Final Fantasy 16launched as a finished experience, containing and completing an entire story across its lengthy run time. While the game doesn’t need more content, the proposition of DLC is still an intriguing one. More than any previous entry in the series,Final Fantasy 16focused on its main character, Clive Rosfield. Because of this, there is still much left in the world to explore. On top of potentially covering the stories of other members in the cast, the world of Valisthea still has plenty of mysteries left to flesh out, and borrowing the time travel elements ofDark Souls’Artorias of the AbyssDLC could be the best way forFinal Fantasy 16to do so.
Artorias of the Abyssis a DLC expansion for the firstDark Soulsgame. In the expansion, players travel back in time roughly 200 years before the events of the base game in order to combatKnight Artoriasand finish the job he was originally tasked to do centuries prior: defeat Manus and save the Dusk of Oolacile.Artorias of the Abyssis a stand-out addition to the game because of the way it expands its lore and allows players to see the world in a different time.Final Fantasy 16could use a similar trick to explore more of Valisthea’s history.
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Valisthea’s History Is Ripe For Exploring
AFinal Fantasy 16DLCthat is unshackled from the game’s present timeline would have much to explore. When the player meets Cid and sets out to destroy the mother crystals, there are five. A visit to Loresman Harpocrates lets players uncover that Ultima originally created eight. A DLC for the game could explore who or what is responsible for their absence. While it is implied that one of these crystals, Drake’s Eye, was lost to blight before the game’s events, there is still room to explore it and the other 2, especially since Drake’s Eye is associated with the missing eikon Leviathan.
This absence of Leviathan is another potential DLC option. Multiple times the eikon is referred to as “Leviathan the Lost” and the player is informed that a dominant for it has not surfaced in ages. A DLC for the game could send Clive back into the past and have him team-up with or fight against the dominant of Leviathan. The developers could also leave Clive to the side and center a DLC around playing as one of Leviathan’s dominants in a past era.
The Ruins Of Final Fantasy 16 Provide An Opportunity
Time travel inFinal Fantasy 16could also give the player a chance to explore the game’s regions in a new context. When the player arrives in Ash, the island is in desolation. While this is fitting for the run-up to the game’s conclusion, and shows the cruelty ofBarnabas Tharmr, seeing a past version of this place would make it all the more tragic. A trip to the past could also show the player what the fallen were like and some of the ruins explored in the base game could be seen in their prime.
Using the framework of time travel would allow Square Enix to delve into Valisthea more thoroughly while taking advantage of the lore that is already contained in the base game. While sending Clive back to the past as the player is sent inArtorias of the Abysswould be a great way of doing this,Final Fantasy 16’sworld and cast has enough depth that this hypothetical DLC could stand alone as well. Building out the world’s past would be enough to enhance Clive’s story, even if he never made an appearance. While there is no DLC announced for the game, fans can hope that Square Enix will return toFinal Fantasy 16and its world of Valisthea.
Final Fantasy 16was released on June 24, 2025, and is available on PS5.
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