Another PC port that'll flop? Final Fantasy 16 debuts on Steam with 1470 player count

Exicide

Veteran
2 Feb 2024
619
363
once again, didn't even remember that this game was releasing, they have literally zero advertisement in my spaces apparently. I actually completely forgot when it was coming out, not that I was too keen on getting it, but I may sometime later.
 

Exicide

Veteran
2 Feb 2024
619
363
Yeah pc players might really indeed be starting to get programmed into liking gaas...
Here we have completely NORMAL, huge, AAAA single player game. Amazing graphics, combat, just style.
The demo alone had me in awe last year. And whole game was just as good.

But pc players don't care.
And it's infuriating that square and sony are ramming right into pc players asses with 50$ price tag while we paid 70.
Not to mention I see it for 40$ on key resellers
gotta say, its definitely Sony/Square's fault, I didn't see a singular peep about release date, trailers, or anything for it, all I remember is hearing it would be coming to PC, but I never saw ANYTHING related to the actual release, and others seem to echo my words.
 

rofif

...owns a 3080...why?
24 Jun 2022
2,074
2,595
gotta say, its definitely Sony/Square's fault, I didn't see a singular peep about release date, trailers, or anything for it, all I remember is hearing it would be coming to PC, but I never saw ANYTHING related to the actual release, and others seem to echo my words.
There was even a demo month ago
 
  • haha
Reactions: Exicide

Ico

Banned
8 May 2024
497
472
You have to look at the whole picture. Development for this game started in 2006... The game didn't release until 2016... Ten years...

Imagine the number of games they could have released in the same time period.

Releasing multiple RPGs brings different kinds of fans in.

Maybe you don't buy Xenogears but you buy Chrono Cross and as a result you buy Vagrant Story. Or you don't buy Chrono Cross but you buy FFIX.

I would not brag about the mediocre sales of a game that was in development for a decade...

We have to look much deeper into that, it only took that much time bc square enix made tetsuya nomura left the project to direct kh3 and ff7r, so hajime tabata reworked the game into ff15 instead of ff versus 13... by comparing the footage of versus XIII with XV we can see how much it was reworked.
It doesnt mean that they need to waste 10 years to make an action game, so in order to keep the series alive they just need to keep the real time action and focus on having a smoother development, if anything, just go back at having more sci-fi themes, seeing that those usually sell more than the classic medieval ones like IX and XVI
 
24 Jun 2022
3,980
6,950
TBF it literally just came out. I just checked and it's up to 12.2K. Hasn't hit peak hours yet either, and probably won't hit its peak until late Thursday/Friday I guess?

Even so, I'm not expecting it to do ER, BG3 or BMW numbers. I think it'll probably peak around 40K-50K. But as BMW's shown, different regions have their peaks at different times of the day, so even peak CCU won't be fully indicative of XVI's PC performance.

For that we'll have to rely on sales figures or at least solid sales estimates.

If this doesn't cross Persona or Like a Dragon.... I'll actually start to wonder how SE attempts to grow this series past it's hardcore audience. & no... I don't think turn based is the answer.

Well, Xbox sure as shit won't help. But I think the actual answer is pretty simple.

1: Prioritize Nintendo for more FF games; the more Day 1, the better. This is particularly important for Japan & parts of Asia, where Switch is as big if not bigger (much bigger in case of Japan) player than PlayStation is.

However, this will probably necessitate a dual-pronged approach from SE with FF games, where some will be the massive ambitious VII Rebirth-type releases (probably not prioritizing Switch 2 for Day 1), and others the more technically tamer installments (prioritizing Switch 2 Day 1).

2: Centralize a set of core gameplay mechanics shared across entries. I think the days of totally reinventing game systems from top to bottom has worn out its welcome for IP like Final Fantasy. Characters and stories can still be relatively self-contained (perhaps with stronger tie-in links to other entries tho wouldn't hurt), but SE need to decide on what core design principals and game systems will define mainline FF games as a whole, and stick with them from entry to entry.

I feel this is one thing that has benefited IP like Persona, and Final Fantasy needs to take a cue on that note.

3: Prioritize PC for more Day 1 support. While it sucks to say, chances are sticking with PlayStation launch exclusivity may not be worth it as much in the long run for either SE or SIE. So if that means ensuring PC gets Day 1 support for new mainline releases, and SE feels that's for the best, then it's their call to make ultimately.
 
