Final Fantasy 16 has received some criticism as fans believe the developers have moved away from the roots of the Final Fantasy franchise. Despite this shift, the game has been a massive success, selling more than 3 million units in just six days.
While the game was released as a PS5 exclusive, Square Enix believes Final Fantasy 16 sales are extremely strong. Additionally, developers like Naoki Yoshida are monitoring discussions about the title for feedback.
In addition to the praise, many have criticized the game, and the Final Fantasy 16 Producer has recently addressed the responses. During a mini-documentary, he claimed that it is tiresome to see these responses.
Why it matters: Toxicity and negativity have become a persistent problem in the gaming industry. The growing popularity of the medium and social media has enabled many users to target game developers.
Yoshi-P reading negative Japanese comments on #FF16
"There's a lot of people who just yell at you, people I've never seen, met, or talked to before. It's weird. What did we do to them? Perhaps they just write it from a place of negativity and malice. It's tiresome." pic.twitter.com/jW2AY1WAgr
— ☆オードリーAudrey☆ (@aitaikimochi) July 23, 2023
Naoki Yoshida stated:
“There’s a lot of people who just yell at you, people I’ve never seen, met, or talked to before. It’s weird.”
He went on to state that this could be coming from negativity instead of criticism or dislike for the game.
The Producer’s concerns are not unreasonable as this is not the first time developers have received such treatment. Previously, game developers have received harassment due to certain decisions about games.
Some gamers have gone as far as to send death threats, but this is generally limited to a very small part of any community. While toxicity is inevitable, Final Fantasy 16 has received plenty of love from newcomers and classic fans. Critics have also been pleased with the title.
Fans should note Naoki Yoshida does not point to comments criticizing the game. Instead, he talks about the comments with malice behind them.
As mentioned earlier, Final Fantasy 16’s departure from its roots has not been well-received by certain fans. In particular, Japanese fans are used to the traditional style of JRPGs, which may have led to the game being somewhat divisive.
Nonetheless, the latest title has encouraged Naoki Yoshida and his team to pursue a potential DLC release and more games in the franchise.
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[News Editor]
Obaid is pursuing a Law degree while working as a content writer. He has worked as a gaming writer for over three years because of his passion for the medium and reporting the latest updates in the industry. Having played hundreds of games, Obaid finds himself coming back to Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, and Red Dead Redemption 2, with these games being among his favorites. He has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as Wccftech, Metro UK, PS Lifestyle, GamePressure, VGC, and Gamespot.