Unsurprisingly, it begins with the world.

I spoke to some of the lead developers behind Final Fantasy XVI to discuss what goes into creating a new title, where the team starts, and more to learn how these games are made. Despite a new protagonist, a new world, a new combat system, and more, when I see familiar mainstays, I know it’s still Final Fantasy. For me, it’s become a “you know it when you see it” franchise, and that remains true with FFXVI. It’s constantly changing, and as a result, so is our definition of a Final Fantasy. It’s part of what makes Final Fantasy such a fascinating franchise to cover and be a fan of.

Terms, mechanics, and sometimes even names might be familiar – there are mainstays like chocobos, magic, Cids, and more – but each new entry features its own cast of characters, world, story, and lore. Final Fantasy II isn’t a direct sequel to Final Fantasy I, just like Final Fantasy VII isn’t one to Final Fantasy VI. Part of its success likely comes from how easy it is to get into any new mainline game, which is to say every new entry stands alone (save for the few direct sequels). From its humble 1987 Final Fantasy I beginnings to this year’s upcoming tentpole release, Final Fantasy XVI, the series has, in some way, shape, or form, remained prominent for decades. Final Fantasy is one of the longest-running franchises in all of gaming.

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