The Great Final Fantasy Battle Brouhaha: Yoshida Says It's Not So Clear-Cut, Mate!
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Naoki Yoshida, producer of *Final Fantasy XVI*, addressed the long-standing debate about *Final Fantasy*'s battle system, stating there's no 'clear-cut answer' on whether future entries will return to turn-based mechanics despite the success of *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33*. He emphasized that battle systems are part of a larger creative vision, and he doesn't want to 'obstruct or limit' future directors.
Right, so you know that feeling when you cast a spell and it works a bit too well, accidentally conjuring an entire new dimension of questions? That’s what *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33* just did to the gaming world, particularly for us long-suffering (and endlessly hopeful) *Final Fantasy* fans.
This indie darling, *Clair Obscur*, has been absolutely smashing it in 2025, proving that a classically styled, turn-based RPG can still not just cut it, but downright *dominate*. It’s a proper love letter to the genre, openly taking cues from the big hitters, *Final Fantasy* very much included. And as sure as chocobos lay eggs, its success immediately sparked the eternal flame war: “Will *Final Fantasy* go back to its turn-based roots now?!”
Honestly, I reckon this question pops up more often than a rogue tonberry in a crowded dungeon. Every time a new *FF* entry leans more heavily into action, or an old-school gem finds its spotlight, the cycle begins anew. It's like a digital Groundhog Day, but with more pixelated swords.
So, who better to ask than the digital wizard himself, Naoki Yoshida? The bloke who steered *Final Fantasy XIV* from the brink of oblivion to an absolute titan, and producer of the action-heavy *Final Fantasy XVI*. He was recently quizzed by *AnimeNewsNetwork* about whether mainline *FF* games could ever swing back to turn-based, given *Clair Obscur*’s rather spectacular showing. And, well, his answer was about as clear-cut as my morning coffee after I’ve accidentally spilt a truth serum potion in it – which is to say, not very.
“With this question of turn-based versus action, it tends to isolate the gameplay to just the battle system,” Yoshida mused. And honestly, fair dinkum, he’s got a point. We, the players, often get so fixated on the combat mechanics that we forget the bigger picture. It’s like judging a five-course meal just by the type of cutlery they offer. Important, yes, but not the whole damn feast.
Yoshida went on to explain his philosophy, which is pretty insightful, if you ask me. He’s not just thinking about button mashing versus menu navigation. He's thinking about the *entire experience*. “That doesn’t take into account what kind of game the creators want to deliver to players,” he said. “For example, based on a certain graphical quality we want to present to our players, or the narrative we want to deliver to our players, it relates to how we set up the game’s systems around it. This includes the battle system, game design, and gameplay feel.”
See? It’s not just about what spells you cast, but what grand, sprawling epic you’re trying to weave. If you're building a hyper-cinematic, visually stunning saga like *FFXVI*, where every summon feels like a world-ending event, a purely turn-based system might feel… a bit clunky, perhaps? Like trying to pilot an airship with a dial-up modem. Conversely, if you're aiming for a more strategic, contemplative narrative, a frantic action system might undermine the pacing. It’s all about alignment, about the gears of game design meshing perfectly with the artistic vision.
He then dropped another gem, which genuinely got my digital gears whirring. “\[I’m\] not necessarily going to be on *Final Fantasy XVII*, so we also don’t want to obstruct or limit our future director or whomever will be producing the games like *XVII* or even *XVIII*,” Yoshida continued. “We don’t want to put them on a rail.”
Bloody hell, that’s a refreshing take, isn’t it? In an industry often accused of playing it safe and sticking to formulas, hearing a big-shot producer advocate for creative freedom, for not putting the next generation of creators on a “rail,” is genuinely exciting. *Final Fantasy* has always been about evolution, often radical. From the classic turn-based of *FFVII* and *FFIX*, to the ATB system of *FFX*, the real-time-with-pause of *FFXII*, the active-time shenanigans of *FFXIII*, and now the full-blown action RPG of *FFXVI*. Each main entry has been a wildly different beast, often sparking heated debates amongst fans. And, frankly, that’s part of its charm. It keeps us on our toes, wondering what magic trick they’ll pull next.
So, the answer, as Yoshida himself put it, is still very much up in the air. It’s “not a clear-cut answer, whether it will become all turn-based, or if it’s going to become more action-based.” And honestly, that’s probably the most *Final Fantasy* answer possible. The series thrives on reinvention, on shaking things up. If it always stayed the same, would it truly be *Final Fantasy*, or just… *more Final Fantasy*?
This whole kerfuffle also shines a light on what *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33* and its dev team at Sandfall Interactive have really achieved. They didn't try to be *every* game; they honed in on their goals and passions, and built something truly excellent within that vision. Maybe, just maybe, that’s the real objective for all game creators, big or small. Not chasing trends or trying to appease every single fan request, but striving towards an authentic, focused vision.
Given the glacial pace of *Final Fantasy* main-line game development (seriously, how long has it been since *FFXV*?), it’ll likely be a good while before we even hear whispers of *Final Fantasy XVII*, let alone *XVIII*. Until then, we’ll probably keep having this same conversation, mate. But hey, that’s half the fun of being a *Final Fantasy* fan, isn't it? Always debating, always speculating, and always waiting to see what wild, beautiful, or utterly baffling direction they’ll take us in next.
*Original Source: IGN South Africa*
Tags: FinalFantasy, JRPG, GameDevelopment, NaokiYoshida, ClairObscur
Original article: IGN South Africa