Final Fantasy 16 Breaks Sales Records, Leaving Square Enix Thrilled

Square Enix expressed satisfaction with the sales figures for Final Fantasy 16, released four weeks ago. Despite a decline in sales in Japan, the company highlighted the game's success compared to previous entries in the series.

While reviews for Final Fantasy 16 have generally been positive, the game did have some flaws. Critics were divided over the exclusive availability on PS5, and there were complaints about the pace of certain side quests, leading to unanswered plot-related questions raised by players on social media. However, Square Enix recently addressed the motion blur concerns in the game's 1.03 update.

Although Final Fantasy 16's sales may not match those of other titles like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Square Enix remains optimistic and puts the numbers in perspective.

Square Enix responded to recent reports, stating that the success of Final Fantasy 16 was evaluated based on the global PS5 installation base. They noted that as of March 31, 2023, more than 38 million PS5 units had been sold. However, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on PS5 sales, Final Fantasy 16 did not have the same potential installation base as titles like Final Fantasy 7 Remake. It was also mentioned that Final Fantasy 16 launched early in the PS5's lifespan, while Final Fantasy 7 Remake was released later in the PS4's cycle. Despite these factors, Final Fantasy 16 managed to sell three million units within a week, accounting for approximately 12% of all PS5 users. Comparatively, Final Fantasy 15, the predecessor, sold over five million units in just 24 hours, making it the fastest-selling game in the Final Fantasy series. This achievement was largely due to the fact that Final Fantasy 15 was available on both PS4 and Xbox One during its launch in 2016.

Following the game's prosperous performance and favorable response, producer Naoki Yoshida revealed that the development team has contemplated the potential inclusion of DLC for Final Fantasy 16 in forthcoming updates. Whether Yoshida and Square Enix will ultimately proceed with this addition is yet to be determined.

Final Fantasy 16 is presently accessible exclusively for PS5.

Source: IGN