New Final Fantasy 16 artwork has our heroes trying to break free of the Crystals

Final Fantasy 16 PS5 screenshot
(Image credit: Square Enix)

New Final Fantasy 16 artwork has emerged from Tokyo Game Show, and it carries a caption reiterating the overarching plot of the game.

Earlier today on September 15, Tokyo Game Show opened its doors for the first day of festivities, where attendees could pick up the pamphlet just below. The caption near the bottom of the pamphlet tells readers that the main cut and thrust of Final Fantasy 16 is breaking free from the protection of the "Crystals."

Of course, this isn't the first time we've heard of these imposing Crystals. When Final Fantasy 16 was first revealed back in 2020, the game's debut trailer had a line reading "the legacy of the Crystals has shaped our history for long enough," just one of several references in the trailer to the Crystals.

The three characters appearing on the new Final Fantasy 16 artwork, from left to right, are Joshua, Clive, and Jill. These three also appeared in the game's first trailer, but we know there'll be a time jump at some point in the adventure, as we've also seen an older, battle-hardened protagonist Clive.

Another point of note is that this new artwork is by Yusuke Mogi. If you don't recognise the name, you might recognise his work, as the artist illustrated the key art pieces for both Final Fantasy 14's Shadowbringers expansion in 2019, and Endwalker expansion last year in 2021.

Final Fantasy 16 launches next year in Summer 2023 exclusively for the PS5.

Final Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida recently said the series was "currently struggling" to keep up with the times. 

Hirun Cryer

Hirun Cryer is a freelance reporter and writer with Gamesradar+ based out of U.K. After earning a degree in American History specializing in journalism, cinema, literature, and history, he stepped into the games writing world, with a focus on shooters, indie games, and RPGs, and has since been the recipient of the MCV 30 Under 30 award for 2021. In his spare time he freelances with other outlets around the industry, practices Japanese, and enjoys contemporary manga and anime.