Final Fantasy 16’s Approach to Diversity Pulls on ‘Various Cultures With Great Respect and Care’ [IGN]

Final Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida has expanded on comments he previously made to IGN regarding the game’s approach to diversity, explaining that its narrative and setting has been inspired by various cultures.

As part of a roundtable discussion attended by IGN, Yoshida was asked to expand on his previous comments in which he gave his perspective on the ethnic diversity of Final Fantasy 16’s cast, which – at least so far – has appeared to be mostly made up of white characters.

Yoshida began by noting that the question “deserves great care with words, phrasing, and nuance,” before explaining his perspective on the situation.

“People all have their own thoughts on the scope and their understanding of the term ‘diversity’,” he said. “I don’t consider this a bad thing – but it means that the impression my answer will give may vary greatly depending on how someone personally interprets the meaning. So, I would first like to ask that you keep this in mind.”

“What I would like to take this opportunity to say is: we have created the world of Valisthea and the story of Final Fantasy 16 with a great deal of research and investigation into various cultures and value systems from all around the world and have woven them into the sweeping fantasy narrative and world with great respect and care. I would ask players to experience Final Fantasy 16 and see with their own eyes the diverse range of values we have included in the creation of the game. Players will no doubt resonate with some of these, and perhaps find others where they may not have the same outlook. I hope players worldwide will play the game and connect with its universal themes and the experience as a whole.”

As part of a presentation shown before the recent hands-on demonstration, members of the press were shown the different kingdoms of the world of Valisthea, each of which seems designed around different cultural values. But so far, the peoples of these nations all seem to have largely European-ish physical features.

When IGN previously asked if Black or POC characters would be included, Yoshida explained that “Due to the underlying geographical, technological, and geopolitical constraints of this setting, Valisthea was never going to realistically be as diverse as say a modern-day Earth…or even Final Fantasy XIV that has an entire planet (and moon) worth of nations, races, and cultures at its disposal.”

He went on to explain that Final Fantasy 16’s approach to diversity is not “all-encompassing”, but is part of its word’s makeup. “In the end, we simply want the focus to be less on the outward appearance of our characters and more on who they are as people — people who are complex and diverse in their natures, backgrounds, beliefs, personalities, and motivations,” he said. “People whose stories we can resonate with. There is diversity in Valisthea. Diversity that, while not all-encompassing, is synergistic with the setting we’ve created and is true to the inspirations from which we are drawing.”

For more from Final Fantasy 16, take a look at how Square Enix is taking a novel approach to accessibility, why the game is only possible on new-generation hardware, and how its not-open-world works.

Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK News and Features Editor.