While Final Fantasy fans may be preparing for the release of Final Fantasy 7 Intergrade next month, they may be getting more good news in the form of a big announcement. Reportedly, a new Final Fantasy game is in the works, and it could be taking inspiration from the Dark Souls franchise.
This is not the first time that rumors have kicked up regarding a major PS5 Final Fantasy announcement, as the discussion started a few days ago on ResetEra. According to reputable insider Navtra, the next original Final Fantasy game will apparently be a PS5-exclusive RPG. Supposedly, it will be one of the big showings from Square Enix at E3 2021, and the news has gotten fans of the series excited. Today, French leaker Souls Hunt expanded on this leak, adding some new information about its genre.
Apparently, the PS5-exclusive Final Fantasy game will be directly inspired by the Dark Souls series. With Soulslike games being hugely popular for single-player gamers, such a project would likely be a big hit. It would also be a new genre for Final Fantasy, giving longtime fans a fresh experience. On top of this reveal, Souls Hunt makes the same claim as Navtra about its PS5 exclusivity. They do speculate that this exclusivity could be timed, though Souls Hunt remains uncertain on this point.
On top of a confirmation for the game’s genre, this new Final Fantasy title will also supposedly be developed by Team Ninja. Assuming these leaks turn out to be accurate, this would be a perfect fit, as the studio’s experience with the Nioh franchise shows its capability to create memorable Soulslikes. In their video on the topic, Souls Hunt compares the rumored game to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, indicating that it may retain elements from Dark Souls while leaving others behind.
As for what players can expect if this rumor holds true, the usual staples of the genre will likely be seen. It might have a gameplay loop relying on intense fights and repetition, with players needing to slowly improve after several deaths. Environmental storytelling could serve as a big focus, with cutscenes possibly being less prevalent than they are in games like Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Stand-out boss fights against some difficult enemies are probable as well. Lastly, the genre’s past implies that a complex RPG system relying on specific builds for armor and weapons could be included.
As exciting as it may be, Final Fantasy fans should still take this information with a grain of salt, as there has been no official confirmation that this PS5-exclusive game even exists. Following Square Enix’s presentation at E3 2021, gamers should have answers regarding whether this supposed Soulslike is coming anytime soon.