What's the first game that comes to mind upon hearing "RPG?" For most, there's a good chance "Final Fantasy" in its title. Throughout its near 35-year history, the Final Fantasy series has grown to become one of the premier names – not just within the genre but the industry as a whole. When a new mainline Final Fantasy is announced, it immediately becomes one of the most anticipated games for release.
In recent years, many other RPG series – both Japanese and Western-style – have captured the hearts (and consumed the time) of players everywhere. This has influenced most major AAA titles in recent years, making it commonplace for games to include RPG elements. Despite the rise of many great RPG games and series, there are reasons to believe Final Fantasy is still the king of the genre.
10 35 Years On, Final Fantasy Is Showing No Signs Of Slowing Down
In 2022, the Final Fantasy series will celebrate its 35th anniversary. For gaming in general, this is almost unheard of. Few series have been able to persevere for this long, especially without going through stretches of dormancy. However, the Final Fantasy series has remained strong with a constant flow of new titles.
New mainline games; prequels and sequels; spinoffs; ports and remasters of old favorites are still being released. There's always a new Final Fantasy game on the horizon, and while these titles aren't always hits, they ensure fans don't have to wait long for a new experience.
9 The Franchise's Sales Numbers Show A Great Amount Of Popularity And Attachment Toward The Series
It's natural for a series that has been around for over a third of a century to be among the highest-selling franchises in gaming. Final Fantasy's monetary success isn't just a matter of accumulation over time. The series is still releasing highly profitable games (which are often among the most profitable within the release's respective year), even when going up against popular multiplayer franchises and yearly releases.
Of course, sales aren't everything and it's uncommon they're indicative of quality. However, they do illustrate popularity and attachment toward a game and franchise. It also shows the franchise's ability to retain fans while also bringing in new ones.
8 Final Fantasy Has Grown Beyond The Niche Of Its Genre
RPGs are typically considered a niche genre. They don't appeal to everyone. For example, players can be turned off by many of the genre's tropes, whether it's the gameplay, aesthetics, characters, and so on. However, Final Fantasy is one of the very few RPG series to grow beyond its niche to become pop-culturally relevant, influential, often satirized, and even primed for exciting crossover opportunities in other series and genres.
Not many could've imagined seeing a Final Fantasy character make an appearance in the Tekken series as a playable character. However, Noctis did in Tekken 7 as DLC. Not many could've expected chocobos and moogles to make an appearance at WrestleMania, but they did at WrestleMania 33 thanks to The New Day. And on the subject of wrestling, AEW's Hikaru Shida donned a Tifa-inspired attire during her AEW Women's World Championship reign.
7 There's Always A Final Fantasy Game Within Reach
The series has produced some of the most ported games of all time. If a fan purchases a console or gaming device, there's a high chance they'll be able to play their favorite Final Fantasy on it. Few RPG series have anywhere near that reach when it comes to accessibility.
While the series does go through stretches of exclusivity, it's not forever. For example, with the release of the Final Fantasy VII Remake on PC as well as the long-exclusive Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy XII for Microsoft and Nintendo consoles.
6 Final Fantasy Is One Of The Most Approachable RPG Franchises
Final Fantasy is among the most approachable franchises in gaming. The series doesn't often integrate complex mechanics and prefers to keep things simple and engaging. Pick up a Final Fantasy game and you'll have a firm grasp on how to play it within an hour. Beyond gameplay, many of the stories within the series are straightforward, which makes them relatively easy to follow. They're also fun to explore and discuss with fellow fans.
Final Fantasy allows players to get as much as they need out of the game. If a player wants a surface-level experience, they can. If they want to dig in and have an in-depth experience, they can do that too.
5 Final Fantasy Is Willing To Take Risks And Evolve
When a series has stayed afloat for as long as Final Fantasy, it's difficult to maintain continued interest. And while many series, for better or worse, elect to play it safe and avoid pushing their respective series in a new direction, Final Fantasy approaches each game differently. Each new mainline game is designed so it's different from the previous ones. Thanks to the series' popularity and influence within the genre, Final Fantasy doesn't have the luxury to stagnate and not take risks.
Not all Final Fantasys are created and received equally. The series isn't immune to backlash and disappointment. Despite this, Square-Enix strives to make sure that each new Final Fantasy is a unique experience.
4 Final Fantasy Has Made A Massive Impact In The World Of MMOs
One area in which the series has evolved in recent decades is the willingness to explore the daunting world of MMORPGs. The series took a bold step in this direction in the early 2000s by releasing a mainline game within the MMO genre in Final Fantasy XI. XI was critically acclaimed upon release and, to this day, is one of the most respected and profitable MMOs of all time.
The success of XI led Square-Enix to release a second MMO in Final Fantasy XIV. While XIV got off to an abysmal start, a lot of work and effort was put into making it widely successful. XIV has grown so popular that sales of the game were temporarily suspended to account for the overload of players when the "Endwalker" expansion was released. XIV also won the "Best Ongoing Game" at The Game Awards in 2021, beating the likes of Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone.
3 There's Something For Everyone In Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy has a large and diverse fanbase. As a result, it's tough to please everyone. It's also difficult to hook people who may not be interested in RPGs. This is why Final Fantasy isn't afraid to venture out and explore different genres, both within their mainline games and their spinoffs. The series has produced games in genres ranging from fighting to a battle royale style in Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier. These can be hit or miss, but whether you've been a fan for over 30 years or someone who's never touched an RPG, there's something for everyone in the Final Fantasy series.
2 The Music Of Final Fantasy Is Worth Listening To Regardless If You Play The Series
Final Fantasy has enjoyed its share of peaks and valleys. However, if there's one area the series has remained consistent with for over 30 years, it's the beautiful soundtracks. It doesn't matter how beloved or criticized a Final Fantasy game is within the fanbase, the quality of the game's soundtrack yields little debate. A majority of these soundtracks were composed by the legendary video game composer Nobuo Uematsu.
Few video game franchises can have fans refer to individual tracks (especially orchestral tracks) by name as opposed to when the tracks are played in-game. Fans don't praise "the final boss theme from Final Fantasy VII," they praise "One-Winged Angel." Many of the series' other tracks receive similar treatment.
1 The Series Has Set A High Standard For RPG Stories And Characters
Beyond all else, there's one aspect of the series that keeps fans invested all these years later: the stories. Final Fantasy has given players some of the best stories seen in gaming. Despite many of them being simplistic in nature, the games are filled to the brim with fun characters, threatening villains, deep lore, and memorable moments that create a journey fans want to go on forever.
To this day, Final Fantasy releases are held to incredibly high (maybe impossibly high) standards. Even if a title falls short of those expectations, they're often equipped with enough content and side activities for fans to make their own journeys beyond the script.