Naoki Yoshida Says There’s ‘Not A Clear-Cut Answer’ On Final Fantasy 17 Being Turn-Based Following Success Of Clair Obscur

Speaking during the Anime Expo 2025, Naoki Yoshida, affectionately known as Yoshi-P by fans, has touched base on the future of turn-based mechanics in Final Fantasy given the recent successes of Clair Obscur.

Final Fantasy XVI famously took a more action-oriented approach to combat, which didn’t sit well with long term fans. However, Clair Obscur features turn-based mechanics while implementing real-time features including quick time events and timed actions during battles.

In response to how the success of Clair Obscur could impact on the future of Final Fantasy, Yoshida-san and the following to say to Anime News Network:

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With this question of turn-based versus action, it tends to isolate the gameplay to just the battle system That doesn’t take into account what kind of game the creators want to deliver to players. For example, based on a certain graphical quality we want to present to our players, or the narrative we want to deliver to our players, it relates to how we set up the game’s systems around it. This includes the battle system, game design, and gameplay feel.

It’s not a clear-cut answer, whether it will become all turn-based, or if it’s going to become more action-based. [I’m] not necessarily going to be on Final Fantasy 17, so we also don’t want to obstruct or limit our future director or whomever will be producing the games like 17 or even 18. We don’t want to put them on a rail.

Final Fantasy XVI was released in June 2023 for the PS5, and Square Enix revealed in September the following year that the RPG – alongside Final Fantasy VII Rebirth – did not meet its sales expectations. Yoshida-san said in January 2024 that he thinks someone else should take the reins on Final Fantasy XVII, although Square Enix is still keeping details on the next instalment in the franchise close to its chest.

Speaking with Famitsu, Yoshi-P said that he’s keen to make a video game similar to Studio Ghibli’s Laputa Castle in the Sky, which is a fantasy-adventure animated movie from 1986.

[Source – Anime News Network via Eurogamer]