Final Fantasy XV allusions

The following is list of allusions in Final Fantasy XV. The game hearkens back to the series's roots in many ways, and though it was distanced from Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy during development, retains elements of it. The game also has allusions to popular culture, mythology and religion and real-world events.

Final Fantasy series

 * The recurring theme of nations protecting crystals is present. In the early games in the series the crystal makes the player party the Warriors of Light by tasking them to save the world. It often gives them additional abilities, like the power to wield magic, opening up the game's ability system. In Final Fantasy XV Noctis is the Crystal's protector by birth right, and thus can wield magic and other special abilities. The concept behind the True King in Final Fantasy XV also refers to the Warriors of Light of old.
 * The Gear equip menu depicts the player characters in sprites reminiscent of the style used for the Super Nintendo-era Final Fantasy games. The sprites do the traditional victory pose of raising both arms. These sprites are also used to indicate a character's favorite food when Ignis is deciding what to cook.
 * Cor Leonis's name is based on a Latin phrase that literally means "heart of the lion", or "lion's heart", a likely reference to the recurring name in the series.
 * A majority of the daemons in the game are based on recurring Final Fantasy monsters, and some regular monsters are as well.
 * Cindy has a moogle toy in her yellow tow truck, and Iris Amicitia gives Noctis a moogle plush that can be used as a decoy in battle. Moogles are recurring creatures in the Final Fantasy series, appearing in some form in almost all the main series games.
 * When the party leaves Leide after Chapter 2, they talk about Duscae and where they are headed next. Ignis says Duscae has "a chocobo forest." Chocobo forests were a recurring location in the pre-PlayStation 2 era Final Fantasy games where the player could find chocobos.
 * The format of four main party members in Final Fantasy XV may refer to the beginning of the Final Fantasy series, where the party consisted of four fixed members for the entire game.
 * In the quest "The Ever Regal Regalia", the player acquires Aero Wax, a special wax Cindy can apply to the Regalia to boost wind resistance, resulting in a slight improvement to gas mileage. The name of the wax refers to the spell Aero; a recurring wind spell in the Final Fantasy series.
 * Highwind, a name used by dragoons and characters with dragoon traits in the Final Fantasy series, is the surname of the dragoon Aranea Highwind.
 * When Noctis wields a lance for a weapon, he can airstep (fight while in midair), and when directly above a target, descend upon them like Dragoons and their Jump ability. Aranea, as a dragoon, has similar aerial maneuvers to her disposal. Dragoon is one of the most iconic job classes in the series.
 * According to the Final Fantasy XV Scenario Ultimania, each dog tag (quests given by Dave Auburnbrie) displays the name of the fallen Hunter when viewed in the Item option of the main menu. Their family names mirror settlements in the series from the first to the ninth: Melmond, Deist, Tozus, Mist, Quelb, Jidoor, Corel, Esthar, and Madain. Keeping in theme with being the surnames of ill fated hunters, these towns share story significance in befalling great catastrophe and misfortune.
 * The green man symbol in Insomnia's pedestrian traffic lights is a cactuar, a recurring enemy and Final Fantasy mascot alongside moogles and chocobos.
 * "Main Theme from FINAL FANTASY" plays during the post-credits scene, continuing the series's tradition where the "Final Fantasy" theme plays during the ending.
 * After upgrading the party's car to the Regalia Type-D, Cindy says "limits were only made to be broken", referencing Limit Breaks.
 * The item description for Blood Sword is "A blade once wielded by a warrior called 'the Dark Knight.' It absorbs the health of those it strikes." Dark Knight is a recurring job in the series, associated with dark swords and abilities that use the knight's own health to damage enemies.

Final Fantasy

 * The opening loading screen says "In a time unknown, only a prophecy keeps hope alive in people's hearts. 'When darkness veils the world, the King of Light shall come.'" This is similar to the opening lines of the first Final Fantasy: The world lies shrouded in darkness. The winds die... The seas rage... The earth decays... But the people believe in a prophecy, patiently waiting for its fulfillment. 'When darkness veils the world, four Warriors of Light shall come.' The Final Fantasy XV opening loading screen calls the player party "four brave warriors", referring to the Warriors of Light.
 * The throne that appears in the prologue resembles the throne Chaos sits in a concept art piece by Yoshitaka Amano for the original Final Fantasy.
 * Elemancy spells are replenishable but finite in use and unrelated to the use of MP. The original Final Fantasy similarly uses magic charges, which were originally inspired by their use in the fundamentally foundational tabletop RPG series Dungeon & Dragons.
 * Near the end of Chapter 1, the group reaches a hill on the outskirts of Insomnia, looking over the kingdom beyond a bridge. In Final Fantasy, the Warriors of Light are similarly positioned to look over Castle Cornelia before departing on their journey, as they head across the Drawbridge to the lands beyond the starting area.
 * The Drawbridge in Final Fantasy may be homage to the original, a bridge in Tokyo during the Edo period that everyone would have to cross to travel elsewhere in Japan. It is still sometimes used as a symbol for a starting point of a journey. In Final Fantasy the "and so their journey began..." scene happens as the party crosses the Drawbridge. In Final Fantasy XV, people also need to cross the bridge to leave Insomnia and travel elsewhere in Lucis.
 * The design of the Behemoth King is based on the winged Behemoth creature that appeared in one of the game's concept art by Yoshitaka Amano.
 * The bassline of the battle theme of Final Fantasy XV: Episode Prompto, called "Trigger", contains the battle theme from the original Final Fantasy, "The Scene of Battle".

Final Fantasy II

 * The Goblin design is reused for Final Fantasy XV.
 * One of the business signs in Insomnia alludes to the character Minwu.
 * Similar to the Palamecian Empire in Final Fantasy II using demons, Niflheim uses daemons among their forces.


