From Famitsu interview on command and turn-based stuff:
――I would love to hear the reason for your decision on commands.
Yoshida: I'm a generation that grew up with command and turn-based RPGs. So I think I know how interesting and immersive it is. On the other hand, for the past 10 years or so, I've come to see quite a few opinions that "I can't understand the feeling of selecting commands and fighting on video games." This opinion is still increasing, especially among younger generation users and users who do not usually play RPGs. From game consoles several generations ago, all character expressions can now be done in real time.
Actions such as "pull the trigger and the character shoots a gun" and "press the button and the character swings the sword" can be expressed without going through commands. It became commonplace for gamers younger than me who were crazy about such games. As a result, it seems that it leads to the statement that even though it is already in battle, I do not understand the meaning of choosing a command such as "Battle" and making the trouble of deciding the action. This is not a good / bad story, but a big difference depending on the generation and taste. And again, there is a big difference between being turn-based and the command selection formula, which are easy to equate, but it's a different story.
It is true that RPGs started with tabletop RPGs in the olden days, and I think they were invented by replacing the exchange of words in tabletops with commands in video games. As I said, I think I know the fun of command-based RPGs, and I still want to make them, but when I think about the sales that are expected of "FF16" and the impact that I have to give. He said that if the development team got lost and the system became half-finished, and as a result, it would be remade many times, it would be okay to eliminate it.
It's the same as forgoing the adoption of the open world earlier, and if you have a good idea, you can challenge it, but somehow, if you feel responsible and "I feel like you should have a command", you can do without it. When. From now on, I think there is a great possibility that the next "FF" will become a command again or become an open world. However, at this point, if we, the Third Development Business Headquarters, make it, it seems that "FF16" will be like this.