Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has performed so well that many now suspect Square Enix might rethink Final Fantasy’s combat direction.
At first look, the story writes itself. A turn-tilted JRPG arrives, sells big numbers, receives praise everywhere, and right after, people start treating it as a cue for the most iconic franchise to follow.
Did Square Enix Actually Promise A Turn-Based Return?
The situation escalated after a shareholder discussion was mistranslated and then shared widely as if someone had requested Square Enix to revive turn-based combat for its marquee titles because Clair Obscur performed strongly.
Many sites ran with that as confirmation that Final Fantasy might now be pressured to revert.
But fuller translations show it was not an investor demanding change so much as a reporter proposing it, and Square Enix acknowledged it, but didn’t make any guarantees.
The company reaffirmed that command-style RPGs are part of its history and that it does plan to continue making them, but it never said the mainline FF series would adopt that structure again.
Doesn’t Square Enix Still Make Turn-Based Games?
This is worth pointing out since Square Enix never abandoned turn-based design.
You can still see it in Dragon Quest, Octopath Traveler, and a number of smaller games.
Fans are mostly upset because it’s only the primary Final Fantasy line that has made a clean break from full turn-based combat.
Some fans see that shift as losing its identity, even if the rest of the catalog still supports that style.
Meanwhile, other voices point out that FF has never stayed still stylistically.
Nearly every numbered entry has adjusted or reinvented its combat systems, mixing ATB, strategy layers, or action-driven hybrids depending on the creative leadership.
Seen that way, trying to push FF into a single mold goes against what made it special in the first place.
Praise from none other than FF7 Remake/Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi pushed the conversation into overdrive.
He openly admired Clair Obscur, calling it one of his favorite games and complimenting its balance of gameplay, characters, world, and tone.
Even with his respect for the game, he was firm that it won’t influence how Square Enix approaches the next remake installment.
Is Clair Obscur’s Success Really About Being Turn-Based?
It’s also worth remembering that what makes Clair Obscur resonate is only one part of the formula, as its turn-style structure is only one part of the formula.
Much of its appeal comes from its art direction, character-driven stakes, stylish action-timed combat, and a narrative that blends surrealism with grounded motivations.
Some even argue the game’s parry-heavy combat is closer to an active-response rhythm than traditional, slower turn-based strategy.
In other words, it’s not simply a victory for “turn-based revival,” but for cohesive design that marries aesthetics, storytelling, and mechanics at a high level.
That’s the lesson other studios are more likely to take away. If anything, the online response shows how complicated expectations for Final Fantasy have become.
People nostalgic for the pre-X era want a return to heavy menu-driven combat.
Others argue that even past turn-based FF games weren’t exactly deep strategy all the time; many could be brute-forced through basic attack–heal loops.
Still, the real concern is how recent entries let go of the bold party focus and united storytelling that once defined the series.
The remake titles have attempted to bridge that gap by combining real-time action movement with ATB decision-making, creating something neither fully action nor fully turn-based. That direction is what many players praise most.
Is FF Actually In Danger Of Chasing Trends?
Not really, as it proves there is a huge market for games that re-imagine classic JRPG foundations.
It shows that a timing-inflected, command-based structure can thrive at a high budget. It may encourage Square Enix to support more games in that category.
But it does not obligate mainline Final Fantasy to abandon its current path.
The FF team appears committed to letting each entry grow from the creative vision of its director rather than chasing trends.
The ideal path forward is collaboration over mimicry: adopt useful ideas without undoing the systems that function well.
In the end, the hype around Clair Obscur is a positive sign. It validates a space many thought was fading. It pushes story-focused RPGs to aim higher and shows major studios that players support well-crafted, bold ideas. But it doesn’t mean Final Fantasy needs to turn itself inside-out. The series has changed in both smooth and messy ways, and it will likely keep doing so.
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