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Square Enix is planning on a day-one update for Final Fantasy 16, contrary to their initial stance of not releasing one. While Square Enix had expressed confidence in the game’s final build, it did mention that this decision wasn’t concrete. During the recent Final Fantasy 16 launch live stream, the developers announced that a day-one patch is on its way, primarily to address performance issues. The patch will include various fixes, such as resolving a control issue that could impede progress in rare circumstances, fixing a rare crash, fixing some minor text errors, and most importantly, optimizing performance in several areas.
It is important to note that the day-one patch will not be mandatory, even though some copies are already out in the wild, meaning players can choose whether or not to install it before playing the game. Additionally, Square Enix stated that the patch will be relatively small in size at around 300MB. So it shouldn’t be much of a problem either way.
Final Fantasy 16 Day One Update Goals
Concerns regarding the performance of Final Fantasy 16 were already noticeable in the free demo released on the PlayStation 5. In addition to addressing optimization through the day-one patch, the developers also acknowledged feedback received after the demo’s release.
One common complaint raised by players was the abundance of cutscenes in the demo. Producer Naoki Yoshida acknowledged this concern, explaining that the demo’s cutscenes were primarily focused on establishing the story in the first act. As the game progresses, it will feature more of the Eikon Challenge sections, which are less reliant on extended scenes. Nevertheless, crucial points in the story will still have longer scenes, and the developers believe that once players are engrossed in the narrative, the length of the scenes will not be a concern. It only makes sense for the game to have sizable cutscenes, since it promises a deep narrative.
Square Enix Discusses Demo Complaints
Japanese players specifically expressed dissatisfaction with the lip synchronization, noting that it was off. Square Enix clarified that this discrepancy was intentional and limited to the English language version due to the significant effort required to synchronize lip movements accurately. They gave AI a shot for the Japanese version but found the results unsatisfactory, so dropped the idea altogether. The developers just ended up saying that everyone should play it in English alongside subtitles in their native language.
The developers also discussed the design of the demo, which primarily focuses on set-piece battles but expands to include explorable areas later in the game. This decision explains the absence of a mini-map, as the team wanted players to immerse themselves in the game world rather than constantly referencing a mini-map. Something that more developers should adopt, especially if they believe in their in-game worlds. If you haven’t played the demo, check it out for free on the PlayStation Store. Also, read our preorder guide and get ready to play the game on June 22.