 * Also similar to Emperor Mateus becoming a demon upon his death, Iedolas Aldercapt also ends up becoming a daemon. Unlike Mateus, however, Aldercapt became a daemon unwillingly due to Izunia's manipulations.

Final Fantasy III

 * The edible Aegir Root refers to the Aegir, which first appeared in Final Fantasy III. However, it may be more related to later versions, which depict it as being more plant-like.
 * Wiz Chocobo Post sells gysahl green crisps, and the greens can be fed to the party's chocobos at camp. Gysahl Greens debuted in Final Fantasy III as an item to summon the Fat Chocobo, but have since appeared in various games as either allusions or as chocobo feed.
 * The food vendor in Hammerhead is named Takka. In the 3D remake of Final Fantasy III, this is the name of Refia's adoptive father.

Final Fantasy IV

 * The blue glowing runes surrounding havens in Final Fantasy XV allude to save point areas inside dungeons in Final Fantasy IV, where similar glowing symbols surround said areas. These were said to ward off monsters, allowing the party to rest in tents without fear of being attacked.
 * The party can fight a Daemonwall, a high level daemon. Demon Wall is a recurring boss in the series that debuted in Final Fantasy IV.


 * The post-credits scene reveals Noctis and Luna in wedding attire. Cecil Harvey and Rosa Joanna Farrell also wed at the ending of Final Fantasy IV.

Final Fantasy V

 * Garulas appear as enemies in Final Fantasy XV. Final Fantasy V has a tame Garula that becomes possessed and unexpectedly attacks the party. In Final Fantasy XV Garulas are docile and will not attack unless provoked.
 * The Catoblepas in Final Fantasy XV is modeled after its Final Fantasy V counterpart.
 * As noted under Final Fantasy III, the Aegir's depiction in Final Fantasy V is much more plant-like in fitting with the Aegyr Root.
 * Gilgamesh is fought as a boss in Episode Gladiolus. Gilgamesh is a recurring character in the Final Fantasy series who first appeared in Final Fantasy V. In Final Fantasy XV, Gilgamesh is fought on a bridge littered with the swords of the warriors he has defeated. In Final Fantasy V Gilgamesh was fought on the Big Bridge, and he was seeking a legendary sword. Gilgamesh's battle music in Final Fantasy XV contains motifs from "Clash on the Big Bridge", Gilgamesh's recurring boss music from the series that debuted in Final Fantasy V.


 * Ardyn Izunia's backstory of a former healer who sealed daemons within himself and turned evil as a result resembles Exdeath's backstory of being formerly a tree where all the demons in the world had been sealed until it gained sentience.

Final Fantasy VI

 * The soldiers that attack Noctis and his group are magitek troopers. Magitek (magic technology) is a term for manmade magic invented by the Gestahlian Empire in Final Fantasy VI.
 * The Doman Plum Pits chocobo seeds are named after Doma.
 * There are edible items related to the Aepyornis in Final Fantasy XV, including Aepyornis Egg and Aepyornis Tenders.
 * Final Fantasy XV plays homage to the Chadarnook battle by having a possessed painting of a woman in Altissia called Lakshmi that initiates a battle when approached. In Final Fantasy VI a demon possesses a painting of the esper Lakshmi, and the party must fight it to get the magicite.
 * One of the lures that can be won at Totomostro, "Big Master Typhon", has the context line: "A vibration lure inspired by a monster that fought fiercely in the arena." This refers to the appearance of Typhon in the Dragon's Neck Coliseum who would use "snort" to dispose of his enemies in one round.
 * The Auto Crossbow, Bioblaster, Noiseblaster, Circular Saw, and Drillbreaker that Noctis and Prompto can equip are named and function similarly to the tools that Edgar can use in Final Fantasy VI.
 * Biggs and Wedge appear alongside Aranea Highwind as her subordinates. Biggs and Wedge are recurring cameo characters in the series whose names originate from Star Wars. They debuted in Final Fantasy VI.
 * The enemy Yojimbo is heavily based on the enemy of the same name in Final Fantasy VI.
 * The optional dungeon Pitioss Ruins has three prominent structures that portray human-like figures: a large skull-faced rampart, a crouching statue of a demon, and a large statue of a woman wielding a sword. These may refer to Fiend, Devil, and Goddess, who make up the Warring Triad, the three gods of magic with in Final Fantasy VI.


 * Ardyn Izunia plays a similar role to Kefka Palazzo as antagonists. Both start out working for the antagonistic empires, only to depose of the emperors, usurp power, and reign supreme while their worlds are sent into a state of ruin. They are both the final bosses. Similar to Kefka, Ardyn is implied to not particularly care if he wins or loses during the final battle, although for different reasons (Kefka is a nihilist and thus holds no value over anything, even his own life, while Ardyn believes that he wins either way). Both Kefka and Ardyn have a more light-hearted characterization that belies the dark nature of their true personas. Before the final boss fight, Noctis calls Ardyn a jester, which is what Kefka's design and overall character derives from. In fact, Kefka, or at the very least his wardrobe, was even cited by Tabata as being the inspiration for similar wardrobe choices for Ardyn.
 * The first main quest of Chapter 14, "World of Ruin", refers to the World of Ruin in Final Fantasy VI created by Kefka's apocalypse. Noctis awakens in Eos that has fallen to the Starscourge for ten years under Ardyn's rule, which parallels Celes Chere awakening one year later in a world ravaged by monsters with civilization scattered. Both set out, alone, to regroup with their allies and bring down the main antagonist who has ruled the world in their absence.

