Final Fantasy XVI Has Been Delayed By At Least 6 Months Due To COVID-19 Says Naoki Yoshida

Not MMO news, but Final Fantasy fans could benefit from the information. Final Fantasy XVI is the latest in a slew of games, expansions, and updates that have been delayed because of COVID-19. Producer Naoki Yoshida broke the unfortunate news in his latest message to the community.

“When last we spoke, I promised I would have more information on Final Fantasy XVI sometime later in 2021,” wrote Yoshida on Twitter. “However, I regret to inform you that I will be unable to keep that promise as complications stemming from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have delayed the game’s development by almost half a year.” Yikes!

According to Yoshida, the FFXVI team consisted of developers from all over the world who were forced to work from home to help stop the spread of the virus. Unfortunately, the setup has made communication difficult between Square Enix’ Tokyo office and the team, which in turn, has resulted in delays and cancellations in the delivery of assets from the outsourced developers.

Yoshida assures fans that they’ve spent most of the year addressing this issue and that the impact of working from home on their development progress should be minimal. On the plus side, he says that the delay will give the team more time to polish the game’s graphics, refine combat mechanics, and put the finishing touches on cutscenes.

No release window has been given, but Yoshida promises another big reveal sometime in spring 2022.

A message from Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida. #FF16 #FFXVI pic.twitter.com/qtfJUUp6LA

— FINAL FANTASY XVI (@finalfantasyxvi) December 27, 2021