Final Fantasy 16 Developer Dreams Of A Console-Free Future Within 10 Years

Final Fantasy 16 developer, Naoki Yoshida has recently weighed in on the future of console gaming. Yoshida dreams of a future where cloud-based gaming will take over and there will be barely any space for console exclusivity. The Japanese developer aspires to see players unite under a singular platform and believes that the era of hardware wars is likely to conclude in the upcoming gaming generation.

In an interview with a Taiwanese YouTube channel, translated by Genki_JPN, the Final Fantasy 16 developer shared his dream to create games that go beyond platforms while predicting that platform exclusivity will be done and dusted within a decade. Yoshida thinks in the coming 10 years, everything will be accessed through the cloud and there will be no need for platforms anymore.

He said that if you want as many people in the world to play your game as possible then it is better if you can play it regardless of the platform. "The gamers will be happy and also us developers will be happy."

He thinks in the future (about 10 years from now) there will be…

— Genki✨ (@Genki_JPN) December 23, 2023

Naoki Yoshida also shared his insights regarding console wars triggered by platform exclusivity. The producer envisions the upcoming generation entirely free of those wars, while saying that the said feuds could see their end within the current generation but were held back due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yoshida dreams of a cloud-centric future generation, but current limitations include connection speed lags and inadequate servers.

Lastly, the RPG developer thinks that creating a single platform for all gamers is the only way a developer can make everyone try out their game, saying the developers and gamers both will be happy this way. Yoshida has also previously shared his desire to gather everyone under a single unit, while chipping in the cloud gaming idea with the latest interview, showing that the dev has been seriously contemplating the scenario.

Moving forward, Naoki Yoshida’s call for a gaming unit makes sense for developers struggling to optimize a game for different platforms. And, also for the gamers who have to give up or wait on their desired title in case of exclusivity. Yet, the realization of Yoshida’s dream appears highly unlikely given the massive influence of console giants within the industry.

Final Fantasy 16 is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix, launched exclusively for PlayStation 5 in June 2023. A PC port is in development with no release date in sight. Moreover, in terms of performance, the game was exceptional, becoming Japan’s most-played PS5 title in its launch week and selling 3 million units worldwide within just six days. In eXputer’s review, writer Moiz Banoori rated it a perfect 5, admiring its gameplay system and dark narrative that will keep you engaged throughout.