Final Fantasy XVI PC Release Date Imminent After NVIDIA PC Driver Update

Final Fantasy XVI PC release date could be nearer than anticipated as a recent NVIDIA driver update may have prematurely revealed that the PlayStation 5 exclusive is coming to PC port. As seen from the picture below, NVIDIA has released Game Ready and Studio Driver 560.81 for its GPUs, and among the notes is a mention of a game-ready profile for Final Fantasy XVI.

While it is not in the official driver release notes, a game-ready driver profile indicates the final stages of optimisation when a game is ready to go, meaning a Final Fantasy XVI PC port is in sight.

In addition, with Producer Naoki Yoshida already hinting that the Final Fantasy XVI PC optimisation is nearing completion in March, it’s hard not to anticipate an announcement from Square Enix announcing the official release date and a playable demo soon.

Final Fantasy XVI PC Release Date Speculations

As mentioned above, Producer Naoki Yoshida hinted that Final Fantasy XVI PC is in its final stages of optimisation in March, and Square Enix is planning to offer a demo before the official release, allowing players to test their systems to ensure the hardware requirements play at maximum settings.

Final Fantasy XVI (PC) apparently has a game ready driver profile in NVIDIA Game Ready & Studio Driver 560.81 released this morning https://t.co/S78qLspPbG pic.twitter.com/HtDaRhlYgr

— Wario64 (@Wario64) August 6, 2024

For context, Yoshida also promised that Final Fantasy XVI PC would feature ultra-wide support, unlocked framerates over 100fps, dedicated mouse and keyboard controls, revamped code for better performance, and more. Hence, the release of a demo. They would not want to repeat what happened with Wuthering Waves.

Regardless, with the latest NVIDIA PC driver update, we should expect an announcement from the developers before the end of September. While it is a much safer bet if assuming that the game will be released at the start of 2025, current evidence and rumours point to a Q3 or Q4 release.

Also Read: The Unforgettable Trait That Makes Final Fantasy XVI’s Clive a Legendary Protagonist

Why Is Final Fantasy XVI PC Highly Anticipated?

Firstly, Final Fantasy XVI is the latest mainline entry in the legendary Final Fantasy series, which takes a fresh approach with a darker, more mature narrative and a focus on high-octane action RPG mechanics, set in the new and richly detailed fantasy world of Valisthea, a land blessed with Mothercrystals that provide aether, sustaining the civilisations that thrive around them.

As the world splits into several realms, each with its own culture, politics, and conflicts, this instalment explores themes of conflict, betrayal, and the struggle for power within a medieval fantasy setting. The narrative focuses on Clive Rosfield from his youth to adulthood as his story explores his relationships, motivations, and the broader political and mystical conflicts of Valisthea.

Besides the intriguing storyline of exploring how power can corrupt individuals and nations and Clive’s struggle to change his fate, Final Fantasy XVI’s gameplay employs real-time combat mechanics reminiscent of action RPGs, with players controlling the protagonist and utilising a combination of melee attacks, magic, and special abilities.

Lastly, Eikons, also known as Summons or Espers in other Final Fantasy games, play a crucial role in the story and gameplay as they offer a more damaging ability than Clive’s usual melee and magic attacks. For example, each Eikon in the game grants Clive a different ability, ranging from offensive to defensive tactics. As you near the end game, Clive can equip three Eikons and six Eikonic abilities.

Parting Notes

With everything mentioned above, Final Fantasy XVI marks a bold new direction for the series, with its darker narrative, action-focused combat, and richly developed world. With Square Enix expanding the game to PC, which requires better hardware and software optimisations, we can expect Final Fantasy XVI to once again challenge for the best PC port in 2024.

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