Final Fantasy VII

 * Niflheim from Final Fantasy XV is spelled and pronounced similarly to Nibelheim from Final Fantasy VII. Both originate from the same word.
 * The cooking ingredient Gighee Ham refers to the Gighee enemy from Final Fantasy VII.
 * In Platinum Demo – Final Fantasy XV, one of the weapons young Noctis can acquire is Meteorain. Meteorain is Cloud's Limit Break in Final Fantasy VII.
 * The Masamune katana, available as bonus content, is classed as a greatsword. The size of the weapon reflects the Masamune that Sephiroth wields in Final Fantasy VII, and its passive ability is tied to his philosophy of taking down the enemy in a single blow.
 * The greatswords Force Stealer and Hardedge originate from Final Fantasy VII as weapons for Cloud. The polearm Flayer originates as a spear for Cid, and the Quicksilver and the Death Penalty originate as weapons for Vincent. The latter's description includes the line "A single hit has the power to kill instantly." Vincent's Death Penalty is known for the overflow glitch that can kill any enemy in one hit.
 * The engine oil for sale at Hammerhead is called "Junon Super Engine Oil". The player can also spot "Junon Gear Lubricant" at Burbost Souvenir Emporium Outpost in Duscae. Junon is a town in Final Fantasy VII, and the most technologically advanced town after Midgar.
 * Old freezers found in shops in Lucis have the text "Great Glacier Cola". Great Glacier is a location from Final Fantasy VII.
 * There is a sign for chocobo-grooming services at Wiz Chocobo Post that has Noctis suggest it to Prompto. He will answer: "My hair does not look like a chocobo butt." In Final Fantasy VII, if the player inspects a bird's nest at Mt. Corel, Tifa says Cloud's hair "looks like a chocobo".
 * There is sign in Meldacio Hunter HQ and in Lestallum for "Adamantoise Paradise". This alludes to the Turtle's Paradise pub in Wutai Village in Final Fantasy VII.
 * Vyv in Lestallum owns a publishing company named Meteor Publishing. His shirt resembles the Final Fantasy VII logo, which has the Meteor. The Meteor of the Six that Vyv's shirt depicts, may also an allusion to the Meteor of Final Fantasy VII.
 * In Insomnia, there is a sign that reads "Nanaki," which is the real name of the Final Fantasy VII character Red XIII.
 * One of the business signs in Insomnia is "Dio", alluding to the character Dio.
 * The samurai-type enemies can impale Noctis upon their katana and hold him off the ground. Sephiroth similarly impales Cloud on his katana in Final Fantasy VII and lifts him off the ground. The scene was reprised for Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children as homage to the original.
 * Midgardsormr is a high level enemy in Final Fantasy XV that guards an area outside the Greyshire Glacial Grotto. Most first-time players likely avoid it and run past it, as it is much stronger than most monsters. In Final Fantasy VII Midgar Zolom is a big snake the player is advised to avoid when heading to the Mythril Mine caverns.
 * There is a chocobo racing track near Wiz Chocobo Post where the player can race. Chocobo racing is a recurring minigame in the series, first appearing in Final Fantasy VII.
 * The main quest of the Moogle Chocobo Carnival was called "Interrupted by Fireworks" after the theme that plays during the gondola portion of Cloud's dates at the Gold Saucer.
 * Although not in the final game, there was going to be an imperial general named Safay Roth, whose name sounds similar to the Final Fantasy VII main antagonist Sephiroth. Safay Roth was implied to originally be the main villain due to Ardyn Izunia being created after he was cut.
 * The Diamond Weapon is based on the boss from Final Fantasy VII.


 * The sequence in which Lunafreya passes the Ring of the Lucii to Noctis before disappearing into the abyss resembles Aerith's death, in which Cloud places Aerith in the lake of the Forgotten City before her body gently sinks below.
 * The thirteen Lucian kings of old appear during the final encounter to finish Ardyn Izunia off with a strike from each king, a reference to the Knights of the Round.
 * In addition, during the final encounter, a single button prompt appears that enables Noctis to finish off Ardyn. This alludes to the final battle with Cloud and Sephiroth, in which the former unleashes Omnislash to destroy Sephiroth for good.

Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-

 * There is a sign around the outlands of Lucis that reads "Banora White." Banora White is a variety of apples in Crisis Core -Final Fantasy VII-.
 * In a random campfire scene, Gladiolus squats in the style of Zack Fair.

Dirge of Cerberus -Final Fantasy VII-

 * One of the guns in Final Fantasy XV is called Cerberus, the new signature weapon for Vincent from Dirge of Cerberus onwards.

Final Fantasy VIII

 * There is a "Weapons Monthly" magazine in the item shop at Meldacio Hunter HQ. Weapons Monthly is a magazine in Final Fantasy VIII that gives recipes for remodeling weapons.
 * Some enemies in Final Fantasy XV originate from Final Fantasy VIII.
 * The Mesmenir.
 * The large snake type enemies resemble the Anacondaur from Final Fantasy VIII. They also uses Dark Mist and squeeze abilities.
 * Quetzalcoatl first appeared as a summon in Final Fantasy VIII. It returns as a boss in Final Fantasy XV, and like in Final Fantasy VIII uses Lightning-based attacks.
 * Funguar debuted as a mushroom-type enemy in Final Fantasy VIII. Funguar is a cooking ingredient in Final Fantasy XV.
 * Throughout Eos, Noctis can absorb elemental energy from certain objects that contain that magical affinity, such as Fire from a fireplace, or Ice from a nitrogen canister. The more he absorbs, the stronger a particular spell can become. This method of obtaining magic resembles the draw system. Using items for magic crafting is a concept also originating from Final Fantasy VIII.
 * The Ring of the Lucii resembles the Solomon Ring.
 * There is a greatsword called the Hyperion. This was Seifer Almasy's gunblade in Final Fantasy VIII.
 * There is a gun called Valiant, which debuted as the starter weapon for Irvine Kinneas.
 * The Lion Heart gun for Prompto obtained from "Episode Prompto" alludes to Squall's ultimate gunblade, the Lion Heart.
 * One of the businesses in Insomnia is "Mama Edea's", a reference to the matron Edea Kramer.
 * Business signs in Insomnia refer to various game elements:
 * alludes to one of the main characters, Rinoa Heartilly.
 * alludes to the non-player character Dr. Kadowaki.
 * "Seven Flash X-ATM" alludes to X-ATM092.
 * "Winhill" vending machines alludes to the town of Winhill.
 * "Koyokoyo Balamb" alluded to the country of Balamb and the alien PuPu, whose Japanese name is "Koyokoyo".
 * At the Moogle Chocobo Carnival, the sidequest "ODEKA ke Chocochicks" was named after the "ODEKA ke Chocobo" theme from the PocketStation add-on that accompanies Final Fantasy VIII, Chocobo World. The theme also plays in one area of Winhill.
 * The ingredient Jabberwock Sirloin is considered as one of the Three Great Tastes of Lucis. In the world of Final Fantasy VIII, there exists the Three Great Tastes of the World, two of them being known as the Balamb Fish and the West Cactus of Galbadia.

