Final Fantasyis one of the most prolific video game franchises. Having debuted in 1987 withFinal Fantasyon the NES, the franchise has had an unfathomable amount of entries in the three-and-a-half decades that have followed. From 15 mainline entries, some featuring their own dedicated sequels, to a range of spin-offs spanning multiple video game genres, and a slew of animated series and movies,Final Fantasyis everywhere, and that includes crossovers with other video game properties. The newly announcedFinal Fantasy Theatrhythm: Final Bar Lineis set to cross over with several popular Japanese gaming franchises.
In the past,Final Fantasyhas crossed over withfighting games likeTekken 7andSuper Smash Bros., action games likeMonster Hunter World, and MMOs likePhantasy Star Online 2. But its most prominent crossovers have often come from fellow JRPGs, andFinal Fantasy Theatrhythm Final Bar Lineis set to bring together some of the best JRPGs in an adorable, action-packed rhythm game. However, there’s one noticeable exception inTheatrhythm: Final Bar Line’s DLC roster.
RELATED:5 Final Fantasy Characters Who Outshine The Rest Of Their Party
Final Fantasy Theatrhythm Final Bar Line Has One More Obvious Crossover DLC
Announced during the latest Nintendo Direct,Final Fantasy Theatrhythm: Final Bar Lineis the third entry in the decade-old rhythm game series. The general gameplay loop sees players control iconicFinal Fantasycharacters as they tap, swipe, and input the correct buttons to the rhythm of a beloved piece ofFinal Fantasymusic. Towards the end ofTheatrhythm: Final Bar Line’s announcement trailer, after an impressive library ofFinal Fantasythemes was revealed, the game’s future DLC was teased, confirming crossovers with several popular franchises.
The first crossover revealed wasNier, teasing that the “Song of the Ancients” track would be coming toTheatrhythm: Final Bar Lineas DLC, along with four characters from the series.“Decisive Battle II” fromOctopath Travelerwas up next, followed byChrono Trigger’s “Corridors of Time.” Songs fromLegend of Mana, andRomancing SaGarounded out the DLC section of the trailer, along with the announcement that a whopping total of 90 Square Enix tracks will be available as future DLC for the game, each sold as an individual DLC pack, or bought altogether in the Digital Deluxe edition of the game.
While the DLC line-up is already quite impressive, there’s one notable absence from the list:Kingdom Hearts. On paper, it makes complete sense forKingdom Heartsto come toFinal FantasyTheatrhythm Final Bar Lineas crossover DLC. Score and songs have always been a major part of theKingdom Heartsexperience, and with the game having half a cast consisting ofFinal Fantasycharacters, it seems like a no-brainer to include it as DLC. However, there could be one big, mouse-shaped obstacle in the way.
Only half ofKingdom Hearts' cast is made up ofFinal Fantasycharacters, the rest all come from various Disney properties. Similarly, while much of the game’s soundtrack is wholly original, it does frequently use motifs frompopular Disney songs and soundtracks. Disney is infamously tricky to work with when it comes to licenses, so for the sake of some DLC in a fairly niche rhythm game, it’s likely not worth the hassle or money for Square Enix to try and pursue them, even if it does own a sizable share of theKingdom Heartsproperty. That being said, it’s always possible that some kind of deal is struck, and fans get to play through some popularKingdom Heartstracks inTheatrhythm: Final Bar Line, it’s just a little unlikely right now.
Final Fantasy Theatrhythm: Final Bar Linereleases June 12, 2025 on PS4 and Switch.
MORE:If Kingdom Hearts Scales Back on Final Fantasy Characters, Sora Should Travel Instead
