Why Final Fantasy 16 deserves a sequel

Final Fantasy 16 was a smashing success, but is it worthy of a sequel? Whether another game set in Valisthea is a prequel or a literal sequel, the possibilities are there. Many fans who complete this RPG are going to have opinions on whether there’s more to see and do after Clive’s battle with Ultima. However, in my opinion, there are several routes Square Enix could go if it wants to extend the life of Valisthea just a bit farther.

This is just the opinion of one writer, and so you may not agree with my thoughts on it. That’s perfectly fine. But in my estimation, there is another game waiting to be had, in the form of a Final Fantasy 16 sequel.

Note: This article contains spoilers, footage, and discussion of the end of Final Fantasy 16.

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Why Final Fantasy 16 warrants a sequel

The world now belongs to a younger generation - what will they do with it? (Image via Square Enix)

There’s still so much meat left on the proverbial bone when it comes to Final Fantasy 16 that a sequel could easily happen. What happened to Leviathan the Lost? What did Joshua do before he ultimately wrote the book of their adventures - as seen in the ending cutscene?

Final Fantasy 16 was such a dark, even depressing story. I’m a sucker for a good tragedy, don’t get me wrong. But it would be nice to see the lives of these people be joyous - at least for a little while. It almost seems cruel to fight so long for peace and tranquility, and then not give the player a chance to experience it.

Moreover, Clive could even be alive. It’s not 100% clear if Clive lives or dies at the end. Some feel like he’s dead, myself included. I want to highlight a few ways FF16 could live on at the end of this tale.

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1) Jill Warrick becomes the focal point (with Torgal)

Jill Warrick could walk her path of redemption and help others (Image via Square Enix)

Just because Clive is dead, that doesn’t mean a sequel can’t happen. Square Enix could easily go the route of Yuna in Final Fantasy X-2, and give Jill a story to tell. After all, she lives on after Clive’s passing. Does the Bearer’s curse end with Ultima’s passing and Clive’s wish?

It’s going to take a significant amount of work to right the wrongs of the world as the Blight hopefully begins to leave Valisthea. There are also other parts of the world left unexplored - Jill Warrick could head there and see if Ultima caused any problems. It could be a very fun sequel for Final Fantasy 16.

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2) A prequel - what caused the previous civilization to fall?

This is something I’ve talked about with a few people, whether on my stream or on social media. A prequel made me think of going the Strangers of Paradise route. It’s an incredible way of telling a prequel to such a fantastic, memorable game like Final Fantasy 1.

Much of Final Fantasy 16 shows the remnants of a fallen civilization. They had technology most people couldn’t even pretend to understand - except Cid and Mid perhaps. It would be fascinating to see what that looked like, and what ultimately could have caused the arrival of the Mother Crystals and the Blight.

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3) Thousands of years later - a “World Without Magic” - or is it?

What happens if magic reappears? (Image via Square Enix)

When thinking about where Final Fantasy 16 could go in terms of a sequel, I often find myself thinking of Final Fantasy 6. After all, the game starts 1,000 years after a devastating “War of the Magi” that left the land without magic. That is, except a few remnants, who were all persecuted and poorly treated.

The similarities between the Blue Mages and the Bearers isn’t that hard to connect. What happens if we look a thousand years into the future of Final Fantasy 16? Is the world still at peace? Has magic returned? After all, one of the Eikons still lurks - Leviathan the Lost.

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There are other routes you could go as well, such as making Joshua the primary antagonist, as he gathers information and explores the world. It’s such a brilliant world, it would be a shame to close the book when there are still more stories to tell. You can read our review of the whole game here.