Final Fantasy IX

 * In Final Fantasy XV, the Crystal is said to hold the soul of the planet of Eos. This is also the relation of crystals and planets in Final Fantasy IX.
 * In Episode Duscae, the player can find Cherished Frogs, which cannot be sold. Their description reads, "Frog from fond childhood memories. Never caught more than nine." This refers to Quina's frog catching minigame from Final Fantasy IX, with the "nine" referring to Final Fantasy IX itself. The player can again catch frogs for a sidequest in the final game.
 * A pair of Mage Mashers based on their Final Fantasy IX appearance is a bonus item for the players who pre-ordered the game from certain outlets.
 * Luna's full name is Lunafreya Nox Fleuret. Her first name is similar to "Freya Crescent", Luna meaning "moon".
 * There is a quest called "A Place to Call Home", named after a prominent theme in Final Fantasy IX.
 * The name for acquiring Hunter Rank 10 is "Alleyway Jack," the name Gilgamesh adopts in his appearance in Final Fantasy IX.
 * One of the various signs in Insomnia advertises Morrid's Coffee.
 * In Insomnia, one of the signs reads "Karaopera Entertainment Little Eiko", a reference to a character.
 * In Chapter 13 before the player heads into Zegnautus Keep, there can be witnessed various flying entities in the skies of Graelea. Their appearance are most reminiscent of the reoccuring boss Deathgaze, specifically to that of its incarnation as Deathguise in Final Fantasy IX.

Final Fantasy X

 * Ramuh's staff resembles Ixion's head. Both are lightning-elemental summons.
 * The player can spot "Pyrefly Motor Oil" at Burbost Souvenir Emporium Outpost in Duscae. Pyreflies are the essence of life energy in Final Fantasy X.
 * One of the businesses in Insomnia is called Spira, the name of the world in Final Fantasy X.
 * The Yojimbo enemy in Final Fantasy XV has similar colored clothes as the aeon Yojimbo from Final Fantasy X. Yojimbo can unveil its bag of gil to do damage to the party. This may also allude to the aeon, as the player had to yield him gil to summon him. The Samurai job class is associated with Gil Toss in the series.

Final Fantasy X-2

 * A business in Insomnia is called "YRP", alluding to the three protagonists from Final Fantasy X-2: Yuna, Rikku, and Paine. The color of each font represents their respective color schemes.

Final Fantasy XI

 * The Mamook Pear Seeds chocobo seeds are named after the Mamook dungeon.

Final Fantasy XII

 * The royal arm Sword of the Tall is known as the "Largesword of the Dynast King" in Japanese. Dynast King is a title in the world of Ivalice.
 * The Moogle Chocobo Carnival had a side quest to locate six moogle dolls and take photos of them. The names of the moogles are the same as the six moogle siblings: Montblanc, Sorbet, Horne, Nono, Hurdy, and Gurdy.
 * The term for the Wall in Final Fantasy XV is the same word in Japanese as the one for the palings in Final Fantasy XII. Both are magical barriers that protect cities.

Final Fantasy XIII

 * Lightning's Blazefire Saber appears as a bonus weapon for Noctis, for the players who pre-ordered the game with 7-Eleven in Japan.
 * There is a sidequest called Dust to Dust, a reference to the theme that plays in Oerba.
 * One of the business signs in Insomnia, "Lenora", alludes to Lenora's Garage ran by Maqui.
 * A sidequest in "Episode Prompto" is called "Blinded by White", a nod to the battle theme of Final Fantasy XIII: "Blinded by Light".


 * Ravus's final appearance and boss battle resemble that of Cid Raines. Both characters are voiced by Yuichi Nakamura in Japanese.
 * Ardyn's display of the hanged corpses above the Citadel's throne room is similar to Barthandelus's display of the crystalline forms of Serah and Dajh, both of which were illusions made to taunt the player parties.

Final Fantasy XIII-2

 * The playing cards that appear as background elements, such as in the tent at havens and during some hotel scenes, are reused assets from the Serendipity card games from Final Fantasy XIII-2. Thus, the jack, queen and king cards have l'Cie brands and their numbers are written in Etro script.

Final Fantasy XIV

 * Gae Bolg, the Relic weapon of the Dragoon job, appears as a bonus weapon for the players who pre-ordered the game with Amazon Japan.
 * The chocobo seeds have the same names as chocobo seeds from Final Fantasy XIV, referring to different regions of Hydaelyn.
 * The bracelet accessories in Final Fantasy XV are named after accessories from Final Fantasy XIV.
 * One of the business signs in Insomnia is "Llymlaen", a reference to the goddess of navigation.


 * During the final encounter, Noctis confronts Ardyn in a celestial realm along with his friends to finally send the thirteen Lucian kings against Ardyn to finish him. This is similar to the ending of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, where the Adventurer and his/her friends confronts Lahabrea in the Mother Crystal's realm, flying together against the Ascian to finish him.

