Hmmm… it might not be anything, but the techies at Nvidia have updated their graphics drivers, and among the game profiles listed in their dashboard tools is Final Fantasy XVI. The blockbuster JRPG hasn't been released on PC yet, and developers Square Enix haven't given a firm release date for it, but it seems like it's just preparation for the inevitable. And with Squeenix's attendance at Gamescom, it's possible we'll find out more soon.
The hint was spotted by a Reddit user who follows Nvidia updates, who noted that the latest update “includes game-ready driver profiles for 'Final Fantasy XVI' and 'Once Human,' but they're not in the official driver release notes.” And indeed, if you check the control panel's 3D settings after the update, the JRPG is there.
Nvidia works with developers to prepare reliable drivers for when a big game comes out, and this one is no exception. Some people (like the hawk-eyes at Resetera) seem to be itching for a “shadow drop” at Gamescom.
To put things into perspective, the PS5 version of the game was released 13 months ago. Before that, it took 1 year and 8 months to see the nostalgia bomb PC release of Final Fantasy VII Remake. And before that, it took nearly 15 months for the road trip Final Fantasy XV to come to PC. So a surprise summer release would be just a tad earlier than previous returns, and it's not out of the question for the developers to give players a nice “gotcha” (series producer Naoki Yoshida is something of a showman).
But it's worth noting that alongside the presence of the medieval Final Fantasy XVI, there's also a listing for a demo of the game in the Nvidia control panel, as spotted by cheerful RPS fanzine PC Gamer . This suggests the possibility that we'll actually be getting a trial version to see how it looks and feels on a large number of users' PCs first.
Well, we'll probably find out more when Gamescom kicks off later this month. I played a bit of Final Fantasy XVI when it came out for PlayStation and found it a bit boring. The regional accent-filled voice acting is great, but most of the dialogue and scenes felt like Game of Thrones fan fiction through a crystal-dusted JRPG lens. Still, I'm one of those Final Fantasy nerds who prefers it when it goes to space. True. I've just correctly identified the best Final Fantasy games, alongside Katharine (peacefully RPS).