Final Fantasy fans have been left a little disheartened today, after it was revealed that the next game in the series, Final Fantasy XV, will feature no playable female characters.
The trailer for the game shown at TGS 2014 hinted at its plot being centered around a “road trip,” with all four major male protagonists traveling from destination to destination in a sports car. The game’s director Hajime Tabata has confirmed that this is the case, and has also stated that its male-centric narrative will mean that there will no playable female characters in the entirety of the game.
Related: Here’s the Scoop on Final Fantasy XV and its Upcoming Demo
Speaking to 4Gamer (as relayed by Siliconera), Tabata said: “The party will only have male characters, and that hasn’t changed since its previous form of [Final Fantasy Versus XIII].”
While Square Enix has just wrapped up its trilogy of Final Fantasy games which centered around female character Lightning, many FF fans hoped that the next game in the franchise would continue the tradition of offering varied party members, so this is seen as a step in the wrong direction.
Despite this, the emphasis Tabata placed on Final Fantasy XV being a “road trip movie” was certainly intriguing, as he continued: We’re designing it to be a road movie that you can experience as an RPG. You’ll feel the romance of going on a trip, and such.”
He added: “It’s a part of the game in which we’re placing great importance.”
It remains to be seen whether the revelation that Final Fantasy XV will feature an entirely male cast of playable characters will turn anyone off from the game, but from its impressive trailer through to its gameplay demonstration at TGS 2014, we’re still excited for its release.
