Final Fantasy is one of those series where the world stops whenever it has something new to show off, and Square Enix did just that at Sony’s PlayStation 5 showcase event on September 16th of 2020 when they showed the first trailer for Final Fantasy XVI.

Although it was a short trailer, there still happened to be a lot of information within it that fans are still trying to pick apart. With Final Fantasy XVI reported to be in development for the better part of four years, it is no wonder that the first trailer was loaded full of information and gameplay.

10 Creative Business Unit III

Not to be confused with Final Fantasy XV’s developers Creative Business Unit II (now Luminous Productions), the official developers taking the lead on Final Fantasy XVI is Creative Business Unit III.

For those unaware, Creative Business Unit III is the development team behind the critically acclaimed MMORPG: Final Fantasy XIV (and all of its expansions). Final Fantasy XVI will be the team’s first single-player driven game.

9 Eikons

Eikons, also known as Primals, are mighty entities that reside within a dominant (a human carrier). Typically summoned in previous Final Fantasy’s, Eikons are essentially gods that players could strategically call in for battle support. Although it does look like in Final Fantasy XVI, you either take the form of an Eikon or can gain special attacks from your dominant Eikon, allowing you to deliver devastating strikes.

There were four total Eikons shown in the Final Fantasy XVI trailer: Ifrit, Phoenix, Shiva, and Titan. However, there is speculation that there is a fifth one as there are five nations in Final Fantasy XVI, and each one has its own Eikon that protects it.

8 Enemies

There were two traditional enemies shown in the trailer: Coeurl and Malboro, which is nice to see, especially with the beautiful enemy design in Final Fantasy XIV.

With Final Fantasy XVI confirmed to return to the series’ fantasy setting, the classic enemy design is a plus. There are many enemies in Final Fantasy XIV that would be a perfect fit in the world of Valisthea, especially if it is going for a darker tone.

The logo is always an essential part of the Final Fantasy series as it typically hints at a massive theme of the title. Final Fantasy XVI is no exception to this rule and has a stunning logo. The Final Fantasy XVI logo depicts two Eikons battling, Phoenix and Ifrit. The importance here is that Phoenix is yellow and Ifrit is purple, which is used in previous Final Fantasy titles to represent good vs. evil. Creative Business Unit III uses this many times throughout their Final Fantasy XIV expansion, Shadowbringers.

It is also speculated that either our hero (Clive Rosfield) or his brother (Joshua Rosfield)—perhaps both—have both Ifrit and Phoenix within them, leading them to the constant battle of good vs. evil.

6 Facial Markings

Throughout the trailer, you will see various characters with brandings on their faces. These markings typically mean that they were “branded” by a divine entity (Eikon).

In Final Fantasy XIII, these markings (known as I’Cie) meant the character was bound to a fate with the Eikon. If they failed to follow their assigned fate, they would be turned into a crystal. It is unknown if the Eikons and crystal play a similar role in Final Fantasy XVI as they did in XIII.

5 Potentially Two Time Periods

Another theme is continuously shown throughout the trailer, seeing younger versions of the cast. More specifically, you will see a younger version of Clive Rosfield and a much older version of him as well.

It is unclear if you will be playing as young Clive or if it’s just the intro of the game, but if you pay attention, you will notice that he has no face markings when he is younger. Thus the hero doesn’t get blessed with his Eikon until after what will presumably be the intro. Whether or not his Eikon is both Phoenix and Ifrit also remains to be seen.

4 Return Of The Dragoons

The Dragoon job (also known as Lancer) is a recurring staple in the Final Fantasy series that has not received much love or focus in recent installments. Aside from one character (Aranea Highwind), the Dragoon class is relatively absent in Final Fantasy XV but shows up in a big way in the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV. In XIV, players can graduate from their discipline of Lancer to a Dragoon upon reaching the requirements.

The Dragoon shown in the Final Fantasy XVI trailer seems to deal lightning damage and appears to be fighting the story’s main protagonist. As per usual, all signs point to the Dragoons being the villains for this installment.

3 Crystals

Towards the end of the trailer, the phrase “The Legacy Of The Crystals Has Shaped Our History For Long Enough” flashes on the screen. As mentioned before, crystals are an essential part of most installments in Final Fantasy. Still, that message seems to imply the impending doom of how much the crystals control the story’s narrative. However, throughout the trailer, you can piece together that you either need to protect a crystal or acquire one, leading to some political disagreements of sorts.

It is very much unclear how much of a rule crystals will play in the grand scheme of things in Final Fantasy XVI, but they are present throughout the trailer and official artwork, which might signal their importance.

2 Chocobos

Chocobos can be seen several times at the beginning of the trailer, which has everyone excited. Chocobos are a staple in the Final Fantasy franchise and always deserve to be talked about and included.

What’s exciting is, since Creative Business Unit III is developing Final Fantasy XVI, there will hopefully be many ways to outfit your Chocobo. In XIV, you can enter your Chocobo in races, have it fight alongside you, customize its armor and colors, and even level it up! We sincerely hope that gets carried over into Final Fantasy XVI!

1 PlayStation 5 Console Exclusive

Final Fantasy XVI will be exclusive to the PlayStation 5 and PC. At least for a while, seeing as it is only a timed exclusive and not a full one.

Whether Final Fantasy XVI is only on the PS5 and PC for six months, a full year, or even two years like Square’s other title, “Project Athia,” remains to be seen. But we imagine it will be very similar to their Final Fantasy VII Remake deal, which was a full year.

NEXT: Final Fantasy 16: 5 Things We Want From The Game (& 5 Things We Don’t)