Square Enix was inspired by Expedition 33 and will make Final Fantasy turn-based again

Square Enix has seen the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and has been inspired to take the Final Fantasy franchise back to where it began, turn-based.

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The decision to return to command-based RPGs comes after Square Enix was disappointed with the sales of Final Fantasy 16, which saw the developer take a shift in direction with the title, particularly with its combat, which was compared to games such as Devil May Cry. The sharp directional change caused a split with Final Fantasy fans, with some praising the new direction for the franchise and others wanting a return to a turn-based combat system.

It seems turn-based combat system fans will be getting what they want. Square Enix has responded to an individual who, during an investor call, got a chance to speak to the developer and advocate for this change.

"I had the opportunity to speak, so I expressed the opinion that I would like new releases of Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy to alternate... Additionally, I expressed the desire for new Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy titles to be command-based RPGs, explaining this by referencing the shift in direction from FF16 and the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which gained attention in 2025," said the investor

Square Enix responded and said, "the next three years of the medium-term plan will focus on delivering truly interesting games to users... [with] many titles, including mid-tier ones". Adding, "they are aware of Expedition 33 and consider command-based RPGs to be Square Enix's origin and foundation." More specifically, Square Enix stated, "They value the command-based RPG genre and plan to continue delivering games in this style in the future."