Last edited:
  • they're_right_you_know
Reactions: Zexyen and Exicide

Systemshock2023

Veteran
8 May 2023
2,437
1,980
I think persona and Yakuza are more popular on PC than FF. FF really lost its mojo and the only thing people have expectations is their VII trilogy. They should stop releasing new games and just dedicate to remakes.

VI should be next. One episode for world of ruin and other for world of balance.
 

Vertigo

Did you show the Darkness what Light can do?
26 Jun 2022
5,535
5,004
What’s the expectation? 200k LTD?

It’ll be interesting to see if it tracks better than remake on pc if younger generations do indeed prefer it.
 

Orangee

Well-known member
3 Mar 2024
481
491
Crazy it's been almost 8 years since Automata.... that was such a hit for them
Replicant sold very well aswell. It will probably sell even more when the switch port drops eventually. (TGS? 🤭👀)
The now airing anime probably boosted Automatas sales aswell.

Kinda funny, that we are living in a reality, where NieR outsells newly released final fantasy games, which are actively trying to copy It for some reason.
 

Zexyen

Member
26 Mar 2024
39
57
Nti82F.png

HaBZ6K.png


It's already beaten FF7R in CCU, so I think this thread was posted a bit hastily.
 

Zexyen

Member
26 Mar 2024
39
57
on top of a hastily-made post, there was no pre-load for the game on Steam. (publisher's fault)
Yeah it took me 20 minutes to download it on a Gigabit connection, not to mention it dropped earlier than usual (12PM EST) and like you said no preload. It's running pretty well too, I'm just glad I don't have to deal with that horrendous upscaling on PS5 anymore, game looked terrible in Performance mode
 
  • Like
Reactions: Exicide

klomzi

Well-known member
8 Mar 2024
298
266
on top of a hastily-made post, there was no pre-load for the game on Steam. (publisher's fault)

150 gb download means that people needs some hours to download the game.

Seems like OP just wanted to create some chaos and didn't care about anything else.
 
  • fire
Reactions: Exicide

Dabaus

Veteran
28 Jun 2022
3,071
4,695
If this doesn't cross Persona or Like a Dragon.... I'll actually start to wonder how SE attempts to grow this series past it's hardcore audience. & no... I don't think turn based is the answer.
They have 3 choices:
-They either go all in on being completely multiplatfrom on all platforms day 1 forgoing all support and financing from Sony, who apparently has helped them quite a bit this gen. That means longer dev time which means higher budget and could spread their teams too thin with a lack of quality control.

-Double Down on being a Sony exclusive company for AAA projects. Take advantage of the fact that sony is the defacto high end market leader and ask for more funding or support for projects. One platform allows the team to focus more on the gameplay rather than different specs. Budget might be cheaper too.

-Keep doing what they are doing. Sign exclusivity deals with Sony and Nintendo because it guarantees a certain degree of stability for project budgets. Port to steam/xbox later for additional revenue/gamepass bag.

I think whats realistically best for them is a combination of the last Two points. Go to Sony and Nintendo ask for more funding for exclusivity and focus on quality over quantity. Sony is too established as the market leader and are willing to help fund your projects? Why would you change that? Then Nintendo is also willing to do the same? Just stay the course but ask for more funding IMO.
 
  • brain
Reactions: Gods&Monsters

TrishaCat

Veteran
17 May 2024
1,083
841
Let's see if it does 3 million in it's first week like the other topic stated on a base of billions/ 130 MAU on Steam.
It was all about Square and the list wars for the detractors not the actual game.
Most FF games on Steam have not sold over 1 million according to Steamspy.
The only ones that have broken 1 million are:
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy XII
Final Fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy XIV
Final Fantasy XV

And the only one to break 2 million is XIV

I truly hope this forum doesn't take this to mean Square is foolish for porting FF games to Steam, as if they'd put I, II, III, III (3D), IV, IV (3D), IV: The After Years, V, VI, VII, VII Remake, VIII, IX, X, X-2, XI, XII, XIII, XIII-2, LR: XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, World of FF, Type-0, and Crisis Core on the platform over the course of over 10 years if they weren't satisfied with these numbers on the platform
 
Last edited: