Final Fantasy XV downloadable content

Lore & Background

Three character-driven 'Episodes' were released between March and December 2017. Episode Gladiolus, released on March 28, features Gladiolus Amicitia as the player character along with an appearance by recurring franchise character Gilgamesh. Episode Prompto, released on June 27, takes place during a late-game narrative gap and follows Prompto Argentum, with gameplay shifting towards third-person shooting and stealth-based mechanics. Episode Ignis, released on December 13, follows Ignis Scientia as he allies with Imperial commander Ravus Nox Fleuret to protect Noctis. A multiplayer DLC titled Comrades was released in November 2017, later superseded by a standalone version in December 2018.

In March 2018, an expanded version of Final Fantasy XV was released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One as Royal Edition, and for Microsoft Windows as Windows Edition, containing all pre-order and post-launch DLC published to that point in addition to further story and gameplay additions. Episode Ardyn, the final post-release content pack, was released in March 2019. Set thirty years prior to the main game, it details how Ardyn was discovered by the Empire of Niflheim and began his plot of revenge against the Lucian bloodline. Other noteworthy DLC included time-limited events like the Moogle Chocobo Carnival and Assassin's Festival, as well as crossover content with Final Fantasy XIV and Mistwalker's Terra Wars.

Development of DLC was planned as early as April 2016, with paid DLC being a necessity due to production costs. Full production began after the main game was completed in November 2016. The DLC development was handled by Haruyoshi Sawatari, who took over as producer when Tabata saw the game would not make its projected September 30 release date. Square Enix insisted the DLC was not content cut from the game itself, but original content to add new experiences for players. Due to structural changes within Square Enix and Tabata's departure, all post-release support and planned DLC was canceled by late 2018; story material for the planned 'The Dawn of the Future' DLC was turned into a novel of the same name.

Reader's Guide

The downloadable content for Final Fantasy XV represents a significant post-launch effort to address player criticisms regarding the game's narrative structure and missing details. The character-driven Episodes—Gladiolus, Prompto, and Ignis—provided deeper exploration of supporting characters and filled narrative gaps, while the multiplayer Comrades expansion offered cooperative gameplay. The Royal Edition and Windows Edition consolidated all content into a definitive version, and Episode Ardyn served as a final narrative piece exploring the antagonist's backstory. The DLC's development, handled by a smaller team under Haruyoshi Sawatari, was framed as original content rather than cut material. The cancellation of further planned DLC due to structural changes at Square Enix and the departure of director Hajime Tabata marked the end of support, with the 'The Dawn of the Future' storyline being adapted into a novel. The DLC's legacy lies in its attempt to expand and refine the base game's world and characters, though its piecemeal release and eventual cancellation highlight the challenges of post-launch content development.

Did You Know?

• Episode Gladiolus features an appearance by recurring franchise character Gilgamesh.
• The music for Episode Ardyn was co-composed by Kenji Hiramatsu and anime composer Taku Iwasaki.
• A King's Tale: Final Fantasy XV was developed by Empty Clip Studios and originally marketed as a pre-order exclusive.
• The theme song for Comrades, 'Choosing Hope', was composed by Nobuo Uematsu and sung by Emiko Suzuki.