The ESRB rating for Final Fantasy XVI is a very interesting question right now. XVI is the latest game in the highly coveted Final Fantasy series. The series began over 36 years ago and is still going strong to this day.
If you’re wondering how the game is rated about what age groups it is recommended for, you’ve come to the right place. Here is everything you need to know about the rating for Final Fantasy XVI.
Final Fantasy XVI Is Rated M for Mature
That’s right. As stated above, the rating of Final Fantasy XVI is indeed an ‘M’ game. The ESRB has plenty of reasoning behind rating the game as such, which is clearly evident in the trailers released for the game. You can check out the ESRB’s reasoning for rating Final Fantasy XVI as ‘M for Mature’ below.
This is an action role-playing game in which players assume the role of an enslaved prince (Clive) on a quest to find his missing brother. From a third-person perspective, players explore a fantasy kingdom, complete various quests, and engage in battles against enemy soldiers and fantastical creatures (e.g., trolls, orcs). Players use swords and magical attacks (e.g., fireballs, lighting strikes) to kill characters in melee-style combat. During fighting sequences, players can perform cinematic attacks/finishing moves by following on-screen prompts. Battles are fast paced, accompanied by impact sounds, cries of pain, and large explosions. Blood-splatter effects frequently occur when characters are slashed and killed. Cutscenes depict additional acts of violence and blood: a character’s hands severed by a sword; a guard’s throat slit by a knife; a character impaled through the chest; a prisoner’s shoulder stabbed and twisted by an interrogator’s blade. The game contains some sexual material: a character caressing and straddling a man in bed; references to prostitution—sexual moaning sounds in a brothel; dialogue such as, “I’d be happy to show you…provided I can afford it” and “…thank you for your service. My chamber is just upstairs.” Some characters are depicted with partially exposed breasts and buttocks. The words “f**k” and “sh*t” are heard in the game.
Is Final Fantasy XVI Okay for Young Audiences?
With Final Fantasy XVI having an ESRB rating of ‘M’, is this game okay for younger audiences to play? In all honestly, the ESRB says probably not. There are extremely graphic depictions throughout the title. The ESRB rated the game M for “Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, and Violence”.
Final Fantasy XVI is set to be released exclusively for the PlayStation 5 console on June 22, 2023. If you want to buy the game, check out Square Enix’s website for all information regarding purchases!
Check out all of Final Weapon’s Final Fantasy XVI coverage in our Compendium, available right here!
