Over the last 35 years, there’s been no name in gaming more synonymous with the JRPGs thanFinal Fantasy. The franchise has spawned 15 (almost 16) numbered core entries, two of which are still-active MMORPGs, and a slew of spin-offs, sequels, prequels, remakes, feature-length films, orchestral concert tours, and much more all bearing theFinal Fantasyname.
The originalFinal Fantasy’ssuccess would set the framework for JRPGs moving forward and propel Square, now Square Enix, into the industry titan it is today. Creatures like Chocobos and Moogles are instantly recognizable to most gamers. andeven mega franchises likeKingdom Heartsand theManaseries have their roots firmly planted inFinal Fantasy’ssoil. Now, on the 35th anniversary of this monumental series, it’s time to look back on its history.
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Final Fantasy Debuts on the NES
The originalFinal Fantasy, released on December 18th, 1987, for the Nintendo Famicom system (and three years later in North America on the Nintendo Entertainment System) was creator Hironobu Sakaguchi’s response to the success seen of Enix’sDragon Questthe year prior. While the story remains the most rudimentary of the series, seeing the fourWarriors of Lighton a journey to restore light to the four elemental Crystals, it immediately established series staples that would continue for decades.
The different character classes,such as the iconic Black Mage, would become mainstays of the series, as would various mechanics. The following sequels,Final Fantasy 2andFinal Fantasy 3, would build upon this with increasingly more complicated storylines and the additions of Chocobos, summons, and the recurring character Cid.
The 16-bit era saw another trilogy of entries, this time for SNES. At this point, western audiences had only received the first entry in the series and would ultimately only receive two of the three titles from this generation.Final Fantasy 4was released in 1991 to critical acclaim with most critics citing its compelling characters and storyline as a particular highlight. While previous entries helped lay the groundwork for the series,Final Fantasy 4embodied what it became known for: high polish and compelling stories.Final Fantasy 5would follow a year later though it wouldn’t receive an English-language release for a number of years, with Square citing its difficulty as the primary reason.
Final Fantasy Enters The Mainstream
Closing out the SNES era, Square releasedFinal Fantasy 6in 1994 where it was instantly heralded as not only one of the best RPGs of the time but a testament to the strength of the console itself, cramming a 30+ hour story and its biggest cast of characters yet onto a single cartridge.Final Fantasy 6eschewed the usual fantasy settingfor a more industrial, steampunk aesthetic and featured a war story that is grand and operatic in scope in a way that video games at the time simply weren’t. However, as universally beloved as it became, the next title would somehow still surpass it.
The fifth generation of home video game consoles marked a turning point for the industry. Sony released its very first console, the PlayStation, after years ofattempting a partnership with Nintendo. The console presented consumers with immersive 3D graphics and CD-quality sound packaged in cheap and easy-to-produce CD-ROM discs. With Nintendo opting to stick with cartridges this generation, Square decided to focus on developing the follow-up toFinal Fantasy 6on Sony’s hardware instead and the results were explosive.
Final Fantasy 7 Changes Everything
Final Fantasy 7was released worldwide in 1997 and was a blockbuster success for the console, playing a substantial role in raising the profile for JRPGs in western territories.Final Fantasy 7proved JRPGscould connect to a wider audience due in part to aggressive advertising in magazines and commercials, a sci-fi plot that paralleled real-world environmental issues, and impressive 3D graphics that utilized pre-rendered backgrounds and polygonal character models to tell the series’ most cinematic story yet.
Final Fantasy 7’s protagonist Cloud Strifeand his nemesis Sephiroth would go on to make appearances in numerous titles outside the franchise, from other Square projects likeKingdom Heartsto even fighting games likeEhrgeizandSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate.
The PlayStation represented what many consider to be a golden age for Square. Aside from its numerousFinal Fantasyprojects, that generation would see the release ofLegend of Mana,Chrono Cross,Parasite Eve,Xenogears, and more. It would also see numerous compilations of older titles and spin-offs, helping to expand the scope of the franchise and bring newer fans up to speed on the older titles. But Square wasn’t done with its main series, and in 1999 and 2000, it releasedFinal Fantasy 8andFinal Fantasy 9, respectively.
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The Golden Age Continues For Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy 8once again played with a futuristic setting but swapped out the environmental themes of its predecessor for a heavier emphasis on interpersonal relationships and how a group of military academy students can band together for the greater good.Final Fantasy 9would serve as a return to form for the series, bringing it back to a fantasy setting and basing its cast on classicFinal Fantasycharacter classes.
All three mainlineFinal Fantasytitles released for the PlayStation were universally acclaimed and are regarded as some of the strongest entries in the series. By the year 2000, the industry was once again shifting into a new console generation so Square, not one to rest on its laurels, was already hard at work on the next-generation follow-up toFinal Fantasy 9before most gamers even had a chance to play it.
In 2001,Final Fantasy 10was released for the PlayStation 2. With the increased power of this new console and the shift to DVDs,Final Fantasy 10featured a fully 3D world with state-of-the-art graphics and, for the first time in the series, voice acting. It was another home run for Square, selling over two million units on its first day and proving so popular that Square would do the unthinkable and release adirect sequel, 2003’sFinal Fantasy 10-2. This would become a trend for the next handful of single-player entries, expanding on them with spin-offs and sequels if not as wholistically as theFF7Compilation, but it certainly wasn’t the case for the next numbered title, Square’s most ambitious game yet.
