Remaining Fantasy XVI has turn out to be an intriguing gross sales story to observe in 2023. Launched as a PlayStation 5 unique and positioned as a first-party title, many questioned if this technique would repay. At first, Sq. Enix touted the sport’s fast achievement of promoting 3 million items. Nonetheless, their newest report for Q1 of the 2024 fiscal 12 months paints a distinct image.

Sq. Enix launched a downbeat report over the weekend, revealing a 79% lower in working earnings in comparison with the identical interval final 12 months. Regardless of the discharge of Remaining Fantasy XVI, the sport didn’t compensate for numerous weaknesses in Sq. Enix’s enterprise. These weaknesses embody the failure of Forspoken, in addition to declining income from Remaining Fantasy XIV and cell titles.

In keeping with a Bloomberg report, throughout a post-earnings convention name, Sq. Enix’s Takashi Kiryu admitted that Remaining Fantasy XVI didn’t meet the corporate’s excessive expectations. Kiryu additionally acknowledged the restricted dimension of the PlayStation 5 person base as a contributing issue. With PS5 provide constraints easing, Sq. Enix hopes to extend FF16 gross sales as extra folks purchase the console.

It’s exhausting not to attract a connection between Kiryu’s current statements and those he made when he joined Phil Spencer on stage to announce that Remaining Fantasy XIV and all future main Sq. Enix titles could be obtainable on Xbox. It seems that Sq. Enix has shifted away from their beforehand envisioned PlayStation-exclusive future.

Regardless of barely disappointing gross sales, Remaining Fantasy XVI is undeniably a formidable spectacle. In his 9 out of 10 assessment, Wccftech’s Francesco De Meo praised the sport, stating, “Remaining Fantasy XVI units a brand new normal for Japanese role-playing video games. Whereas the RPG elements could also be restricted by Sq. Enix requirements, the narrative and gameplay surpass all expectations. Clive Rosfield and Torgal are an distinctive character motion duo, and their 70-hour epic journey throughout Valisthea can be remembered in Remaining Fantasy XVI.”

Remaining Fantasy XVI is now obtainable for the PlayStation 5.