Final Fantasy 16 launched in June 2023 as a PS5 exclusive title. It tells the tale of Clive Rosfield, the firstborn son of Rosaria’s ruling family. For a long time, PC players were left out in the cold but that’s about to change, as a port is on the way. It’ll bring all the features present in the PS5 version with a few extra settings for PC players to use their machines to their full capabilities. If you’re curious about what to expect, read on to discover what the game has been cooking up.
A PC Demo is Available
Some players may be unsure whether they want to purchase Final Fantasy 16. Fortunately, a demo is available to help those who are on the fence and need a little extra convincing. Much like the PS5 demo, PC players get to try out the game’s prologue and tinker with a special “Eikonic Challenge” mode. The PC demo is perhaps a bit more important than the console counterpart, as it gives PC players a chance to see how the game runs with their specific specs. It can be downloaded on Steam and the Epic Game Store.
PC Minimum Requirements
With all the action FF16 brings, it’s no surprise that it’s a somewhat taxing title when it comes to PC specs. However, it appears that developers have made the game quite scalable, as the minimum PC requirements aren’t too demanding for any modern PC build. With this said, you may need to upgrade your storage because an SSD is required. Using the minimum requirements, you can expect FF16 to run at 30fps at 720p, which is enough to bring Clive Rosfield’s story to life. The minimum specs call for Windows 10 or 11, an AMD Ryzen 5 1600 or Intel Core i5-8400 processor, and 16GB RAM. For graphics cards, you need an AMD Radeon RX 5700, Intel Arc A580, or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070. The minimum specs also require Version 12 DirectX and you’ll also need 170GB of storage.
PC Recommended Requirements
If you have a beefier PC build, you can shoot for the recommended PC requirements, which will have the game running at 60FPS at 1080p. Once again, as expected, an SSD is required. These are the specs that the developer recommends Windows 10 or 11 OS, an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X or Intel Core i7-10700 processor, and 16GB RAM. As far as graphics cards go, an AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 is recommended. Developers also recommend Version 12 DirectX, and you should have 170GB of available space.
Supports Up to 240fps
PS5 players enjoy a quality mode that runs at 30fps and a performance mode that runs at 60fps. On PC, developers have been able to take things further with official 240fps support. It’ll take a very capable PC as well as upscaling to achieve this framerate.
FF16 Will Feature Dynamic Resolution Options
FF16 will feature the option to turn on dynamic resolution which will allow the game to adjust dynamically to meet graphical demand. Additionally, there will be a host of upscaling options, as confirmed by the developer. More specifically, as revealed in the demo, the dynamic resolution options will include NVIDIA DLSS 3, AMD FSR 3, Intel XeSS 1.3, and Legacy (TSCMAA + AMD FSR 1). Upscaling is not available when dynamic resolution is enabled.
Various Graphical Settings Will be Available
If you purchase FF16 on PC, you will have access to several graphical settings, allowing you to adjust the game to suit your machine’s specs. As seen in the demo, it’s possible to change the screen brightness, choose between upscaling options, and enable dynamic resolution. The following graphics settings can also be adjusted: sharpness, frame generation, framerate, motion blur, vignette, chromatic aberration, NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency, graphical fidelity, texture quality, terrain detail, shadow quality, water quality, clutter density, NPC quantity, screen space reflection, ambient occlusion, bloom shader, and variable rate shading (VRS). It should be noted that the settings may change in the final retail version.
Save Data from the Demo Will Transfer to the Retail Version
You shouldn’t hesitate to immerse yourself in the demo version of FF16 out of fear that all the gameplay will be for nothing. As is the case with the PS5 demo, the save data will transfer to the retail version. That means you won’t have to play through the prologue once again when the game launches on September 17. It’s a beefy demo, containing over 2 hours of content, so it’s really convenient to not lose all that progress.
A Normal and Complete Edition Are Available
Final Fantasy 16 PC is available for pre-orders, and fans can choose between a standard and complete edition. The regular version contains the base game and it’s priced at $49.99. For $69.99 players can grab the complete edition which comes with the Echoes of the Fallen and Rising Tide DLC.
Fixes Have Been Pushed Out Following Demo Feedback
In the Rock Paper Shotgun interview, the developer explains that optimizing the game for PC wasn’t an easy task because the original game was “tailored for the PS5 in a lot of different ways.” Following the release of the demo, developers have received feedback regarding the game’s performance, and Update 1.01 was pushed out to address some complaints.
The update addresses several issues, including Dynamic Resolution being locked on the lowest setting and enemies not appearing properly in specific battle content. Graphics not being displayed properly under some states have also been mended. Other fixes included fixes graphical tearing in particular instances when using borderless screen mode and special effects not playing properly under specific conditions. Furthermore, UI not displaying properly under some conditions, screen resolution changing under certain conditions, and rare instances of GPU crashes have been dealt with, in addition to other minor issues. Developers aren’t done yet perfecting the game and are still fine-tuning the game, and they are investigating instances of stuttering in a few environments.
Steam Deck Users Shouldn’t Have High Expectations
The Steam Deck has shown itself to be quite capable of punching above its weight and playing a host of recently released games. Final Fantasy 16 runs on the handheld, though you will have to make a few compromises. By default, the game uses low graphics presets on Valve’s device, and AMD FSR 1 is turned on. With these settings the FF16 demo hovers around the 30fps mark, though it does drop to as low as 19fps during intense moments. Anyone familiar with the PS5 version will notice the dip in graphics, though it’s amazing that the game runs at all on the Deck.
Numerous Cutscenes are Capped at 30fps
FF16 features stunning cutscenes that tell the story of Clive Rosfield and his battles against the Eikon. Some are rendered in real time while others are pre-rendered and capped at 30fps. It isn’t too much of a problem, though it may be annoying to some players who are used to higher framerates. If it’s too much of a distraction, a mod is available for the PC demo which unlocks the cutscene framerate.
PC Performance Impressions
The demo has been tested with minimum and recommended specs, and the results are good, although there are a few complaints, as per Youtuber Daniel Owen. Even on an RTX 4090 with the game running at 60fps, there is some stuttering though, as previously stated, developers are aware of the issue and are investigating it. On a GTX 1070, it’s possible to hit 1080p but the game won’t hold a consistent 30FPS. For players using an RX 6700 XT, it’s possible to hit medium settings, with the game hovering slightly above the 60fps mark.
No Native Ultrawide Support
Unfortunately, FF16 doesn’t have native ultrawide support on PC. Once again, PC modders come to the rescue and with a simple mod, it is possible to enable narrow and ultrawide support. The useful mod also allows you to adjust gameplay FOV and removes pillarboxing and letterboxing in borderless/fullscreen mode.
Final Fantasy 16 Has DirectStorage
DirectStorage is a technology developed by Microsoft to take full advantage of SSDs. It promises several benefits, including faster load times, reduced CPU overhead, and optimized data streaming. The advantages of DirectStorage are seen in titles such as Forspoken, which manages to “reduce its load time from an average of around 10 seconds down to a single second.” FF16 will support DirectStorage so you can expect speedy load times.
Has support for Adaptive Triggers + ability to switch controller button icons
Not all PC players enjoy using a keyboard and mouse for gaming, and some prefer using a controller, especially for third-person RPGs. On PS5, Final Fantasy 16 uses the DualSense’s unique features to increase immersion. This includes the implementation of the adaptive triggers during several moments, including when opening doors and pulling levers. PC gamers can enjoy the PS5 experience, as the game has support for adaptive triggers. In addition, players can switch controller button icons to their liking.
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