Final Fantasy 16’s DLC Should Tie Up The Supporting Characters’ Loose Ends

Final Fantasy 16 is the latest entry to Square Enix‘s long-running Final Fantasy franchise. The series has been a cornerstone of JRPGs, introducing many iconic concepts like the ATB system. It continued to evolve and switched to more action-oriented gameplay starting from Final Fantasy 12. Despite the change, the franchise couldn’t altogether let go of the turn-based approach either and opted for a hybrid system, but it finally happened in Final Fantasy 16.

This shift to completely real-time action combat initiated considerable controversy among the fanbase, creating strong opposition. On its release, The director Hiroshi Takai and producer Naoki Yoshida announced they had no plans for a DLC. With that said, Final Fantasy 16 defied the odds so well that it changed the minds of many, including the team behind it, who are now considering creating DLC for the game based on what people wish to see.

Why Final Fantasy 16 Could Benefit From A DLC

Even before its release, Final Fantasy 16 has been fighting a critical battle against huge amounts of bias. This is because the game lets go of the series’ long-standing tradition of turn-based formula. I admit I was a bit skeptical too, thinking that without the iconic mechanics, the game would not feel like Final Fantasy and become just another action game.

FF main sub hates on FFXVI and it’s weird
by u/nohandninja in FFXVI

Final Fantasy 16 proved us all wrong. It not only delivers a heartfelt story with excellent supporting characters, the game’s over-the-top action combat with slick and flashy moves and the overwhelming adrenaline-fueled Eikon boss battles are a sight to behold. However, The truth still eluded certain people as they refused to acknowledge an action title. This became an integral reason why Final Fantasy 16 was not considered for a DLC before.

At the time of the game’s release, director Hiroshi Takai announced they had no current plans for a DLC. The reason was the ambiguity surrounding the game’s reception. It had started receiving hate for trying something new and the developers were unsure if people would be pleased with the fantasy world they crafted. Even the base game’s future was uncertain; DLC was out of the question.

Now, things are quite different than what they were back then. Although needless hate and bias against the game persist, many fans can’t help but rightfully praise and be amazed by the excellent job the game did. This led to the game being enormously successful and has the fans craving for more. Seeing this, the producer Naoki Yoshida has expressed eagerness for a DLC as per the fans’ opinions.

We’re delighted to announce we’ve shipped and digitally sold 3 million copies of Final Fantasy XVI on PlayStation 5. Thank you for your support! #FF16 pic.twitter.com/8YGfo1RXyV

— FINAL FANTASY XVI (@finalfantasyxvi) June 28, 2023

And a DLC is the perfect opportunity to strengthen the game’s standing among the fanbase. Reciprocating fans’ demands and providing them with more content will ensure the game continues to perform well. It can also give more proof to the biased individuals to look at the game objectively. In addition, it can fill the many holes that the base game has left.

Although an exquisite story that tackles mature concepts quite well, the game’s story leaves multiple points yet to be explained, which we demand an explanation of. What about the events before the established setting of Final Fantasy 16? Ultima and his clan’s origins? The civilization of the Fallen? The lost Eikon Leviathan? Everyone is pondering these integral questions, and a DLC sets the perfect stage to create a complete experience.

Final Fantasy 16’s DLC Should Flesh Out Supporting Characters

Now that there’s a solid possibility of a DLC, it’s time to look at the various directions it can take. And this is going to be spoiler territory, so you have been warned. The first and most obvious point would be to complete the story and fill in the ambiguous parts. We know Ultima created humanity to fulfill his wishes of reviving his clan and creating a new world, but how did it all begin?

We need a deeper dive into Ultima’s origins. Where they were before they ran away to Valisthea? More information about the Blight is also needed. Another important question mark is the ancient civilization; the Fallen. They supposedly had technology advanced enough to rise to the sky, but what went wrong? All we know is they went too close to God and were punished, but what exactly is their story?

The point most fans have been pondering about, and is an excellent premise for a DLC is the eighth Eikon; Leviathan. Where is it currently and why is it called the lost Eikon? Since the Eikons were a part of Ultima’s end-game, why was Leviathan excluded? We see its presence in the mural, but it is nowhere to be found. Does it mean it somehow rebelled against Ultima and was excluded? These queries demand answers.

This is a suitable direction to take, but I’d like to shed light on another aspect; the supporting characters. Final Fantasy 16 has many well-written characters and then some which deserved better exposure, and the DLC could flesh out these characters. The most important candidates are Cid and Jill. Cid quickly became a fan-favorite and a deeper dive into his origins and decisions leading up to forming a haven deserves exposure.

Jill’s relationship with Clive was depicted perfectly, however, she was fairly underutilized. A DLC chapter featuring Jill and a deeper dive into her journey would surely please fans. The same can be said for the many hideout characters like Gav. Final Fantasy 16 had an open-ended ending, which left the future of these characters quite ambiguous, and we’d like to see what actions they took after the game’s events.

One of my problems with the game was how it handled Barnabas. He became a completely hollow character towards the end. His history suggests he was quite an influential and powerful character, but he was given no chance as upon introduction he was already merely Ultima’s puppet. The entire Waloed kingdom followed suit as a lifeless land with no depth that the other regions had.

Barnabas Was Unfortunately Wasted Potential.
by u/Domination1799 in FFXVI

A DLC chapter diving into Barnabas, showing his glory days and the eventual succumb to Ultima’s will is sure to be a great adventure. A similar case can be made for Benedikta. She was an intriguing character, but no attempt was made to flesh out her character and tell her origins and convictions in detail. These supporting characters deserve to shine in their dedicated chapters.

A DLC Could Influence The Future Direction

Final Fantasy 16 was a near-perfect game, but it had some quite noticeable problems. If the developers have begun to design new content for the game, there is also the possibility of fixing these issues and bringing QOL improvements to it. Permanent mini-map, a dedicated sprint button, and better side quests for future expansions, to name a few.

Similarly, if any of these above-mentioned points make their way to the DLC and are well-received, it could pave the way for more content. The developers are willing to listen to the fans. If the fans reciprocate and the game’s reputation improves, we could get a lot more content we desire as a single DLC can only fit so much and there is a lot yet unexplained in the game.

There is also a different way to look at it. The game’s setting and story could also influence the future of the series. Final Fantasy 16’s Valisthea and the overarching lore hold considerable potential. If the DLC does make the story more concrete, it can also be followed up with a whole sequel and future games that use this setting and then tell an alternate story utilizing the side characters or a different time.

It also remains to be seen if the DLC changes the mind of fans angry over the action approach. If it is indeed successful, the series could continue to employ an action approach for future titles. Although Final Fantasy 16 is a splendid action game, I honestly wish for the series to not altogether abandon the turn-based formula. A modern turn-based game would be great as contrary to popular belief, the genre is very much alive.

To conclude, Final Fantasy 16 certainly turned around many frowns, made people fall in love with it, and grew successful enough to initiate DLC plans. Whether the developers decide to fill in the story with intriguing explanations, bring in chapters to explore the game’s beloved side characters or introduce a brand new story in the game’s world, I’ll be overjoyed to see my favorite game of the year so far getting more content.