Final Fantasy XV Developers on Why Mod Support Is Essential

Final Fantasy XV director Hajime Tabata, technical director/lead programmer Takeshi Aramaki and game design/development manager Kenichi Shida have answered a few questions about the upcoming Final Fantasy XV: Windows Edition, especially on why mod support is essential for it.

Speaking with Rock Paper Shotgun, Shida-san began by replying to Tabata-san’s question whether there would be Moogle mods in the game. This is a valid question since the original Cactuar mode reveal video (via PCGamer) revealed that players could turn everyone in Lestallum town into cute Cactuars. Shida-san explained that they will start offering simple mods like replacing skins with Cactuar skins, before expanding and introducing more complex mods. There could possibly be Moogle and Chocobo skins in the future.

Shida-san adds that the developers saw a large portion of the PC gaming community who enjoy using mods, especially the freedom that they bring to the gameplay. Because of that, they thought that it was pretty much essential to include mode support in Final Fantasy XV: Windows Edition. They also want the game to be as free and open as possible, so they are planning to provide players with an official modding tool, allowing them to make their own mods.

Unfortunately, the official modding tool won’t be available at launch but Aramaki-san promises that it will release “very soon” after release. Additionally, Aramaki-san says that they are trying to make the official modding tool to be accessible to all players and not limited to those with extensive programming knowledge. It will be limited to simpler mods like “the ability to switch around costumes and reskin things in the game” but they are working hard to allow players to mod “story progressions and levels.”

Most of the mods will initially be focused on the single-player content but they will also be gradually implemented in the multiplayer soon after. The developers don’t want mods from the single-player mode that could “ruin other people’s gaming experiences if it’s not quite right” in the multiplayer.

Last but not least, Tabata-san feels that it’s better “to go ahead and do it and try it” instead of “worrying about what might happen and because of that not doing it.” He adds that “it’s really important that when the fans see this and touch it, they can give their feedback back to us and we can get that feedback loop and hear the voices of the users.”

Final Fantasy XV was originally released for the PS4 and Xbox One in November 2016. The Windows Edition will release worldwide on March 6th, 2018. We gave it a 4 out of 5 in our review.