Could a future Final Fantasy be a CoD-style FPS? Surprisingly, the answer is yes

With the release of Final Fantasy 16 just one day away, Square Enix has been doing the rounds to promote the upcoming RPG, and discuss its controversial decision to abandon turn-based and ATB combat in favour of an action, spectacle fighter style.

But while Final Fantasy is an umbrella where many different styles can and have existed, the developer does not believe it needs to be limited to genres you traditionally associate with the series.

What other genres could a future Final Fantasy experiment with? Well, it might just be a first-person shooter. At least, Square Enix is not opposed to the idea. Speaking to Bloomberg, Square Enix vice president Yoshinori Kitase, acknowledged that Final Fantasy fans expect every new game to feature new characters, new storylines, and even new mechanics.

The only requirement, according to Kitase, is that the game needs to have crystals as part of its narrative. Crystals are typically fought over by the game’s factions because of the power they posses. Which might explain why the Final Fantasy veteran is okay with with a future game turning into a first-person shooter, like Call of Duty.

“My imagination really has its limits,” he said. “So it’s really great to have a new generation of creators on board.”

Final Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida even jokingly pointed out that despite the differences in technology, era, tone and genre, Call of Duty is about “this small group of people going around saving the world – that’s very Final Fantasy.”

But that malleability also brings with it fan criticism, especially from players who expect Final Fantasy to play and look a certain way. Indeed, Yoshida admitted that Square Enix hasn’t always been successful when straying off what many believe is the standard Final Fantasy MO, citing the initial launch of Final Fantasy 14, and Final Fantasy 15 as examples.

We’re going to find out if Square Enix has been successful out of the gate this time around when Final Fantasy 16 reviews drop later this afternoon. Come back to hear our thoughts on this bold new shift.