Is Final Fantasy 16 Open World? Answered

The Final Fantasy series is known for having large, explorable areas often restricted behind progression. While the games tend to feature non-linear progression, where you can ignore the main story for side quests, riding chocobos, or hunting big, bad monsters, they aren’t truly open-world titles (if we aren’t counting Final Fantasy 15, of course). However, you may be wondering if Final Fantasy 16 is open world. Here’s the answer. 

Will Final Fantasy 16 Have an Open World?

Unlike the previous series entry Final Fantasy 15, FF16 isn’t open world. While it doesn’t force linear story progression on players, you’ll be confined to specific, segmented areas in the overarching game world of Valisthea.

You’ll be able to explore a Sahara-like desert on foot or by Chocobo. You’ll visit desert oasis cities, explore Clive’s childhood castle in a fully playable flashback, and hunt for monsters in story-connected dungeons.

As seen in the FF16 PAX East trailer, there are large ruins, pristine rivers of blue and green, lush vegetation, and a large city amidst a field of grain.

How Big Will Final Fantasy 16’s Map Be? 

While FF16 won’t have an open-world design, the full expanse of the playable area is hard to estimate. It’s been said the map for Final Fantasy 16 will have at least four 2km by 2km sections, bringing the revealed area in line with FF15‘s map size. 

While only four areas have had their measurements revealed, that doesn’t mean those are the only areas accessible in the game. There are six countries at war in FF16, so smaller maps adding to the overall size could be a possibility. 

Until we can get our hands on FF16 to see how the map unfolds for ourselves or get more detailed information from the developers, we won’t be able to state if Final Fantasy 16 has more areas to explore or a larger map size. 

But that answers the question of whether Final Fantasy 16 will have an open world. Stay tuned for more on FF16, especially as we get closer to the June 22 release.

Featured image via Square Enix.