Final Fantasy XIVhas a habit of pulling from otherFinal Fantasygames and re-purposing that content to fit into the world of Etheirys. However, re-purposed content isn’t the only way that elements from otherFinal Fantasygames appear, as we’ve seen crossovers that bring characters from other worlds straight to Etheirys, where they usually need the Warrior of Light’s help to get back to where they belong, as was the case when Clive appeared during theFF16crossover event. So, it won’t be surprising—and it should be expected—that we’ll continue seeing the series' past represented inFFXIV.
Patch 7.2 was recently released forFFXIV, which means we’re getting close to the end ofDawntrail’sextended narrative in the patch sequence, and thenmoving into patches that set up the story to lead us into the next big expansion. While the expansion doesn’t need to pull influence from another game, likeEndwalkerdid withFF4orDawntrailwithFF9in its later half, it’s the perfect chance to feature content from another game, reimagining its world and characters. With that being said, I believe it’s time to bringFF8into the mix.
FFXIV Composer Soken Thinks The MMO Needs More FF8
Not Many References Or Elements Appear From It
In an interview withPCGamesn, Soken said he’d like to see moreFF8inFFXIV, a sentiment I agree with as a longtime fan of both games. There’s a reference here and there toFF8, such as a boss in the last section of the Crystal Tower, World of Darkness, having an attack named, “Eyes on Me,” referencing the song fromFF8, or gunblades being introduced.However, the references aren’t anyway near the level we see for other games, most notablyFF9at the current moment, since it’s a big part of the most recent main quests.
Naturally, Soken having the opportunity to create tracks based on music from older games always ends with incredible results, thanks to his talent and the talent of his team, and we recently got to see this with"Roses of May" being recreated as a battle themeinFFXIV. I wouldn’t expect too many songs to get this treatment, but having one or two would be amazing to hear. Plus,FF8seems to end up being overlooked when the series overall is being discussed, so havingFFXIVbring more attention to this game would be a fun way to honor it.
Final Fantasy 8 Could Bring So Much To FFXIV
There’s A Need For A New Villain
Right now is the perfect time to incorporateFF8intoFFXIV, becausewe need a new long-term villainfor the next overarching storyline, since Zodiark, the Ascians, and thecause of the Final Dayshave all been dealt with inEndwalker, andDawntraildidn’t give us a new villain to fill that void, opting for a temporary choice instead. There’s some side content that makes it feel like Ultima could be the next villain, even though we fight her at the end of theStormbloodAlliance Raids. However, maybe it’d be better to bring in Ultimecia instead.
If you’re unfamiliar withFF8, Ultimecia is the primary antagonist of the game, and the first female main villain in the series. She’s asorceress from the future who sends her consciousness back in time, taking over the bodies of other sorceresses as she attempts to cast a time compression spell in order to become a living god. Her story follows the classic traits of a tragedy, where trying to go back and defeat those who would kill her in the future ends up leading to the events she wanted to stop.
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Herability to travel through time, possess other sorceresses, and desire to make herself a living godare all traits that can be perfectly adapted toFFXIVto bring her in as a new villain, especially with her coming from the future. It wouldn’t be the first time that there’s been a bit of time travel in convoluted ways, but it would be perfect for bringing in a new villain, since we don’t have the set-up for anybody else as a villain yet, and the destruction she can cause can be a driving factor for how future content is approached.
As a villain, Ultimecia’s arc could lead to a scenario similar to Dalamud falling, where the in-game world sees significant changes as a result of catastrophe. This wouldn’t need to mean a complete reset like the wayA Realm Rebornhandled events, but it would be a tool that could be used at the end of another arc, which could be another 10 years, to refresh the world so that it feels new again, even if it isn’t entirely reset. Aside from that,Ultimecia could be genuinely threatening, aswe know several sorceresses she can target.
FF8 Shouldn’t Be Emphasized Without A Reason
There’s No Need To Force It
Forcing content to overlap can work for crossovers, such as theFFXIVandFall Guyscollaboration, butFF8deserves more than just a crossover, and it could solve big issues, like the next primary villain for an entire storyline across multiple expansions. Because of that, trying to force the content without a reason would make it feel disingenuous, and it could lead to a jarring feeling, which tends to happen with forced content, as there’s a lack of natural flow in the story to lead to that content.
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The current point that the story ofFFXIVis in has ways thatFF8could be emphasized without forcing the content, and the reasons leading from where we are in the story into a new point with this emphasis can be varied. Plus, a time-traveling villain tends to bring their own reasons for the content to shift to emphasizingFF8. With all that being said, it’s unlikely that this is the direction that the game is going right now. But if a decision is made to bring inFF8elements,it’s better to make sure there’s a reason behind them.
I loveFF8, which is why I’d love to see it brought intoFFXIVwith a heavier emphasis, and I love the idea that Ultimecia could be a villain in the game, because she would feel like a genuine threat even against the Warrior of Light’s power. Unfortunately, I don’t think this is where the story will go in the next expansion. However, I’ll hold out hope that Soken will get his wish, and that we’ll be able to hear hisFF8-inspired masterpieces in the future inFinal Fantasy XIV.
