Final Fantasy 16's battle director believes this title is perfect for newcomers

Final Fantasy 16 character holding a gem

(Image credit: Square Enix)

Final Fantasy 16 battle director, Ryota Suzuki believes that this upcoming installment in the long-running series is just the title to get newcomers invested in the action RPG franchise.

Final Fantasy 16's new demo has been making waves as of late, and it's not just because it'll let you take progress into the full game. Like the Final Fantasy 7 remake, this upcoming action game is set to be immersive and accessible, especially for first-time fans.

The battle director for Final Fantasy 16, Ryota Suzuki, backed this sentiment up claiming in a recent livestream that the team has "put priority on designing this game’s battle system to appeal to those who previously have not played or are not well versed in action games.”

Suzuki Ryota's message from the Final Fantasy XVI Japanese live letter was enlightening- he says that throughout his entire career designing action games for the past 25 years, he truly thinks FF16 is his own personal masterpiece.I added English subs to his heartfelt message! pic.twitter.com/LlXKzAAn2CJune 18, 2023

Suzuki went on to say: “I hope that those who have never played an action game before can go and try out Final Fantasy 16. I hope this game will give you a chance to experience the allure that an action game can bring.” Suzuki has previously worked at Capcom on titles like Devil May Cry 5, Monster Hunter, and Dragon's Dogma, so he's no stranger to changing up styles.

While I'm yet to play a Final Fantasy game, I've enjoyed my fair share of Devil May Cry titles. So as a newcomer and the potential target audience for this upcoming action game, the idea that Ryota Suzuki thinks this could be the perfect title for newcomers has made me think that it might be time to dive in.

Newcomers can also expect to look forward to Final Fantasy Rebirth. Following on from Final Fantasy 7 remake, this RPG looks like it'll take the series in a bold new direction with several tweaks being introduced that'll hopefully make it more accessible to a new audience.

Final Fantasy 16 is set to release June 22, 2023 and will be available on PS5.

Elie is a Features Writer for TechRadar Gaming, here to write about anything new or slightly weird. Before writing for TRG, Elie studied for a Masters at Cardiff University JOMEC in International Journalism and Documentaries – spending their free time filming short docs or editing the gaming section for their student publications.

Elie’s first step into gaming was through Pokémon but they've taken the natural next step in the horror genre. Any and every game that would keep you up at night is on their list to play - despite the fact that one of Elie’s biggest fears is being chased.