Development of 'Final Fantasy XVI' Delayed Until End of 2022 Due to COVID-19

Final Fantasy XVI producers Square Enix have officially confirmed that they will be delaying the project. Information regarding the next chapter of the long-awaited RPG series was initially promised to arrive by the end of 2021, however, development of the game has been slowed due to COVID-19.

In a Tweet, the game's producer Naoki Yoshida gave fans a lengthy explanation stating, "When we last spoke, I promised I would have more information on Final Fantasy XVI sometime later in 2021." He added, "However, I regret to inform you that I will be unable to keep that promise, as complications from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have delayed the game's development by almost half a year."

Initially, Square Enix allowed its partners to continue working from home during the pandemic, however it has led to a greater effect on the schedule, "This has unfortunately hampered communication from the Tokyo office, which, in turn, has led to delays in — or in extreme cases, cancellations of — asset deliveries from our outsource partners." However, the company has spent a bulk of 2021 to assess the impact of the pandemic and address "tasks at hand" including, "increasing graphic resource quality, refining combat mechanics, fleshing out individual battles, putting the finishing touches on cutscenes, and conducting overall graphic optimization." The latest plan sees Final Fantasy XVI ready for Spring 2022. Take a look at the full message below.

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