We recently reported that Square Enix was confronted with shareholder demands during its latest financial presentation to once again focus more on turn-based combat. This was done alluding to the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, as well as the fact that the studio's last action-focused role-playing game sold worse than expected.
In an interview with Anime News Network, Final Fantasy XVI producer Naoki Yoshida was asked if the next numbered Final Fantasy game could be turn-based, and it doesn't seem to be something he's ruling out. On the contrary, he seemingly leaves it completely open:
"With this question of turn-based versus action, it tends to isolate the gameplay to just the battle system. That doesn't take into account what kind of game the creators want to deliver to players. For example, based on a certain graphical quality we want to present to our players, or the narrative we want to deliver to our players, it relates to how we set up the game's systems around it. This includes the battle system, game design, and gameplay feel. It's not a clear-cut answer, whether it will become all turn-based, or if it's going to become more action-based.
"[I'm] not necessarily going to be on Final Fantasy 17, so we also don't want to obstruct or limit our future director or whomever will be producing the games like 17 or even 18. We don't want to put them on a rail."
What do you think, should Final Fantasy XVII be action or turn-based if you get to choose?