Final Fantasy 16 demo: Start date & how to play

Nathan Warby
Final Fantasy 16 Clive using sword

Final Fantasy 16 is set to arrive on June 22, but fans of the series will be looking to continue the tradition of playing a demo beforehand. Here’s everything we know about the Final Fantasy 16 demo.

After a seven-year wait, Final Fantasy 16 is finally set to hit shelves on June 22, bringing the legendary JRPG series exclusively to the PlayStation 5 for the first time. Square Enix’s franchise dates all the way back to 1987, so many long-time fans will have already pre-ordered their copy and are desperately waiting to see where the story takes them.

However, since each new entry brings a ton of fresh ideas, such as the new Arcade Mode, some players might be on the fence about whether Final Fantasy 16 is for them. Luckily, a demo is available to play prior to launch.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Final Fantasy 16 demo.

Finale Fantasy 16 demo release date

The Final Fantasy 16 demo arrived on Monday, June 12, 2023. Back in November 2022, Square Enix confirmed that there would be a Final Fantasy 16 demo, and it’s finally here.

A PlayStation Blog post highlighting the FF16 demo revealed that it includes: “two lengthy sections showcasing what you can expect from FFXVI.” For starters, players will get a taste of the game’s prologue, including two and a half hours of gameplay.

Following the completion of the prologue portion, players will unlock a battle demo, where they’ll familiarize themselves with the combat mechanics.

While players will only get the chance to experience the prologue section once, they’ll be able to replay the battle demo as often as they like. This is due to the fact that save data from the prologue can be carried over to Final Fantasy 16 at launch.

Final Fantasy 16 world setting
The Final Fantasy 16 demo offers a first look at Valisthea.

How to play Final Fantasy 16 demo

Players can download the Final Fantasy 16 demo from the PlayStation Store. Final Fantasy 16 will only be available on PlayStation 5 at launch, so this will be the only way to access the demo for the time being.

We’ve provided a step-by-step guide on how to play the Final Fantasy 16 demo below:

  1. Boot up your PlayStation 5 console.
  2. Head over to the PlayStation Store tab on the home screen.
  3. Search for the Final Fantasy 16 demo.
  4. Hit ‘Download.’
  5. Wait for the install to finish and begin Clive’s journey.

That was everything we know so far about the Final Fantasy 16 demo.

In the meantime, check out our other Final Fantasy 16 guides:

Is Final Fantasy 16 coming to Xbox & PC | Will Final Fantasy 16 be open world? | Does Final Fantasy 16 have New Game Plus? | Will Final Fantasy 16 be on Steam Deck?

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About The Author

Nathan is a Senior Writer at CharlieIntel. He’s an expert in EA Sports FC, Call of Duty, and Overwatch, as well as superhero games, including Marvel’s Spider-Man. With a master's degree in Magazine Journalism from Nottingham Trent University, he worked as a Trainee Reporter for Derbyshire Live before moving into games media, with bylines at Dexerto, Cultured Vultures, and more. You can contact Nathan by email at [email protected].