Final Fantasy Type-0

 * Dave Auburnbrie gives a series of sidequests asking the party to search for dog tags of fallen hunters, alluding to Knowing Tags in Final Fantasy Type-0, which served as identification in a world where the living lose their memories of the deceased.
 * One of the business signs in Insomnia is "Al-Rashia" with a red bird logo, alluding to Arecia Al-Rashia and the emblem of Rubrum.

Ivalice series

 * One of the business signs in Insomnia reads, alluding to the akademy in the Magick City of Gariland where Ramza and Delita trained in Final Fantasy Tactics.
 * One of the business signs in Lucis is "Uncle Randell's Root Beer", alluding to the Randell family in Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.

Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy XV started as Final Fantasy Versus XIII and part of the same overarching mythos as the Lightning Saga and the Type series games. While specific terminology and references were removed, it retains thematic and design elements.


 * The playing cards that appear in the game are reused assets from Final Fantasy XIII-2 and thus have l'Cie symbols on jack, queen and king, and their numbers are written in Etro's script.
 * Due to their nature, history and temperaments concerning humanity, the Astrals and their lore are similar to lore of the the gods and the fal'Cie of Fabula Nova Crystallis: Final Fantasy.
 * In FINAL FANTASY XV UNIVERSE E3 2017 Trailer, at 2:23 an image resembling Etro's gate appears that highlights various aspects of Final Fantasy XV universe.


 * During the ending, soul fragments appear at Noctis and Luna's wedding. They also appear when Noctis inherits a royal arm, when he is about to summon, and when he wields the Ring of the Lucii in battle.
 * Noctis's ten-year slumber inside a crystal is similar to crystal stasis as seen in Fabula Nova Crystallis games, although he ages during it.
 * The corruptive force of daemons in the world of Eos is similar to the power of chaos in the Fabula Nova Crystallis mythology.
 * The daemons hearken to the concept of the Cie'th. Daemons are born of souls corrupted by darkness, and normal humans can become daemons. The daemon form of Ravus resembles both Cid Raines's Cie'th form from Final Fantasy XIII and Snow's Cie'th form from Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. The daemons' Japanese name,, is also pronounced identically to the Japanese name for Cie'th. Ardyn's fate as being ostracized by the Crystal and turning into a monster also mirrors the condition of the Cie'th.
 * Bahamut tells Noctis he, as the True King, can banish darkness from the world with the light of Providence. This term was also used in Final Fantasy XIII to represent the will of Etro in the Analects.


 * The Behemoth's bestiary entry says it is called the King of Beasts after Bahamut, the Bladekeeper. This alludes to the rest of the Final Fantasy series where Bahamut has been known as the Dragon King.

Final Fantasy Versus XIII

 * There is a poster in Insomnia in Final Fantasy XV that depicts an empty chair and the text "The Palace of Lucis". The chair is the one Noctis was seen sitting upon in a Final Fantasy Versus XIII key art. In Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV when Regis Lucis Caelum and Iedolas Aldercapt prepare to sign the peace treaty, they also sit on these chairs.

Allusions to the number thirteen
As a nod to its original title, Final Fantasy Versus XIII, Final Fantasy XV makes references to the number 13. Although many are not necessarily deliberate allusions to the number (whether they are or not is speculative), they are nonetheless present.
 * Regis Lucis Caelum is the 113th king of the Caelum Dynasty, thus making Noctis the 113th successor to the throne.
 * There are thirteen royal arms for Noctis to collect.
 * Noctis is helped by thirteen Lucian kings when he delivers the final blow to the final boss.
 * The license plate of the Regalia is RHS-113.
 * While there are 13 Magic Flasks that can be acquired normally, a secret 14th flask can be found in the sands of Galdin Quay beach near the tackle shop later in the game. The official guide only lists the 13 flasks.

Allusions to the number fifteen
Being the fifteenth installment of the series, Final Fantasy XV makes references to the number itself. Although many are not necessarily deliberate allusions to the number 15 (whether they are or not is speculative), they are nonetheless present.
 * Final Fantasy XV has fifteen chapters, with the fifteenth chapter allowing the player to continue the game after the story concludes in Chapter 14.
 * In the Dawn trailer, Noctis and Lunafreya are said to have been "chosen by the stars" fifteen years before the start of the game.
 * The original maximum number of photos Prompto could take is 150. With the Camera Strap accessory, he can take 15 pictures a day. The number of photos the player can hold was upgraded to 200 in a the patch 1.05.
 * The symbol of the Kingsglaive has fifteen swords: seven on each side of the soldier in the middle, who is himself holding one.
 * According to the Final Fantasy XV Scenario Ultimania, the Wall around Lucis was erected 150 years ago (although it has only covered the Crown City for the past 30 years).
 * Insomnia is invaded on 16th of May 756. This means Noctis may have departed Citadel the day before, 15th of May.
 * During the times the player is prompted to take a group photo, the party poses in scripted ways. One of the poses has the party hold up one finger on one hand, and five fingers on the other.
 * The verse that appears at the end of the Final Fantasy XV Episode Duscae demo and in a Cosmogony book in the final game is from "15:2 'Nadir'."
 * King Regis in his regal gear has fifteen identical gold ornaments on the back of his cape.
 * The number fifteen recurs in some gameplay mechanics. For example, the normal Holy spell restores 15% of Noctis's max MP, and triggering the improved Holy spell by dodging with perfect timing deals 15 times the normal damage (although this may be hard to see because of the damage cap).
 * Aranea Highwind is the commodore of Niflheim's Third Army Corps 87th Airborne Division; 8+7=15.
 * During Moogle Chocobo Carnival, the player had to find 15 wayward chocobo chicks.

Kingdom Hearts series

 * When Noctis and his group come across a sealed door in a dungeon, the group discusses on how to unlock it. Prompto suggests there might be "a magical key that can unlock any lock like in the video games", referring to.

