This Final Fantasy 16 pixel version needs to be real

Square Enix celebrated the upcoming Final Fantasy 16 release date with a pixel rendition of the RPG’s protagonist, Clive, and a nostalgic retro take on the game’s setting of Valisthea. Clive is running along an open plain with his trusty lupine sidekick Thorgal, accompanied by a chiptune track created by Final Fantasy veteran composer Masayoshi Soken.

Soken also scored Final Fantasy XIV and its expansions, including Heavesward and Endwalker.

The pixel animation technically isn’t new. A fan found it earlier in January, but this time, the game’s official Japanese Twitter account tweeted the video with a prompt to pre-order the game ahead of its June release date. Good luck trying to get the collector’s edition, though.

Fans were thrilled with the video and especially the special soundtrack. One Twitter user even said the tune prompted them to pre-order the game.

『ファイナルファンタジーXVI』
2023年6月22日 発売！#FF16 の世界をドット風に表現したスペシャルムービーを公開！
主人公クライヴと相棒トルガルが、ヴァリスゼアの大地を走ります

▼予約受付中https://t.co/6BciWXOhuV pic.twitter.com/rDcMWnmAZK

— FINAL FANTASY XVI (@FF16_JP) January 20, 2023

The final product naturally won’t have a chiptune soundtrack, though, and unfortunately, the pixel version is just a fun promotional thing. Unless Square Enix decides to make Pixel Remaster versions of modern Final Fantasy games, we’ll have to content ourselves with this.

Final Fantasy 16 releases on June 22, 2023, for PS5. While rumors swirled about a PC version, producer Naoki Yoshida suggested there wasn’t a PC port in the works – at least not anytime soon.

Written by Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF