Thanks to a surprise reveal during the PS5 Showcase, fans now have their first taste of Final Fantasy franchise appears to take place in a high fantasy world full of mystical beings called eikons. Beyond the reveal trailer, not a whole lot is known about the game at this time. However, there are several references to other Final Fantasy games in the FF16 trailer.
Because Final Fantasy 16 is being produced by Naoki Yoshida, known affectionately as Yoshi P., the newest entry in the series looks a lot like Final Fantasy XIV, the MMORPG that Yoshi P. leads. Because of this, there are some parallels between the two games, and it also means a crossover between FF16 and FF14 is likely in the future. For now, though, FF16 is a PS5 console exclusive.
The reveal trailer for Final Fantasy 16 ends around the four minute mark, but during that time, several speaking cast are shown, as well as the presumed hero. There are some vague combat teases and epic battle scenes between eikons, as well as hints of story sprinkled throughout. The trailer for Final Fantasy 16 also has quite a few references to previous Final Fantasy games.
Chocobos & Eikons In Final Fantasy 16
Yes, chocobos are practically a given in a Final Fantasy game, but it's still nice to see them being featured in FF16's trailer. The giant yellow birds are seen in battle in the earliest parts of Final Fantasy 16's trailer. However, around the midway point, the presumed hero of Final Fantasy 16 is shown with a white chocobo that appears to be his own. Games like FF7 and FF15 have featured chocobos of different colors, so it's great to see FF16 repeating that tradition.
The world of FF16 appears to revolve around mystical beings called eikons. The term is featured heavily in Final Fantasy 14, in which eikons are primal gods that are worshiped by the game's various beast tribes. Based on the trailer for FF16, it appears different factions worship different eikons. Like FF14, the eikons in FF16 appear to be based on characters who've functioned as summons in previous Final Fantasy games.
Final Fantasy 16 Summons & Crystals
The reveal trailer for FF16 shows off several eikons, although it remains unclear if they'll be summonable characters the way they're summons in games like Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Shiva, the ice eikon, is shown early in the trailer fighting Titan, another popular character who's appear in FF14 and FF15, among others. Then, toward the end of Final Fantasy 16's trailer, Ifrit is shown fighting Phoenix. Ifrit has been featured as either an enemy or an ally (or both) in nearly every Final Fantasy game. Although not as prevalent in the series as Ifrit, Phoenix has still appeared as a summon in several entries, including FF5 and FF9.
Crystals have been a huge part of the Final Fantasy series since the very beginning. Although they've occasionally been downplayed or skipped in a few mainline entries, crystals are practically synonymous with Final Fantasy. Crystals are an important part of FF3 and FF9, as well as more recent titles like FF14. So, it's no surprise to see crystals mentioned in the trailer. The real surprise is that the protagonist appears to say it's time to leave the crystals behind. This could just be an intriguing hook for Final Fantasy 16's plot, but it could also be a hint at larger things to come. It could mean that FF16 is leaving crystals, the symbol for the entire Final Fantasy franchise, behind.
Until more details are shared, the reveal trailer is all fans have to hold them over until FF16 releases. So far, it looks like Final Fantasy 16 is keeping traditional series characters like chocobos and recognizable summons, but it may be shirking other traditions like crystals.