Quintet

 * At the Coernix Station in Alstor, the player can examine a bottle of Quint Energy Motor Oil. Along with its name, its brand logo is similar to that of the now defunct video game developer company Quintet, who had close relations with Enix as publishers before 2003, and were famous for their games in the Super Nintendo era. Many of their games, specifically that of Actraiser and the Soulblazer series, were the earliest examples of video games providing stories featuring heavy theological and existential themes, and anachronistic real life-meets-fantasy settings. One game that comes to mind with Final Fantasy XV is that of Terranigma, which has the deepest reins in terms of "modern day fantasy" settings and was a pinnacle of achievement in Quintet's history as a developer.

Seiken Densetsu 3

 * The game's scenario appears to draw upon similarities to the third installment of the Mana series, being that of the Masked Mage arc path.
 * Two kingdoms are pivotal forces: the Holy City of Wendel and the Beast Kingdom of Ferolia. Like how Lucis and Tenebrae are juxtaposed as nations of darkness and light, Wendel is venerated at the city home to bishops and healers, while Ferolia is excommunicated by nations throughout. Wendel is seen as a "city of light" with Ferolia being shrouded in "eternal night". Ferolia becomes key in the Masked Mage's plans to take over the world, much as Ardyn uses Niflheim.
 * Noctis juxtaposes main character Kevin, whereas Lunafreya juxtaposes main character Charlotte. Noctis and Kevin share elements regarding their fathers, which motivate them to achieve their goals. Both have a key canine companion, hailing from nations of darkness. Luna and Charlotte share sacred roles of legend, Luna being an Oracle and Charlotte being the granddaughter of the Priest of Light.
 * Ardyn Izunia's backstory is reminiscent of the backstory of the Masked Mage, Belgar. Belgar was once a respected healer of Wendel who came across an unknown disease that plagued a young girl. Turning to the arts of darkness as the magic of light did not heal his patient, Belgar's path eventually twisted him as the girl died under his care and as the evil crafts made him susceptible to the forces of Malovia, the demon world. Ardyn, likewise, was a healer who was shunned for absorbing the darkness of the Starscourge. In Seiken Densetsu 3 Deathjester incites Ferolia into creating dark history. In Final Fantasy XV Ardyn tempts the once peaceful Empire of Niflheim.
 * At Meldacio Hunter HQ, the team can purchase a set of Orichalcum daggers and an accessory known as the Oracle Card. Though seemingly inconsequential, being featured at the same store and at an outpost known for environmental conservation, could be references to the best equipment of the Orichalcon and the Lucky Card for the Wanderer class of the thief protagonist Hawkeye. How the Orichalcum inflicts Light-elemental damage reinforces this reference, as the Wanderer class is considered the lightmost branch of Hawkeye's job class progression chart.

Tomb Raider

 * At the start of Chapter 7, Ignis says that the Marshal has briefly put his "tomb raiding" on hold to assist a group of Hunters.

NieR

 * As of patch 1.05, the player can use the in-game music player to listen to "Song of the Ancients / Fate" from NieR and "Weight of the World" from NieR Automata.

Mythology

 * The world in Final Fantasy XV is called Eos. In Greek mythology, Eos is a Titaness and the goddess of the dawn, who rose each morning from her home at the edge of the Oceanus. Sunrise is a theme in Final Fantasy XV.
 * The Astral Titan is holding a meteorite on his shoulders. In Greek mythology, Atlas sided with the Titans against the Olympians, and when many of them were condemned to Tartarus Atlas was condemned to stand at the western edge of Gaia and hold up The Heavens on his shoulders.
 * The Cocytus handgun refers to the ninth and lowest circle of Hell from Dante's Inferno. The gun has an affinity to the ice element, in reference to Cocytus being the circle of Hell where traitors are frozen in a lake of ice.
 * The idea of daemons coming out after dark and lurking in dangerous areas harkens to real life children's tales about monsters and other abominations that are said to come out at night and live in inhospitable and unwelcoming places. While some stem from phobias about the home, such as the basement and under the bed at nighttime, tales like the Boogieman and other terrors have truth in that they are used to frighten children home from the dangers that can potentially lurk around outside at such a time and place.
 * The party will come across a Naga looking for its baby. In Japanese folklore, a nure-onna is a yōkai with the head of a woman and the body of a snake, same as the enemy in the game. In some stories, nure-onna is a monstrous being who carries a small, childlike bundle, which she uses to attract potential victims. If a well-intentioned person offers to hold her baby, the bundle becomes incredibly heavy and prevents the victim from fleeing.
 * The first of Dave's tag-hunting sidequests is called "In the Happy Hunting Grounds." The phrase "happy hunting grounds" is used to mean the afterlife in Native American mythology.
 * Noctis and his father Regis may have been inspired by the legends of Pellam and Pelles, known as the Wounded King and the of the Lancelot-Grail rendition of Arthurian myth. Like the father and son who protect the Crystal of Eos, Pellam and Pelles are the last in the line of royalty sworn to protect the Holy Grail; Pellam gains his title due to having suffered grievous wounds to his "thighs and loins", signifying his inability to properly honor a sacred charge to pass on the legacy. He is forced to remain in the castle, while his son Pelles journeys with guests and partakes in fishing. Both suffer from the curse of their realm becoming barren wastes until the coming of Galahad, who is said to heal the wounds of both and reverse the curse. Regis mirrors Pellam in that the use of the Ring of the Lucii and the Crystal drains his life, while Noctis mirrors Pellas in that he journeys out into Lucis with his friends and shares with him the pastime of fishing.

