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

With the release of final fantasy 16 Just a day away, Square Enix has been making the rounds to promote the upcoming RPG and discuss their controversial decision to ditch turn-based combat and ATB in favor of an action-spectacle fighting style.

But while Final Fantasy is an umbrella where many different styles can and have existed, the developer doesn’t think it should be limited to the genres you traditionally associate with the series.

What other genres could a future Final Fantasy experiment with? Well, it could be a first person shooter. At least Square Enix isn’t opposed to the idea. speaking to BloombergSquare Enix Vice President Yoshinori Kitase acknowledged that Final Fantasy fans expect each new game to feature new characters, new storylines, and even new mechanics.

The only requirement, according to Kitase, is that the game have crystals as part of its narrative. Factions in the game often fight over crystals due to the power they possess. Which might explain why the Final Fantasy veteran is okay with a future game becoming a first-person shooter, like Call of Duty.

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

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

But that malleability also brings criticism from fans, especially players who expect Final Fantasy to play and look a certain way. In fact, Yoshida admitted that Square Enix hasn’t always been successful in deviating from what many believe to be standard Final Fantasy MO, citing the initial release of Final Fantasy 14 and Final Fantasy 15 as examples.

We’ll find out if Square Enix has been successful from the start this time around when the Final Fantasy 16 reviews drop later this afternoon. Check back to hear our thoughts on this bold new change.