Final Fantasy 16 probably won't be at Tokyo Game Show, but development is going well

Final Fantasy 16
(Image credit: Square Enix)

Bad news, Final Fantasy fans; it looks like we probably won't get a fresh peek at Final Fantasy 16 at the upcoming Tokyo Game Show.

While that might not sound like the best news for fans anxious to find out more about the next Final Fantasy installment, producer Naoki Yoshida softened the blow by confirming that development was still progressing well, and teased that the next time we see the game in action – whenever that might be – it will shortly be followed by tangible details about its release.

Addressing fans during a Final Fantasy 14 livestream earlier today, Yoshida revealed that voice recording for the English version of Final Fantasy 16 was almost complete, and all scenarios have been written and "set in stone". He further teased that the team was keen for the game to be as polished as possible before we got to see much more of it (thanks, Comic Book).

"Yoshi-P said he talked with the staff of FF16 and wants the next announcement to be where after watching the trailer, you will want to buy it and CAN buy the game shortly after," explained Twitterer and translator, @aitaikimochi.

"AKA next time FF16 is talked about, it’s very likely the release date will be close too."

"Yoshi-P also mentions that the FF16 team is aiming for the next reveal to show off the battle system as well as things that have not even been touched upon yet," the translator added,  further confirming details have been kept intent

The announcement certainly ties in with other things producer Yoshida has said in recent months about keeping details about Final Fantasy 16 vague in order to prevent speculation

"We don’t want to say something that’s half-baked and cause speculation on the title," Yoshida said at the time. "With any Final Fantasy fan, depending on which Final Fantasy title is your jam, the point that you get excited will tend to differ."

Yoshida isn't wrong, especially considering the rampant speculation after the debut trailer for Final Fantasy 16 was revealed in September during Sony's PS5 showcase. The announcement trailer revealed a slate of brand new characters in an undiscovered world, with the enigmatic tagline "the legacy of the crystals has shaped our history for long enough".

For a full list of all the other games set to launch over the coming 12 months, head over to our new games 2021 guide for more.

Vikki Blake
Weekend Reporter, 12DOVE

Vikki Blake is 12DOVE's Weekend Reporter. Vikki works tirelessly to ensure that you have something to read on the days of the week beginning with 'S', and can also be found contributing to outlets including the BBC, Eurogamer, and GameIndustry.biz. Vikki also runs a weekly games column at NME, and can be frequently found talking about Destiny 2 and Silent Hill on Twitter.