There are over 100 games in the Final Fantasy series, and while the title of the recently-released Final Fantasy 16 would suggest otherwise, it’s the various spin-offs, remakes, and sequels of the mainline games that make that number so high. Interestingly though, Final Fantasy sequels are usually only committed to well after an original game is out, rather than being planned for in advance. That makes it all the more intriguing that, in my view, Final Fantasy 16 already has the perfect set-up for a sequel thanks to its post-credits scene.
Just to pre-warn, I’ll be discussing the finale of Final Fantasy 16, as well as the post-credits scene and the fate of some characters, so if you don’t want any spoilers just yet, we recommend bookmarking this page and returning (it’s definitely worth it) or check out our Final Fantasy 16 ending explained guide so you’re all caught up.
After defeating all of the Final Fantasy 16 bosses and completing the main quests, magic is no longer accessible in the world of Valisthea. With the last of the Mothercrystals being destroyed, and the end of Ultima, Eikons are now non-existent. As the years go by, magic, Dominants, and Eikons are nothing but fairytales and bedtime stories told to kids, as seen in the post-credits scene. However, there is still a hint of reality to them, as the scene shows a book titled Final Fantasy by the one and only Joshua Rosfield.
Considering the fact that magic is pretty much synonymous with the Final Fantasy franchise, you’re probably wondering how a magicless world would be a great setup for a sequel. Well, the events of FF16 allows for Valisthea to basically return to its Eikon-less origin, something that I believe the final quest – which is literally called Back to Their Origin – is not-so-slyly hinting at. With an FF16 sequel, we could be thrown into what is a new start for the various Kingdoms of Valisthea, and see if any new powerful figures emerge in this era and if conflict will once again arise.
I think a core concept that Final Fantasy often explores is fate and whether someone or somewhere’s destiny is set in stone or can be altered. An FF16 sequel is the perfect chance to see whether the fate of Valisthea is always sealed and, regardless of whether there are Eikons or not, the continent’s factions will always descend into war and a race for power. Maybe, we could see Eikonic magic return, but it is bestowed onto just a single person, who becomes the new central character. As this sole Dominant, we’d then see if we could bring about peace and unity in Valisthea, or if the return of this magic simply creates more conflict and chaos.
While the start of Final Fantasy 16 does focus on Clive and his personal struggles, many of these interpersonal issues become subplots for the typical Final Fantasy end-of-the-world-like storylines. I think having a Valisthea without the looming threat of Ultima and its big plan would allow for a sequel to focus on the life of one Dominant. The immense pressure of being chosen as a powerful being, as well as having enemies simply because you awakened as a Dominant, would allow for some interesting themes and narratives, while still being a Final Fantasy game at heart.
Could you, as the Dominant, finally bring peace to Valisthea? Or, no matter what happens, will the region be locked in some eternal cycle of conflict? That’s something I’d really love to explore.
There’s one major issue with a sequel bringing back magic, and that’s the fact that Clive’s destruction of the Mothercrystals removes the Aether from Valisthea, removing access to magic. But I’m sure with any of the Final Fantasy tropes we’ve come to love (random magic, time-bending, multiversal shenanigans) we could see it return to the world again. If it follows the idea of Valisthea being stuck in a cyclical nature, then the always-inevitable return of the Mothercrystals would be the reason, but we could see it change to one central and very large Mothercrystal being the source of magic.
There would also be an interesting gameplay dynamic with this concept for a sequel, as well as a narrative one. I believe that following a lone Dominant could allow them to focus on one specific Eikon (either new or returning) and expand its skillset, rather than taking on multiple Eikons’ powers like in FF16. For example, if our main character became a Dominant of Ramuh, we would be able to witness the full powerset of the Eikon of Lightning, instead of getting a small window like with Clive’s best abilities. Perhaps, to aid replayability, you can pick one Eikon from a selection at the start of the game, encouraging you to come back after clearing the story to try again with a different power. There could even be subtle story differences, depending on the Eikon you choose.
Considering my thoughts on the game during my Final Fantasy 16 review, it’s no surprise that I’d love to see a sequel, especially if it also ends up being one of the best RPG games of all time. Don’t mind me though, as I’m going to start a Final Fantasy 16 new game plus run and complete Final Fantasy mode before we get a sequel announcement. Well, hopefully.