Final Fantasy XVI marks the sixteenth entry in the celebrated Final Fantasy franchise by Square Enix, set to launch on June 22, 2023 exclusively for the PlayStation 5 for a limited time. Players can expect to explore segmented open-world environments and engage in a dynamic action-based combat system that incorporates both physical and magical attacks. Fans will also appreciate the return of iconic series elements such as Chocobos and powerful summoned creatures known as Eikons, which can be both faced as formidable bosses and harnessed in battle.

The game's narrative takes place in Valisthea, a realm divided among six nations that derive their power from mystical Crystals and Dominants, human vessels who embody the spirit of each nation's Eikon. As a devastating affliction called the Blight ravages the land, tensions between the nations reach a boiling point. Players follow the story of Clive Rosfield, protector of his younger brother Joshua, as he witnesses the destruction of his homeland and embarks on a quest for vengeance against the malevolent Eikon Ifrit.

Concept development for Final Fantasy XVI commenced in 2015, with a talented team comprising Naoki Yoshida as producer, Hiroshi Takai as lead director, artists Hiroshi Minagawa and Kazuya Takahashi, Kazutoyo Maehiro in the role of creative director and chief writer, Masayoshi Soken as the game's composer, and Ryota Suzuki—a Capcom veteran—as battle designer. Yoshida's vision for the game centered around a captivating dark fantasy narrative aimed at captivating a wide audience and revitalizing the franchise.

The game's production started 2016 after Heavensward patch 3.4 but both that and the game's marketing efforts were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and later by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.