jill as a character and her role is vital in the story for direct and indirect reasons.
When we think of heroes as a culture, we are often hoping for people who embody perfection because real life is messy and we move to heroic stories to guide us away from the messiness of the real world. Final Fantasy XVI took a great step away from the idea of a perfect hero, similar to games like Final Fantasy XII and Final Fantasy XV, but added a darker world. Final Fantasy XVI has a much darker tone than most other Final Fantasy games and as I grew up with Final Fantasy, this was a very welcome story arc for me.
Conclusion
Joy for people comes in many different forms. For me, joy is about seeing moments of reflection and grace in many different medium. Final Fantasy XVI is full of changes and changes are often hard to accept. One of the most difficult journeys I have undertaken is embracing “dynamic stability”. “Dynamic Stability” is a term from my boss which describes our journey of stability as one where people remain in constant steady motion rather than being at a direct stop. A journey to move to this “dynamic stability” is hard; however, Phenomena Gaming is developing course material and a community to train the skills necessary to embrace goodness in a rapidly changing world. Please subscribe and be looking for more information on our courses and materials coming soon!
