Information about the world and characters of Final Fantasy XVI has been released.
On the PlayStation Blog, Square Enix producer Naoki Yoshida revealed some details about Final Fantasy XVI. The game will take place in a land called Valisthea, which houses giant mountains of crystal called Mothercrystals. The Mothercrystals have towered over the lands for generations, blessing them aether. This blessing has allowed the realms to thrive, letting the people live in comfort. Wars have been fought over the Mothercrystals, leading to the rise of nations such as the Grand Duchy of Rosaria, the Holy Empire of Sanbreque, the Kingdom of Waloed, the Dhalmekian Republic, and the Iron Kingdom, all of which have their own culture and ideology. There has been an uneasy peace between these nations, but with the emergence of the Blight, that peace is starting to deteriorate.
Details for three of the characters from Final Fantasy XVI were given. The first is Clive Rosfield, the game's main protagonist. He is the firstborn son of the Archduke of Rosaria, and is a Shield who protects his younger brother Joshua. Joshua is the Dominant of the Phoenix, Eikon of Fire. Dominants are special beings that have the power of an Eikon residing inside of them. As a Dominant, Joshua is able to transform into the Phoenix in order to fight for his nation. Joshua has bestowed the blessing of the Phoenix upon Clive, allowing him to wield a part of the Eikon's fire. The brothers find a confidant in Jill Warrick, who was raised with them. At an early age, Jill was taken from her land - a nation that swore loyalty to the Grand Duchy of Rosaria - and became a ward of the duchy, securing peace between the two realms. She is raised with Clive and Joshua as member of the Rosfield household.
In Final Fantasy XVI, the beings that players normally know as summons are called Eikons. They are the most destructive creatures to be found in Valisthea. Eikons reside within special beings called Dominants, and wield a power that can level nations. How Dominants are viewed depends on the realm that they reside in. Some see Dominants as royalty, while other see them as weapons of war. The Eikons that we know of at the moment are Phoenix, Titan, Shiva, and Ifrit, though more have been teased.
A teaser site for Final Fantasy XVI can be seen here. The next big announcement for the game will come sometime next year.
Final Fantasy XVI will be a PlayStation 5 exclusive.
