Final Fantasy 16 is for adults only

Final Fantasy 16 is to be released in the summer of 2023 exclusively for the PlayStation 5 come on the market. Accordingly, in addition to a specific release date, the game also lacks a USK rating. While the latter is likely to play a subordinate role for many fans, producer Naoki Yoshida is concerned about how his game will be classified by institutions such as the USK, PEGI or the ESRB. He suspects the title a M rating is obtained. The ESRB’s M rating is a recommendation for the title from the age of 17 upwards. For comparison: Most Final Fantasy games are given a T rating by the ESRB, i.e. suitable for ages 13 and over. PEGI has provisionally announced an age rating from 18 years. In an interview with the Gamespot website, Yoshida talks about the assumed classification and the background to this possible rating.

A more mature Final Fantasy?

In the interview, Yoshida is asked about a recent trailer that hints at nudity. When specifically asked if Final Fantasy 16 is an adult M-rated RPG, the producer replied: “It’s fair to say that, not only compared to the Final Fantasy series, but in general compared to before, video game ratings have become much more restrictive in what can and can’t be shown. Having said that, I think ratings are necessary to ensure that younger players, younger kids, are protected from extreme material.“

More creative freedom

Apparently, the ratings allow Yoshida and his team a lot more freedom in what they show and how they show it: “To make sure we could tell the story we wanted to tell the way we wanted this time, we targeted the Mature rating in most regions. On the other hand, that doesn’t mean that we just wanted to make the game more violent or raunchy, but that we felt this step was necessary for us to explore adult themes in the game.”