Final Fantasy Returning to Turn-Based Combat? FF16 Producer Naoki Yoshida Speaks Up
Is turn-based combat making a return in the Final Fantasy series? Final Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida has shared his thoughts on the series’ future in an interview at the Anime Expo 2025.
The Final Fantasy series is synonymous with the turn-based combat genre. However, in recent years, the franchise has focused on more action-heavy systems, something that FF16 producer Naoki Yoshida has been speaking about in a recent interview.
Speaking to Anime News Network, Yoshida shared his thoughts on the natural progression of the series and whether it could return to a turn-based combat system, explaining that it’s not a “clear-cut answer.”
Yoshida on the Evolution of Final Fantasy Combat
Final Fantasy has always been about the big cinematic set pieces that intertwine with bold storytelling, and its recent entries have been no exception, with real-time, action-focused combat taking over from the series’ traditional active time battle (ATB) systems as Square Enix finds new solutions to present its narrative.
Yoshida notes how the battle system determines the rest of the game and its presentation, revealing how he believes a turn-based system can “isolate the gameplay to just the battle system.”
As the franchise continually evolves, the studio is always looking at how it can tell its story effectively without compromising gameplay, while pushing for more realistic visuals and characters. In recent years, this has seen the developer pivot to action-based combat.
Balancing Innovation and Fan Expectations
For developers, balancing innovation while meeting fan expectations is a delicate process, particularly with a long-running series like Final Fantasy. Yoshida stated in 2022 to GamesRadar that they decided on an action battle system for Final Fantasy 16 due to the game’s photo-real graphics not combining well with turn-based commands.
When asked if the recent success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will influence the next Final Fantasy game, Yoshida it will depend on the “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.”
What Could the Future Hold?
Fans hoping for a straight answer on how the next Final Fantasy entry will play will feel disappointed, as Yoshida said: “It’s not a clear-cut answer, whether it will become all turn-based, or if it’s going to become more action-based.”
Ultimately, Yoshida says, it will depend on who leads Final Fantasy 17 and even Final Fantasy 18, revealing the studio does not want to “obstruct or limit our future director or whoever will be producing the games like 17 or even 18. We don’t want to put them on a rail.”
Conclusion
Final Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida describes the future of the series’ battle system as not “clear-cut,” when considering if it will focus on action or turn-based combat. Do you miss the traditional ATB system? Do you think the series benefits from a more action-focused approach? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Fueled by a passion for gaming and the ever-evolving world of gaming news, Daniel loves connecting with seasoned and new players to bring games to life on the page, exploring their narratives and gaming trends. A self-published fiction and fantasy author, Daniel has nearly 20 years of experience writing gaming news and a love for storytelling that drives his enthusiasm to deliver breaking news, in-depth analysis, and industry innovations. You will find him in-game as "Windfell."
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