In a recent episode of Gamespot's "Audio Logs," a video series that delves into the untold stories behind game development, Final Fantasy XVI's producer Naoki Yoshida and main director Hiroshi Takai provide insight into the creation process of Ifrit, the central Eikon in FFXVI.
The idea behind Ifrit's design stemmed from a rather entertaining origin. The roots of Eikons trace back to the Tokyo Games Show in 2014, where the initial spark ignited in Yoshi-P's mind. Naoki Yoshida shares how a series of events during his visit to the Tokyo Game Show in 2014 served as the catalyst for the concept of Eikons.
The event venue was packed with crowds, making it a bit of a challenge for Yoshida to navigate back to the Square Enix booth. Amidst the sea of attendees, he noticed a large Chocobo and a Moogle suspended atop a booth, and this led to a significant revelation about Eikons.
Yoshida recalls, "Wouldn't it be amusing if I could morph into Ifrit right at this moment? People would scatter, and I'd reach the booth in a single stride," while observing the towering figures of the Chocobo and Moogle.
He clarifies that his intention wasn't to set people ablaze, but rather to startle them away, thus securing the entire space for himself. This marked the moment when Yoshida envisioned the concept of individuals transforming into summons while still retaining their own will. This innovation would also elevate the scale of battles to an entirely new level, aligning perfectly with the overarching ideas of Final Fantasy XVI.
For those interested in the full details, the video can be viewed below: