Final Fantasy 16 Chocobos Are Called Horses In Japanese Version
Final Fantasy games have changed so much during the series' 35-year run, it can be hard to pinpoint anything at this stage that connects them. However, chocobos are one of those things. Returning once again in Final Fantasy 16, the giant birds have been an integral part of the series since Final Fantasy 2. It was noted during the game's previews this week that when playing Final Fantasy 16 in Japanese, chocobos are referred to as horses.
IGN's Esra Krabbe noticed a chocobo was referred to as an uma in the Japanese version of the game. Uma means horse in Japanese, so intrigued by why that would be, they posed the question to Square Enix. Turns out there's a pretty interesting story behind the decision which begins with the idea of not including chocobos in Final Fantasy 16 at all.
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“When thinking about the story, the worldview, and a feeling of reality, a horse just looks better as a silhouette when straddled,” Final Fantasy 16's creative director Kazutoyo Maehiro explained. “Chocobos are based on birds, which first of all means they don’t stand on four legs, and that makes them more difficult to mount. When compared with a horse it might not feel as stable to ride a chocobo.”
So, that explains why Square thought horses should replace chocobos in Final Fantasy 16, but not why the series' iconic birds made it in anyway. Turns out that's pretty simple. It's Final Fantasy. “If you’re going to be faithful to Final Fantasy elements, then yes, chocobos should be picked over horses.”
As for why chocobos are still referred to as horses when playing in Japanese, that relates to a turn of phrase commonly used in Japan. “We sometimes refer to a car as
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