Square Enix has confirmed a number of Final Fantasy in development, including FF16, FFXIV: Endwalker, Final Fantasy Origin, and Ever Crisis.
There are many Final Fantasy games currently in development. A few of them are set to be released later this month, while others are likely years away. The franchise is one of Square Enix's biggest, and thanks to FF7 Remake's return to Midgar and FFXIV's ever-growing realm of Eorzea, Final Fantasy has seen a surge in interest over the past few years.
There was a long period when the Final Fantasy series was at its lowest point. The FF13 trilogy was met with a polarizing reception, especially as it was Square Enix's main focus for a time. FF15 was met with a positive response, but many were disappointed it was different from the project announced a decade earlier - and there was also the matter of its DLC being cut short. FFXIV had a disastrous start, which resulted in the game being rebooted entirely.
Luckily, things have been looking up for the Final Fantasy franchise. The reborn FFXIV has been a critical and commercial success since launch, building to a recent spike in the FFXIV player base. The long-awaited FF7 Remake was also a hit and the start of a series that could last for years. There are more FF titles in the pipeline than those starring Cloud Strife and the Warrior of Light, however, as a number of Final Fantasy games are confirmed to be in active development.
The next mainline entry in the series will be a timed PS5 exclusive. FF16 is set in a world where summons known as Eikons are connected to humans called Dominants. The protagonist is a warrior named Clive Rosfield, whose brother is the Dominant of Phoenix. The world contains six factions that live around mountain-sized crystals, but little else has been revealed about Final Fantasy 16's plot or setting. There's also no word on a release date, but producer Naoki Yoshida claimed FF16 won't be at 2021's Tokyo Game Show, suggesting it won't come out for a while yet.
The fourth expansion for FFXIV is Endwalker - a fitting title, as it will mark the end of the current storyline. It won't be the end of FFXIV, however. FFXIV: Endwalker will add the Reaper and Sage classes, the ability to buy houses in Ishgard, male Viera as a playable race (with female Hrothgar coming later), and a battle against the Anima summon from FF10. Endwalker will be released for PC, PS4, and PS5 on November 23, 2021.
The sequel to FF7 Remake is confirmed to be in development, but the game has no official title or release window. The first game's INTERmission DLC expanded on the ending of FF7 Remake, showing Cloud and his friends hitchhiking their way to Kalm, and a recent novel about Aerith and Tifa confirms they steal Shinra uniforms and sneak aboard the Cargo Ship, as they did in the original timeline. While no footage or further information on the sequel has been revealed, including whether it will beat FF16 to store shelves, it likely won't share the five-year development of the first FF7 Remake.
Square Enix revealed a meme-spawning trailer for Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin during its E3 2021 showcase, and the game got a demo shortly after. Final Fantasy Origin has more in common with Dark Souls or Devil May Cry than with traditional Final Fantasy, though its world is meant to reflect the first game in the FF series. It's a darker take on the series, too, with more violent combat and intense characters. The demo showed Final Fantasy Origin still needs some work, but it has the potential to be a solid experience. Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin will be released for PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in 2022.
Before FF7 Remake, the original FF7 existed as part of its own side series called the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII. It's unclear how much of the Compilation is still considered canon, but fans will be able to experience it on smartphones in the future. Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis is an upcoming mobile title that aims to tell a condensed version of the original Compilation, including the first-ever English localization of Before Crisis. Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis is a turn-based RPG that uses loot boxes for its costumes and weapons, and it's set to release on Android and iOS devices in 2022.
The Final Fantasy series is taking a stab at the battle royale genre with Final Fantasy 7 The First Soldier, a BR that supports up to 75 players per match. It's set in the world of FF7 and shows how the SOLDIER organization was formed, with players taking on the role of either Shinra warriors or resistance fighters, though fans likely shouldn't expect a deep dive into any lore. Players will use a mixture of weapons, magic, and summons to defeat opponents. Final Fantasy 7 The First Soldier will be released for Android and iOS devices in 2021.
The closest Final Fantasy releases are a blast from the past, as the series' first six games are being remastered. Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster is the collective name for the upcoming remakes of Final Fantasy 1 through 6, which are coming to Android, iOS, and PC this year. These games contain remastered visuals that attempt to remain faithful to the look of the original games. These are also remakes of the NES and SNES versions, which means none of the additional content from past ports or remakes will be included. The remasters of Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy 2, and Final Fantasy 3 will be released for PC and mobile devices on July 29, 2021, and the remaining Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters are set to launch in August.