Literature

 * The initial trailers introduced the tagline "There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so". The line comes from the play, Hamlet, by English playwright William Shakespeare.
 * When saving Prompto from Danger status there is a chance he will say: "So this is what it feels like being saved by a prince," with Noctis replying: "Go back to sleep, beauty." This refers to the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty.
 * At the start of battle, Prompto may say "Please sir, I want some more!" impersonating an English accent. This alludes to a famous line in the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist.
 * The hunt name for The Last Spiracorns may refer to The Last Unicorn novel, or the movie adaptation.
 * The quest name Stirred, Not Shaken, refers to the phrase "Shaken, not stirred", a catchphrase of Ian Fleming's fictional British Secret Service agent James Bond.
 * A tip for the chocobo racing in the Moogle Chocobo Carnival stated "Sass that hoopy chocobo. Missing a hoop will set you back in the race." The terms "sass" and "hoopy" originate from The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. "Sass" is defined as to "meet, be aware of, or have sex with," while "hoopy" is defined as "neat" or "really together," as in "Sass that hoopy Ford Prefect? There's a frood who really knows where his towel is!"
 * At the Moogle Chocobo Carnival, the player could do a quest called "The Brothers Kupomazov" to find missing moogle dolls. The name alludes to The Brothers Karamazov, the novel by the famous Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky.
 * Sometimes, when entering a dungeon, Prompto will yell "Illuminate!" and turn on a flashlight (causing Noctis to jokingly call him a nerd), referring to the Harry Potter franchise.

Cinema

 * During the party's time in the Fociaugh Hollow Prompto says "Snakes, why did it have to be snakes?" This refers to Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, where the titular character utters the same when he ends up in a tomb full of snakes.
 * A rock formation in Episode Duscae bears a resemblance to Pride Rock, a location in Disney's The Lion King.
 * Prompto will sometimes quip "Taking a walk on the wild side?" when the party gets out of the Regalia, another reference to The Lion King.
 * A sidequest in Leide is named "Conceal, Don't Feel". This refers to the lyrics of "Let it Go" from Disney's Frozen.
 * After completing "Episode Prompto," the player unlocks his Tundra Attire. The notification for this says "Change into your new outfit and let the cold know it never bothered you anyway!", also a reference to "Let It Go".
 * The quest name "When You Believe" may refer to the song "When You Believe" from the 1998 DreamWorks musical animated feature The Prince of Egypt by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.
 * The quest name "Poor Misfortunate Soul" alludes to "Poor Unfortunate Souls", a song from the Walt Disney Pictures animated film The Little Mermaid.
 * For the quest "Strike a Pose", Prompto asks Noctis for a photo with the line: "Help me Noctis—you're my only hope!" This is similar to Princess Leia's message to Obi-Wan in Star Wars IV: New Hope.
 * The first time the party takes flight in the Regalia Type-F, Noctis says, "Where we're going, we don't need roads." This refers to Back to the Future Part II. Doc Brown says the same line before demonstrating the DeLorean's new flight capability.
 * When Prompto uses his Piercer ability, he says "All in bullet time, baby!" This alludes to the cinematographic effect known as "bullet time," where the time during a film appears to pause or slow down, while the camera continues to move at normal speed.
 * When a hunt enemy is located, Prompto will often sing "We're in the money," a line from the song "The Gold Diggers' Song (We're in the Money)", from the 1933 film Gold Diggers of 1933.
 * The title of the quest "Dude, Where's My Car?" refers to the movie of the same name.
 * When Aranea asks Ignis what happened to his eyes, he responds by saying: "Just a flesh wound", a reference to Monty Python and the Holy Grail where the Black Knight says this after having his limbs cut off.
 * There is an ingredient called Killer Tomato.  is a 1978 musical horror black comedy film that is a spoof of B movies that involves tomatoes becoming sentient and revolting against humanity.
 * The name of the hunt "Fistful of Gil" refers to the 1964 spaghetti western A Fistful of Dollars, an unofficial remake of Akira Kurosawa's 1961 film, Yojimbo. The monster being hunted in the Fistful of Gil hunt is named Yojimbo.

TV series

 * When the Carbuncle was being photographed at the Moogle Chocobo Carnival and Noctis started parroting catch phrases from Prompto, he sometimes said he is "serving Prompto realness", referring to both the film Paris is Burning and the TV series RuPaul's Drag Race.
 * One of the hint boxes advises against driving at night and cites that "the night is dark and full of daemons", a reference to the Game of Thrones series.
 * Lestallum has many references to The Simpsons.
 * A female NPC sometimes remarks that the food "tastes like burning". Ralph Wiggum says this after eating purple berries in the episode "Das Bus".
 * The description of the Gralean Medal of Honor says it is "An award presented to citizens of the imperial capital in honor of outstanding achievements in the field of excellence". This refers to the sham award Mr. Burns has Homer Simpson "win" to avoid a potential lawsuit from the latter regarding his time at the nuclear power plant rendering him sterile in the episode "Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?". The Gralean Medal of Honor can be found in a treasure spot at the nearby Aracheole Stronghold.
 * One of Vyv's sidequests during the Assassin's Festival requires taking a photograph of a white cat called Snowball, who appears atop the Leville's sign. Snowball was Lisa's first cat who was replaced with a black cat by the name of Snowball the II after it died being run over by Mayor Quimby's alcoholic brother Clovis.
 * The quest log describes Snowball being named as such "because its fur is pretty and white", a reference to the dog Snuffles from Rick and Morty, who renamed himself Snowball for that reason.
 * In the Japanese version, Noctis says, upon cornering Loqi during the Assassin's Festival, that he's "just a passing-through Assassin". This is a reference to the catchphrase of the eponymous character from the tokusatsu series Kamen Rider Decade.

Music

 * The bill for Deadeye the Behemoth in the Episode Duscae demo describes it as "one-eyed, one-horned, purple, people-eating". "The Purple People Eater" is a novelty song written and performed by Sheb Wooley, which reached #1 in the Billboard pop charts in 1958.
 * The "Killer Queen" enemy shares its name with the 1974 hit single by British rock band Queen.
 * While in Keycatrich Trench, the party discusses the dungeon's use as a shelter during the war, with Noctis remarking. "Wars. Huh, what are they good for?" This refers to the lyrics of "War" by Edwin Starr.
 * The quest name "All By Myself" refers to the song "All by Myself" a power ballad by American artist Eric Carmen released in 1975. One of the most notable cover versions was by Celine Dion in 1996.

