Why Turn-Based RPGs Are Making a Comeback, According to Final Fantasy Resonance Devs

Final Fantasy's return to turn-based combat with the upcoming Final Fantasy Resonance is a major event, especially given the positive reception to its initial reveal. Many fans, including myself, are excited to see the series embrace an HD-2D art style and adapt the story of Brave Exvius into Resonance. In my exclusive hands-on preview, I experienced firsthand how it rethinks turn-based combat with a stagger system, Job-like Visions, and deep party customization. I also discussed its inspirations, particularly Final Fantasy V, with producer Keisuke Nakashima and director Hiroto Furuya.

There's a growing sense that turn-based RPGs have seen a resurgence in recent years. They never truly disappeared—consider the continued success of Atlus RPGs (Persona, Metaphor, Shin Megami Tensei) and Square Enix's own (Octopath Traveler and Dragon Quest remakes). And let's not forget Baldur's Gate 3 is part of this wave. Independent games like Sea of Stars, Chained Echoes, Dosa Divas, and Deltarune have also kept the genre alive. However, the mainstream spotlight is brighter than ever, with last year's critically acclaimed Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sweeping awards. Given this momentum, I asked Nakashima and Furuya about their perspective on the turn-based RPG renaissance.

"I still believe there's room to grow, evolve, and advance, even for pixel art turn-based games at this moment in time," Nakashima told me. "Of course, the experience is rooted in the classics, feeling familiar. But by incorporating new technologies, I believe there's a future for these experiences that won't feel dated even when played today. Perhaps that's where this resurgence comes from."

Furuya attributes part of it to the ubiquity of handheld gaming, which suits this style and allows players to enjoy it more accessibly. However, he also touched on a deeper trend in game development.

"I feel like many of us creators who grew up playing turn-based games are now making games ourselves. There's a movement toward revisiting and reworking the experiences we had when we were younger," Furuya said. He mentioned Sandfall Interactive's hit RPG, noting, "When we talk about Clair Obscur, I believe its creators grew up playing JRPGs."

Furuya sees this beyond games. "I think it's a movement also seen in anime, manga, and other mediums, where creators are revisiting past projects, remaking them, and reimagining them. That likely contributes to the resurgence we're seeing."

Similarly, P-Studio director Kazuhisa Wada told Game Informer, "What we're calling a 'resurgence' may simply be the rediscovery of things that had fallen outside our field of view," in a story about the modern wave of turn-based games. This shows that the trend is on the minds of those making the very games driving the genre's success.

Final Fantasy Resonance launches on October 22 this year for PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch 1 and 2. For more on Square Enix's upcoming RPG, check out my hands-on preview and full interview with Nakashima and Furuya on its development history.