The topic of turn-based RPGs has attracted widespread attention following the release of Sandfall Interactive’s Game of the Year contender, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. This has reignited debates over whether the genre is experiencing a resurgence or if it never truly left. We even compiled a list of the five best turn-based RPGs currently on the market here.
One question continues to bug players (myself included) when it comes to turn-based games: Should Final Fantasy, the franchise that helped popularize the genre, return to its turn-based roots?
The Final Final Fantasy
It’s undeniable that Final Fantasy was the driving force in making turn-based RPGs mainstream, which makes it all the more surprising that the series now seems to be running from what originally defined it.
The demand for a return to the classic formula clashes with a growing player base that prefers the evolving, action-heavy gameplay that can rival modern RPGs. Final Fantasy finds itself stuck between two worlds—modern action-RPG giants and its storied legacy. Square Enix likely has internal data to support its direction, and it’s clear that real-time combat has helped attract a newer, broader audience.
Since the disappointment of the Fabula Nova Crystallis saga, Square Enix seems to have realized the need to attract younger players rather than solely catering to long-time fans who still yearn for the classic turn-based experience. Even Yoshinori Kitase dodged that idea of the series returning to its roots in an interview with VG247 a few years ago.
The Future
With Final Fantasy XV, the franchise fully embraced real-time combat. Though this marked a drastic departure from the series’ roots in strategic, turn-based play, the shift felt more like an attempt to emulate other successful action titles than to evolve its own identity.
Final Fantasy XV borrowed heavily from Kingdom Hearts' flashy, fluid combat. At the same time, Final Fantasy XVI leans into Devil May Cry-style action, but without the depth, often boiling down to pressing a single button to chain combos.
READ: Retrospective: Final Fantasy 16 Is All Style, No Substance
There’s More Than Just Final Fantasy
Sadly, it’s unlikely we’ll see a turn-based Final Fantasy again, as Square Enix appears fully committed to real-time combat. The good news is that they haven’t abandoned the format entirely. Titles like Octopath Traveler, Live A Live, and the Diofield Chronicles series proudly carry the torch of traditional turn-based gameplay, with their own unique twists. Still, for anyone hoping for a modern Final Fantasy that returns to its roots, that dream may remain just that—for now.
A Personal Fantasy
Despite the franchise’s direction, I still hold out hope that Square Enix might someday experiment with a new kind of turn-based system. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 managed to blend turn-based mechanics with QTE elements, and Sea of Stars from Sabotage Studio did the same, proving the format still has room to innovate.
There are countless ways to evolve turn-based combat with real-time elements, and Square Enix certainly has the resources to take that risk. The only question left is: will they?
READ: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Final Fantasy Can Co-exist