The scenario for the third part of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy is now complete.
Speaking to Famitsu ahead of the PC release of Rebirth alongside game director Naoki Hamaguchi, series producer Yoshinori Kitase confirmed the status of the next game, adding he’s “very satisfied with it”.
Hamaguchi stated development on the third game began right after Rebirth ended and is progressing without delay from the team’s schedule, though it’s still publicly unknown when the planned release date will be.
Kitase added Rebirth creative director Tetsuya Nomura was given “homework” to give the remake project a conclusion that both respected the original Final Fantasy 7 and provided a new sense of satisfaction not felt in the original. This was completed by the end of 2024.
“I’m very satisfied with it, so I’m sure the fans will be satisfied with the final chapter,” he said.
Earlier in the interview, the pair discussed the increased importance of the PC platform as player numbers increase.
Kitase noted how development costs are rising, so “we need to deliver [the game] to a wider market”. This is in-line with Square Enix’s current multiplatform strategy.
He even joked the PC version is convenient to play in window mode to look up strategies online.
Hamaguchi added there’s been interest from fans to add PC features to the PS5 version, specifically the option to fast-forward cutscenes, which the development team would like to include within the limits of the PS5’s capabilities. He also mentioned the possibility of adding a New Game Plus mode to the forthcoming third game.
In a separate interview with Automaton, Hamaguchi stated the option to speed up cutscenes in Final Fantasy 7 Remake led to an increased interest in the game.
“Nowadays, many people watch videos and movies at double speed. I myself have little time, so I often use the speed-up function,” he said. “I think we are in an age where we should let the user decide what kind of experience they have. Rather than letting (long cutscenes) become an obstacle that prevents people playing the game, I think we should incorporate such (time-saving) functions more and more.”
Lastly, Hamaguchi also clarified with Automaton the relationship between Cloud and Aerith. In a previous interview with Inverse, Hamaguchi described their relationship as “sisterly”.
Hamaguchi has now gone back on this comment, claiming it was a “misunderstanding”. Instead, he will communicate the relationships between characters solely through game content. “No one will officially say anything about who Cloud likes,” he said.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth launches on PC today, with added Steam Deck verification.
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