This just makes me look forward more to Dragon Quest XII.

 

I'm sorry to say, but that's sort of the point.

They're highly unlikely to return to that format for anything that isn't a remaster or a mobile game throwback.

Turn-based combat leaves very little room for innovation, and limits the game's potential audience as they look to expand as broadly as possible to support a AAA, premium budget.

And as the expectation comes towards flashier and more elaborate animations, turn-based games actively start playing worse. As charming as FFIX was from a story perspective, its gameplay was an absolute slog. A complete downgrade from FFVII and VIII on almost every level.