An Era of Change For Final Fantasy
In the early 2000s, MMORPGs were steadily gaining traction as home internet became more and more accessible. Seeing the success of games likeEverQuest, Square endeavored to put its stamp on the genre withFinal Fantasy 11, released in 2002. Developed for both PC and PS2, the game introducedFinal Fantasy’s iconography into a multiplayer setting. Chocobos replaced horses, Dragoons replaced knights, and the storyline, largely an after-thought for many MMOs, was front and center this time. The game’s servers are still running to this day and even received a story update this past November.
Final Fantasy 11, while a critical and financial success, proved divisive for fans. Following a merger withDragon Questdeveloper Enixand the departure ofFinal Fantasyseries creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, Square Enix moved forward on a true follow-up toFinal Fantasy 10and finally, in 2006, releasedFinal Fantasy 12.
Set inIvalice, previously the setting for the spin-off titleFinal Fantasy Tactics,Final Fantasy 12was another departure from the norm for the series with the switch from turn-based battles to a system more akin to that inFinal Fantasy 11. Players primarily controlled one character at a time and could set battle strategies for their party members prior to combat. It was another critical success and would go on to garner several spin-offs, but its legacy today slightly pales in comparison to what came before it. As an end-of-life release for the PlayStation 2, it still ended the generation on a high note but left fans eager to see what was coming next.
Final Fantasy Moves Into High-Definition
To help showcase the power of the upcoming PlayStation 3, Square Enix put together a tech demo showing the opening scene ofFinal Fantasy 7running natively on PS3 hardware. While never intended to tease a full remake, it came during a time whenFinal Fantasy 7’s story was being expandedwith spin-off titles and even a sequel film:Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children. Naturally, this stoked the flames that a remake was coming but what actually came next, however, was the much-anticipatedFinal Fantasy 13.
Released in 2009 for both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and developed by the same team responsible for the tech demo,Final Fantasy 13kicked off what is known as theFabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasyseries. Loosely connected by common mythos throughout, this series would include both ofFinal Fantasy 13’s sequels, as well as the PSP titleFinal Fantasy Type-0and its mobile phone spin-offs.
The series as a whole was less favorably received than previous entries.Final Fantasy 13featured the most impressive visualsseen yet in a franchise title and reintroduced turn-based combat but was criticized for its linearity and convoluted plot, a criticism that would persist as its sequels were released. To date, this would be the last mainline title to feature turn-based combat.
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Modern-Day Final Fantasy
In 2010, Square Enix releasedFinal Fantasy 14, once again an MMORPG, to a largely negative reception. The game was notorious for bugs and glitches and was generally viewed as out of touch with current trends in MMORPGs. After a change in leadership and two years of development, it was re-released in 2014 asFinal Fantasy 14: A Realm Rebornto positive reviews and strong sales. Subsequent expansions would continue to garner praise, and in 2021, after the release ofFF14’sEndwalkerexpansion, Square Enix would even have to temporarily halt sales of the game entirely to combat server congestion due to its popularity. It continues to be a massive success.
With development times on AAA titles slowing as technology advanced, the 2010s only saw one other numberedFinal Fantasytitle: 2016’sFinal Fantasy 15. Beginning development in 2006 asFinal Fantasy Versus 13, part of theFabula Nova Crystallisseries, the game would have the longest development cycle of any in the series. Originally directed by series veteran Tetsuya Nomura, the game would go through multiple iterations until eventually changing production teams entirely and starting over. Finally directed primarily by Hajime Tabata, the game was rebranded asFinal Fantasy 15and self-proclaimed itself “AFinal Fantasyor Fans and First-Timers."
Final Fantasy 15 Finally Releases
After ten years of development and a release rollout that included a feature-length prequel film, an anime series, and several spin-off games, anticipation forFinal Fantasy 15was at an all-time high. The reception to the game was noticeably more favorable than that ofFinal Fantasy 13. Players enjoyed watching the bond betweenFF15protagonist Noctisand his friends but felt it still lacked in some aspects. Even with an open world, it could feel lifeless at times with only a handful of cities and towns to explore. The game would also fully embrace modern RPG conventions and implement an action-RPG system, allowing the player to move and attack as they saw fit.
Final Fantasy 15was, in a lot of ways, true to its promise of being aFinal Fantasygame for both fans and first-timers. Longtime fans of the series were given summons on a scale they’d never seen before and a story that hearkened back to the series’ roots: A kingdom, a Crystal, and four warriors fighting to protect its power. Newcomers were introduced to a gorgeous looking action-RPG with an in-depth combat system and a fairly interesting story, though a bit shallow if not versed in the aforementioned prequel film or anime series.
What’s Next For Final Fantasy?
Final Fantasy 15remains the most recent mainline entry in the series, but there have still been other notable releases. Almost all the single-player titles have been ported to modern hardware, including thePixel Remastersof the six original titles, a prequel to the very first game developed by Team Ninja titledStranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin, and after decades of waiting, part one of a three-partFinal Fantasy 7 Remakeproject. In 2023, gamers can look forward to therelease ofFinal Fantasy 16on June 23rd andFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth, part two of the Remake project, releasing later in the winter. For a series known for dramatic storytelling, it seems fitting that it would close out its first 35 years and start the next with its most exciting release year to date.
Final Fantasy 16will be released on June 22, 2025, for PS5.
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