It’s been a few years since the last brand-new Final Fantasy game released. Following Final Fantasy 16 back in 2023, fans have been enjoying Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth and looking forward to the conclusion of that trilogy. However, many are eager for news of the next game in the Final Fantasy series. So far, we haven’t heard anything about Final Fantasy 17, though it’s probably an inevitability at this point. However, Square Enix did recently announce a new Final Fantasy spin-off, Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy. But fans are rightly skeptical.
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Dissidia Deullum Final Fantasy was officially revealed earlier this month, and it was met with some pretty lukewarm reactions from fans. As its title suggests, the game will be a new installment in the Dissidia Final Fantasy crossover series. But while the Final Fantasy fighting game mash-up was relatively well-liked on PSP, fans aren’t so thrilled to see another mobile title from Square Enix. And honestly, those fears are probably justified.
Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy Looks Like a Gacha, But It Has a Bigger Problem
Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy is slated to release for iOS and Android as a free-to-play title sometime in 2026. And while Square Enix hasn’t explicitly said its monetization will rely on a gacha mechanic, the game’s premise makes that look incredibly likely. The game is a 3v3 team boss battle game, where players will step into the shoes of iconic Final Fantasy heroes to battle the opposing team.
The initial teaser trailer shows off the basics of the game, including new character portraits and full voice acting. The art style honestly looks pretty impressive for a mobile game, but even if they look good, all those new character designs have fans feeling nervous. Thanks to the game’s modern setting, many of our favorite Final Fantasy characters will get new costumes with a modern take on their classic looks. And therein lies the gacha of it all.
Many players are expecting that we’ll have to pull for new characters via a gacha-style mechanic, similar to previous mobile titles in the Dissidia Final Fantasy series. The game’s initial trailer makes that look all the more likely by showing off several launch characters along with a few that are planned to arrive down the line. And with those new costumes, pulling for alternate skins or outfits is a potential monetization route, as well.
And while some gamers, myself included, love a gacha game, plenty more will avoid gacha games at all costs. Almost any gacha that launches on Steam gets its fair share of negative reviews for its monetization mechanic alone. That’s already a mark against Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy from the start, but that’s not the only thing fans are concerned about.
Square Enix’s Track Record with Mobile Games Doesn’t Show Promising Future for Its New Final Fantasy Game
Even if you like or are willing to tolerate a gacha game, Square Enix’s track record for its mobile titles isn’t stellar. Earlier this year, the developer cancelled its Kingdom Hearts mobile game before it even released. But that’s part of a bigger pattern for Square Enix titles on mobile.
Many previous mobile games from Square Enix have been shut down relatively early in their life cycles. This includes several previous Final Fantasy titles on mobile, including the previous gacha spinoff Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia. This game, which launched worldwide in 2018, was shut down in 2024. Similarly, episodic RPG Mobius Final Fantasy was shuttered in 2020, after launching in 2016, along with Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, which ended service in 2024.
Over the years, Square Enix has developed a reputation for creating free-to-play mobile games with expiration dates. And while 5 or 6 years for a mobile game isn’t nothing, many players are reluctant to sink money into gacha pulls for a game that’s likely to be shut down in the not-too-distant future. That becomes a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy for games that rely on in-game purchases to be financially sound. A gacha can’t keep going if no one is willing to spend, and no one wants to spend on a gacha that they don’t think will last.
Personally, I think Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy looks like it could be fun. It’s got a similar setup to Marvel Mystic Mayhem‘s tag team battles, and I certainly got my fair share of enjoyment out of that one. But at the end of the day, Final Fantasy fans are probably right to be worried that it might not end up lasting long, if the history of Final Fantasy mobile games is any indication.
Are you planning to try out Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy when it comes out next year?
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