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Final Fantasy XVI delayed by COVID-19, with reveal coming in spring 2022

The development of the next game in the hallmark RPG franchise is being pushed back nearly six months, according to its producer.

Roger Cheng Former Executive Editor / Head of News
Roger Cheng (he/him/his) was the executive editor in charge of CNET News, managing everything from daily breaking news to in-depth investigative packages. Prior to this, he was on the telecommunications beat and wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade and got his start writing and laying out pages at a local paper in Southern California. He's a devoted Trojan alum and thinks sleep is the perfect -- if unattainable -- hobby for a parent.
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The Final Fantasy franchise is the latest video game to face challenges from the pandemic. 

Naoki Yoshida, producer of Final Fantasy XVI, said in a note posted on Twitter that complications from COVID-19, including the move to a decentralized work-from-home model, caused the development process to be delayed by almost half a year. Yoshida said the plan is to offer a reveal of the game in spring 2022. 

"When last we spoke, I promised I would have more information on FINAL FANTASY XVI sometime later in 2021," the Square Enix producer said. "However, I regret to inform you that I will be unable to keep that promise as complications stemming from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have delayed the game's development by almost half a year."

Square Enix is just one of many companies in the video game industry that have had to delay games as the industry adjusts to remote work and heightened demand by consumers stuck at home.