Square Enix has launched a new website for Final Fantasy 16, which finally introduces the upcoming game's protagonist and world to fans all over the globe.
Final Fantasy 16 was announced during the PS5 event back in September, following months of rumors and leaks. A brief trailer of Final Fantasy 16 shown at the event revealed a return to the fantasy setting of older titles in the series, along with iconic elements like Ifrit and Phoenix.
The official website for Final Fantasy 16 recently launched online, and has revealed a variety of new details about the game. The protagonist of Final Fantasy 16 is Clive Rosfield, the son of the Archduke of Rosaria. Clive's younger brother, Joshua, was chosen to inherit the powers of the Phoenix, leaving Clive to train him as a warrior. Clive and Joshua are joined by Jill Warwick, a ward of Rosaria and friend to both of the brothers. However, the lives of all three are suddenly changed in the aftermath of a tragedy caused by the arrival of Ifrit.
The world section of the website describes the mighty Mothercrystals that dominate the landscape of Valisthea. The power of these crystals allows people to use magic, causing entire nations to be formed around them. The summon monsters of Final Fantasy 16 are called Eikon, and they grant their power to humans, who are referred to as a Dominants. Joshua Rosfield is the current Dominant of Phoenix. The treatment of Dominants varies greatly from place to place, with some treated like royalty, and others treated like outcasts.
There is speculation that Final Fantasy 16 will be released soon, but a comment from the developers on the website seems to shut that down. Director Hiroshi Takai says that it "may be some time before we can get it into your hands", so there might be another Final Fantasy 7 Remake-style wait ahead of us.
It's slightly jarring to see a Final Fantasy protagonist with such an ordinary name. In a series with Cloud, Squall, Zidane, Tidus, Vaan, Lightning, and Noctis, it's odd that the next character in line is simply called Clive. Then again, the Final Fantasy series could do with a return to simple concepts. The Final Fantasy 13 trilogy and Final Fantasy 15 relied far too much on outside media and datalogs for their storytelling, so maybe a Clive and a simple fantasy story is needed to bring the series back to its roots.
Source: Final Fantasy XVI