IN Sunway Pyramid, mallgoers crowded around and above the Orange Concourse on the lower ground floor. It did not matter that it was 9pm, close to the mall’s closing hour; the Final Fantasy XVI (FFXVI) launch exhibit just opened up.
The exhibit, which ran from 22 June to 2 July, had showcased an extensive collection of FFXVI art pieces, an exhibit for the various exclusive collector’s items, a game zone for visitors to try the game’s demo, and other activities for fans to win exciting prizes.
There was also an unmissable 4.8 metre art installation of Ifrit.
A return to medieval fantasy
Set in the fictional world of Valisthea, Final Fantasy XVI will follow the journey of Clive Rosfield, who embarks on a mission to discover the origins of the Eikon called Ifrit, which attacked and destroyed his home nation of Rosaria 13 years before the main story begins.
As the firstborn son in the Rosarian royal family, players will guide Clive to the truth that robbed him of his family and nation.
Prior to FFXVI, the last main Final Fantasy that was released was Final Fantasy XV in 2016. Unlike FFXV and earlier games that gravitated towards modern settings, FFXVI will be set against a medieval background.
Think Final Fantasy meets Game of Thrones.
Given the gap in between releases, how longstanding the franchise has been, and legendary gaming icon Naoki Yoshida’s involvement as a producer, the hype surrounding the new game was at a fever pitch until the game’s release on 22 June.
On the best of the best hardware
Barring 2021’s Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, Final Fantasy XVI is the first mainline game in the franchise to be made exclusively for the PlayStation 5. So, what does that mean?
Intergrade was an enhanced version of Final Fantasy VII Remake that was released a year before, and the latter was developed according to the capabilities of the PlayStation 4.
In other words, unlike Intergrade, which only had tweaks to its graphics and performance, FFXVI is not an enhanced version of a PS4 game, nor is it shackled by the PS4’s performance; this game was developed to run on the PS5.
This means superior graphics, performance, and sound design.
In other words, those who get the game will experience the best that Final Fantasy has to offer through the PlayStation 5.
Launch activities
On 24, 25, 30 June and 2 July from 2pm onwards, visitors were encouraged to complete a check-in activity and collect a set of 8 unique FFXVI design coasters. These were limited to the first 25 redemptions per day, on a first-come-first-served basis.
Those looking to win even more exclusive prizes turned to the Battle Performance Challenge, which tested their gaming skills.
At the PlayStation 5 hands-on zone, visitors needed to get a high score by beating a monster. Top players with the highest scores at the end of the promotion period were awarded prizes such as the Final Fantasy XVI Collector’s Edition and the Final Fantasy XVI 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle.
For those who were seeking to try their hand at winning the extremely sought after PlayStation 5 Final Fantasy XVI Bundle, which was a bundle of both the PS5 console and a copy of the FFXVI game, participants were required to scan and collect four QR stamps via Sunway Pyramid’s mobile app by completing four activities at the pop-up event.
Those with all four QR code stamps were entitled to one FFXVI poster, which then enabled them to enter a raffle draw to win exclusive merchandise such as the bundle and eight types of bust figurines, among others.
The pop-up eventually culminated in the meet-and-greet event with Naoki on 1 July from 3pm onwards.
For more, visit playstation.com/en-my/local/campaigns/final-fantasy-xvi