Manga

 * "The quest name "Oh My Grease-Monkey Goddess!" refers to Oh My Goddess!.
 * The "Ultimate Pose" from the picture shoot sidequest is the iconic pose of Caesar Zapelli from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.

Video games

 * In the English-language dialogue for the "Strike A Pose!" tour event, Prompto will say, "Now say Fuzzy Pickles!" as he takes a picture of Noctis. This is a line taken from Nintendo's SNES RPG EarthBound, in which a photographer appears at various junctures to take a photo of the party.
 * The effects of the Starscourge are similar to that of the concept of a zombie virus found in popular media, but its ability to breed different mutations and abominations depending on what it infects are most reminiscent to the viruses found in the cornerstone Survival Horror series Resident Evil, otherwise known as its original title, Biohazard.
 * The Final Fantasy XV: Assassin's Festival is done in collaboration with Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed series and thus contains various homages to that series.

Theater

 * One of the side missions in the Moogle Chocobo Festival DLC was titled "Waiting for Maagho", referring to the theatrical play Waiting for Godot.

Real world locations

 * Many areas in the game are based on real world locations:
 * The city of Insomnia is based on the Shinjuku district of Tokyo, Japan. The Citadel appears to be designed after the real-life Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
 * Insomnia's name is an allusion to "The City that Never Sleeps," which is a nickname for the U.S. city of New York.
 * The town of Lestallum is based on the Bahamas and Havana, Cuba with the aesthetics of Kuala Lumpur.
 * Accordo and locations placed around it are based on the city of Venice, Italy.
 * An early concept for the Coernix Station franchise had aesthetics reminiscent of 1950s neon incorporated architecture for the servicing posts; the signature arch for the stations remain without the lighting.
 * The region of Leide, featuring Hammerhead, a gas station and repair shop in the desert, appears to be aesthetically based on the American southwest.
 * The region of Duscae appears to be based on the American Pacific northwest, including coniferous forests, wide lush plains incorporating immense geological features, and frequent rainfall.
 * The subregion of the Vesperpool appears to be based on the American southeast, specifically that of the state of Florida, notable for its national parks and reserves featuring on shore mangrove forest ecosystems, state wide aquafier lake systems, and flat expanses.
 * Cape Caem's atmosphere and aesthetics are reminiscent of that of the New England/American northeast region, specifically Massachusetts. Cape Caem likely alludes to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, which is popular for its coastal expanses as a seaside resort and tourist destination, including its seafood industry and features of lighthouses.
 * An early demo trailer featuring Noctis and Prompto details a destroyed bridge with winding arched design similar to roads found on the Atlantic Ocean Road inter-island highway network of Norway.

Real world products and advertisements

 * See here for a list of product placement in the game.
 * The middle patch one on the side of Prompto's jacket resembles the Harley-Davidson Motor Company logo.
 * The design of most of the game's cars is based on American and British car models ranging from the 1930s to the mid 1960s by manufacturers such as Ford, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Morris, Austin and Wolseley. Conversely, the cars within Insomnia are mostly based on Japanese car models from the late 1990s and early 2000s.
 * While Kenny Crow from the Crow's Nest is inspired by Kenneth Pinyopusarerk (localization director for Final Fantasy XV), its namesake is also familiar to Kenny Rogers Roasters, a United States-originated fast food chain. Much like Kenny Rogers, the Crow's Nest specializes on salmon. Kenny Rogers mainly now operates in Asia.
 * The hunt posters around the world say: Kenny and Kelly Crow say: "Only YOU can keep our nests safe! Talk to a local tipster and join the hunt today!" This refers to Smokey Bear, an American advertising mascot created to educate the public about the dangers of forest fires. His later slogan "Remember... Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires" was created in 1947.
 * The quest name "Keep Calm and Keep Driving" refers to the phrase Keep Calm and Carry On, a motivational poster produced by the British government in 1939 in preparation for the Second World War. The poster was little known until a copy was rediscovered in 2000. It has since been re-issued by a number of private companies, and has been used as the decorative theme for a range of products.
 * Ardyn's lines "I'm worried about your friends. They've fallen and they can't get up!" during Chapter 12 is based upon a catchphrase from a United States-based television commercial for a medical alarm and protection company.

Real world politics

 * During Chapter 13 Verse 2, which was added in Patch 1.06, Ignis refers to the daemons' fear of the Crystal as possibly "one of the empire's 'alternative facts'", referring to the controversial phrase used during the aftermath of the 2017 US presidential inauguration.
 * In the same chapter, Gladiolus refers to the imperial broadcasts as "fake news".

Miscellaneous

 * The fish and ingredient description of the Dank Barramundi is likely in reference to the sociological phenomena of internet "memes", in where they are often pictures and ideas that contain an in joke or common cultural baggage that resonates greatly with the populace, and to where the word "dank" is used for memes that are considered hip and in. Being explosively popular for its rare nutritional value is also likely similar to the real life trends of "miracle" health foods within the late 2000s and 2010s.

Trivia

 * Kenny, the mascot for Crow's Nest, was originally called Johnny, named after Final Fantasy XIV's John Crow. In the end the translators went with Kenny to alliterate and to honor Kenneth Pinyopusarerk, the senior localization translator on the team.
 * The newspaper of Insomnia's fall enters the player's key items inventory after the scene where the party finds out about the invasion. It is dated for May 17 and some of the pictures on the front page originate from the E3 2013 reveal trailer, which was a prototype for the game; the imperial airships hovering over what appear to be apartment buildings, and Verstael Besithia leading a group of soldiers.
 * The statue located in the bottom part of the Pitioss Ruins—a scantily-clad woman who is posed on tiptoe with her arms raised above her head—closely resembles a piece of artwork created by Amano.