In a first for the mainlineFinal Fantasyfranchise,Final Fantasy 16will have characters use strong language like the f-word. This latest mainline installment in Square Enix’s flagship JRPG series was announced way back in 2020, and since then snippets ofFinal Fantasy 16’s world and storyline have slowly been unveiled in the build-up to the game’s launch on June 22.Final Fantasy 16takes place in the war-torn realm of Valisthea, where a young royal son named Clive Rosfield sets off for revenge after his kingdom is attacked.
As this grim premise suggests,Final Fantasy 16is said to be much darker than past games. Indeed,FF 16will be the first Mature-rated entryof the main series, with much more graphic violence and depictions of drugs, torture, and sexual content drivingFinal Fantasy 16above the franchise’s usual Teen-rated fare. While fans have gotten used to the idea thatFF 16will be bloodier and more suggestive than what they are used to, it may still come as a surprise that the game will feature gritter language to match its darker subject matter.
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In a recent interview withWellPlayed,Final Fantasy 16co-lead world and lore developerMichael-Christopher Koji Fox discussed what it was like translating the game for Western audiences. One of the aspects that stood out from pastFinal Fantasyentries was being able to have some of the characters swear on a higher level. While Fox states that his localization team didn’t go too over the top, there is at least one instance of the f-word being cried out when the situation calls for it.
PastFinal Fantasygames have used profanity, but this only consisted of mild swears like “damn” or “hell.” This only applies to mainline entries though, aslast year’sStranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Originhad main protagonist Jack Garland utter the f-word in a confrontation with the fiendish Lich. Other Mature-ratedFinal Fantasyspin-offs likeFinal Fantasy Type-0have shied away from such language.
Final Fantasy 16looks to stand out from pastFinal Fantasytitles due to its darker storyline and gritter setting, including a few uses of the f-bomb to drive the point of Valisthea being a bleak and unforgiving place. Players will get a chance tosampleFinal Fantasy 16out for themselvesahead of its launch thanks to a demo that will retain their progress for the main game.
Final Fantasy 16will be released on June 22 for PS5.
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