With Final Fantasy VII Revelation bringing an end to the Remake series next year on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2, Square Enix fans are looking ahead at what's next for the publisher in terms of massive, AAA releases. Although what's in store for JRPG fans is still up in the air, it seems like remakes for games like Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VIII and Final Fantasy IX, if they ever get made, won't have the massive scope of the Final Fantasy VII Remake series, as Naoki "Yoshi-P" Yoshida warned during this year's edition of Final Fantasy XIV Fest in Berlin that they would require more than just three installments.
"Of course I understand the feelings of the players, but you gotta think about it. Look at Final Fantasy VI, it’s such an incredibly huge game. The scale is just immense," Yoshi-P said as reported by Genki on X. "And the same applies for other titles like Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy IX. So of course now because you are working on the Final Fantasy VII series. I do get that people would be asking for Remakes of other titles. But if we did remake those other titles. We’d probably have to release them in 4 instalments or even 5 instalments."
Knowing these games well, I can only agree with Yoshi-P, especially when it comes to Final Fantasy VI. Even with the limitations of the SNES, the sixth entry in the series is one of the biggest 16-bit JRPGs ever made, featuring a massive cast of characters and two distinct world maps. While I would love the game to be remade in the Final Fantasy VII Remake series style, suplexing the Phantom Train with Sabin using the series' hybrid combat system, experiencing the Opera House sequence with cutting-edge visuals, and giving Kefka his due, I fully recognize how it would be a massive undertaking that would take decades to complete.
Will The Final Fantasy VII Remake Series Director Handle Final Fantasy XVII?
Besides commenting on how future series remakes could be handled, Final Fantasy XVII was brought up for the first time in a somewhat official capacity during the event.
"I saw a lot of things in the comments. They were like 'Okay, I get it. I get it. I am not going to ask for a 6, 8 or 9 remake. But there were comments along the lines of, I want this guy to make Final Fantasy 17," Yoshi-P said to Final Fantasy VII Remake series director Naoki Hamaguchi, who interestingly enough, has long been the fans' number one choice not only for directing a new entry in the series, but also a Final Fantasy VI remake. "So, I think that's probably the highest praise you can get. You don't have to answer."
As Final Fantasy VII Revelation is wrapping up development in a few months, it's definitely too early to learn more about what's next for Hamaguchi-san. Still, I would love to see how the director would handle a completely new entry in the series, and how much it would capture the spirit of the franchise. Although I loved Final Fantasy XVI, there's no denying that it's a very different sort of experience that has put many fans of the series off with its focus on action gameplay and a much darker tone.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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