Final Fantasy XVI will not have forced inclusion to maintain historical rigor

In recent years, we have seen how productions of all kinds between series, movies and video games (to a lesser extent) have been making changes in characters of both ethnic aspects and sexual preferences. Many are those who call this phenomenon “forced inclusion”, considering that they focus on making absurd changes that do not contribute anything to the plot or the background of the characters. But that is another topic for another time.

The development team of final fantasy xvi in squareenix, They were participating in a media tour in which they revealed several interesting aspects. Aspects related to the story and the characters were discussed, including the issue of diversity. In a recent interview with the media IGNthe producer of the game Naoki Yoshida, responded to the question that only white characters are seen in everything that has been shown in the game. The answer alludes to the fact that characters of other races are not included due to supposed historical accuracy.

“It is a difficult question, but not unexpected (…) The answer I have, however, may end up being disappointing for some, depending on individual expectations.”

“Our design concept, from the earliest stages of development, has always had medieval Europe as its protagonist, incorporating the historical, cultural, political and anthropological standards that prevailed at the time.”

Due to that very reason, the studio had to use British actors for the English dub. In addition, due to the same historical rigor, the lack of characters from other races is due to the fact that the Valishtea region, within the game, is isolated in nature.

“Due to the underlying geographic, technological, and geopolitical constraints of this scenario, Valisthea was never going to be as diverse as, say, Earth today…or even final fantasy XIVwhich has an entire planet (and moon) of nations, races, and cultures at its disposal.”

“We felt that while the incorporation of ethnic diversity in Valisthea was important, too much incorporation in this one corner of a much larger world could end up violating the narrative boundaries that we originally set for ourselves. The story we’re telling is fantasy, yes, but it’s also rooted in reality.”

Ultimately, Naoki Yoshida explained that it would be difficult for them to incorporate people of color with a context as warlike as the one in the game without calling for controversy.

“It can be challenging to assign distinctive ethnicities to the antagonist or protagonist without triggering audience preconceptions, inviting unwarranted speculation, and ultimately fanning the flames of controversy (…) In the end, we just want to focus less on the external appearance of our characters and more in what they are as people: complex and diverse people in their nature, origins, beliefs, personalities and motivations.

final fantasy xvi It will arrive in summer 2023 exclusively on PS5.