The FINAL FANTASY XVI sword, INVICTUS, is now on display until July 19, 2023 on the first floor of the White Tower, the most infamous castle keep in the world located at the centre of the Tower of London. Visitors to the Tower of London will be able to view the sword up close for themselves as part of their general admission, marking the first time a sword created from a videogame has ever been housed in the Royal Armouries alongside armour once owned by kings.
“It’s thrilling to see the historic art form of sword crafting continue to thrive in the videogame space and what better way to celebrate this than by displaying this exclusive sword from FINAL FANTASY XVI alongside the Royal Armouries collection of arms and armour,” said Emma Mawdsley, Keeper of Tower Armouries. “We are always looking at ways to engage new audiences with our collections across the Museum’s three sites, so we’re very excited to welcome fans of the franchise and gamers alike to the Royal Armouries in the Tower of London.”
The sword was crafted over a number of months by renowned swordsmith, Tod Todeschini, who meticulously captured Clive Rosfield’s sword’s intricate details through a variety of metal working techniques. Using a mixture of traditional techniques and the latest technological advancements in sword making, the lower part of the blade was ground from solid steel using belt finishers and hand grinders and then a long steel peg was welded-on, which went from the blade ridge to the end of the pommel. The upper part of the blade was then made from two hollow shells, then welded together and cleaned using belt and hand grinders. The final pieces of detail at the top of the blade were formed and spot welded in place to complete the blade.
“SQUARE ENIX challenged me to bring the sword from FINAL FANTASY XVI to life from the digital world to the real world, therefore the first and most sizeable task was working out how to actually make it in reality,” said Tod Todeschini, the swordsmith on the project. “I knew from the very start, this was not going to be an ordinary sword and challenging in every way, but I’m very pleased with the finished sword and proud that it will be available for the fans to view alongside the Royal Armouries collection in the Tower of London.”
Digital pre-orders for the Standard and Deluxe Editions are available on the PlayStation Store. More information on all the offerings, as well as new information is available on the official FINAL FANTASY XVI website: http://www.finalfantasyxvi.com
FINAL FANTASY XVI is rated USK 16 / PEGI 18 and will be available for the PlayStation 5 console on 22 June 2023.
