Final Fantasy 16 Shadow-Dropped on Xbox with Full Content and Cross-Buy Support

On June 8, during the Xbox Games Showcase, Final Fantasy 16 was released without any advance notice for Xbox Series X|S and Windows PCs through the Xbox app. This is the first time the game has been made available on Xbox. It originally launched on PlayStation 5 in June 2023, serving as a timed exclusive for approximately a year.

This surprise release includes two different versions. The Standard Edition costs $49.99 and comes with the main game. The Complete Edition is $69.99 and includes the base game along with both expansion packs—Echoes of the Fallen and The Rising Tide. If players buy just the base version, they can still buy the expansions later on their own or as part of the Expansion Pass. Both versions also include two digital bonus items: the Blood Sword weapon glamour and the Sixteen Bells Orchestrion item, which adds music to the game’s Hideaway hub.

The game supports Xbox Play Anywhere, meaning players only need to buy it once to play on both Xbox consoles and Windows 10 or 11 PCs. It also works with Xbox Cloud Gaming, so people can play on devices like tablets and phones if they have a stable connection. However, the game is not part of Xbox Game Pass at this time.

A free demo is also available for Xbox players. Any progress made in the demo will transfer to the full version if the player chooses to buy it.

Final Fantasy 16 is set in a world called Valisthea, which is divided into five nations. Each nation fights for control over magical crystals called Mothercrystals. The story follows Clive Rosfield, a warrior whose life is shaped by loss and conflict. He is connected to a powerful creature known as Ifrit, one of several giant beings in the game called Eikons. The plot centers on Clive’s mission to destroy the Mothercrystals and defeat Ultima, a powerful god-like force. This is the first mainline Final Fantasy game to receive a Mature rating worldwide because of its darker themes and intense action.

The game includes a full list of 69 achievements that are worth a total of 1,095 Gamerscore. Of those, 53 achievements are secret and only unlock as players progress through the game. Examples of visible achievements include “The Chronicler,” which gives 200 Gamerscore, and “You Can Pet the Dog,” which gives 5 Gamerscore for petting Clive’s dog Torgal five times. Other achievements focus on specific battle skills, such as dealing 50,000 damage to a staggered enemy (not counting battles in the Hall of Virtue or those using Ifrit), or performing 15 Shift Strikes or Shift Shots. Players can also earn achievements for things like executing Heatwave Counters, defeating enemies in midair, or using lightning attacks in creative ways.

Square Enix confirmed that this release is part of its plan to bring more Final Fantasy titles to Xbox. They announced that Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade will arrive on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox PC this winter, so it should release between December and February. Like Final Fantasy 16, it will also support Xbox Play Anywhere.

Another game, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles, is scheduled to launch on September 30, 2025. 

With this release, all mainline single-player Final Fantasy games and the online title Final Fantasy XIV Online are now available on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox PC. A trailer during the Xbox Games Showcase also confirmed that Final Fantasy 16 can be played through Xbox Cloud Gaming.

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