Final Fantasy XVI: Game of Thrones Influence and Fantasy Realism

Square Enix's Final Fantasy XVI marks a return to fantasy and medieval settings, the first since Final Fantasy XII (2006). The game draws explicit inspiration from Game of Thrones, as producer Naoki Yoshida instructed the early development team to watch the first four seasons. Yoshida aimed for a modern, realistic tone to make high fantasy accessible to mainstream audiences. The combat system, designed by Ryota Suzuki (Devil May Cry 5), shifts further toward real-time action. The game's world, Valisthea, is threatened by a mysterious blight allegorical to climate change. However, the game faces criticism for its homogeneous white and male cast, which Yoshida justified by citing medieval European demographics, despite the inclusion of areas inspired by the Middle East and Arab architecture. Critics note that key Square Enix figures, including illustrator Yoshitaka Amano, are associated with Japanese conservative and nationalist movements, and that ethnic uniformity is a trope used by far-right identities globally.