Square Enix has hinted that the hotly anticipated Final Fantasy XV for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One will be released in summer 2016.
While we already know that the JRPG will be hitting stores at some point next year, it hasn’t been confirmed exactly when gamers will be able to get their hands on the game formerly known as Final Fantasy Versus XIII.
However, in a recent survey, the Japanese publishing powerhouse put a question to “those considering to purchase both Persona 5 and Final Fantasy XV: If both titles were released at roughly the same time, which one would you prioritize (buying)?”
Why is that significant? Well, Persona 5 has been confirmed for a summer 2016 launch, so if both games do end up releasing in close proximity, we can deduce that Final Fantasy XV will also be hitting stores around summer next year. It’s certainly a little more substantial than the vague 2016 window we’ve been given so far.
Final Fantasy XV was announced during Sony’s E3 2013 press conference alongside Kingdom Hearts 3. As mentioned previously, the game was originally known as Final Fantasy Versus XIII, which was first revealed nearly ten years ago as a PS3-exclusive. However, Square Enix decided to give the project an overhaul for current-generation consoles when FF Versus XIII around 25 percent complete.
Final Fantasy XV will employ a combat system known as Active Cross Battle, which is a similar mechanic utilised in Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy Type-0 HD. As such, the game takes on a more action-oriented experience in comparison to the earlier games in the venerable RPG series. Square Enix has hinted that ship battles may be released as post-launch content, and confirmed that the project is now fully playable from start to finish.
A playable demo of the game, known as Episode Duscae, was released alongside the PS4 and Xbox One re-release of Final Fantasy Type-0 earlier this year.