Final Fantasy 16: Reveals its Moogles
Square Enix Unveils Final Fantasy 16’s Moogles, Delighting FF14 Fans with Familiar Designs.
The official Japanese FF16 Twitter account recently shared a short clip featuring the new Moogle design, floating in front of a torchlit scene. The adorable creature’s face contrasts with the gritty medieval fantasy aesthetic characteristic of Final Fantasy 16, complete with the iconic whimsical sound effects.
Moogles have long been a staple of the Final Fantasy series, although their appearances have varied and they have not been included in every game. A lively debate on the Final Fantasy Reddit (opens in new tab) has emerged over whether the new design is inspired by FF9. However, FF14 players can easily recognize the origins of these Moogles.
12月18日は、 #FF35th の記念日クポ！
モーグリも登場する #FF16 はご予約受付中クポ～https://t.co/6BciWXwG6l pic.twitter.com/b4F5DvVmBV
— FINAL FANTASY XVI (@FF16_JP) December 18, 2022
Final Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida also serves as director and producer for FF14, and fans have been quick to notice the aesthetic similarities between the two games. Both feature personal stories of medieval politics intertwined with world-threatening events, represented by classic Final Fantasy summons. Some even go as far as to call FF16 a single-player version of FF14 (opens in new tab), although this is not entirely accurate. Nonetheless, the two games seem to share a similar atmosphere.
As Reddit user EzyStevey (opens in new tab) points out, “FFXIV Moogles = perfection.” They believe that Final Fantasy 16 will be the series’ rebirth, much like how FF14 was a revival, albeit with an MMO structure and slower pacing due to its lengthy, yet phenomenal, story arcs.
“Actually the same design from FFXIV,” says DenzelVilliers (opens in new tab), adding, “now gimme Good King Moggle Mog XII as a secret boss battle!” For those unfamiliar with the MMO, this potential boss battle could be quite a surprise.
However, one thing that fans (opens in new tab) desire (opens in new tab) even more (opens in new tab) than FF14 Moogles are the Ivalice Moogles, which appeared in FF12 and Tactics. These Moogles have a more humanoid appearance, making them seem like a more believable race of creatures compared to the small, teddy bear-like designs seen in the rest of the series.
