Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Director Predicts "Most Loved" Game in History
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi has boldly claimed that the third and final instalment of the Remake trilogy will be "one of the most loved, most popular games in the whole history of video games".
Hamaguchi made the statement during a live presentation titled 'Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Summoning A Masterpiece', alongside producer Yoshinori Kitase. The duo spent much of the broadcast discussing the development of Rebirth, before turning their attention to the future of the trilogy.
"When I think about the third and final game in the Remake trilogy, it really does fill me with excitement, and I have such great expectations toward it as well," shared Kitase. "I really hope the fans can have great expectations toward this game, and we will meet those expectations. We will definitely expand on and make the world of Final Fantasy 7 even bigger than it is now."
Kitase assured fans that feedback from the first two games would be "reflected in the third game", promising "it'll be exactly what the fans are looking for". He described the final game as a "synergy" of "nostalgia and new innovation".
While a release date remains elusive, with the third game likely years away, Hamaguchi recently revealed that Square Enix is considering switching development to Unreal Engine 5, if it proves to accelerate the process.
"The development team is hard at work as we speak, and we're going to make the game something that even beats any of the expectations that you have towards the game," said Hamaguchi. "I am absolutely confident that the third game in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake series will be one of the most loved, most popular games in the whole history of video games once again."
Hamaguchi's confidence may seem audacious, but the original Final Fantasy 7 is widely considered a landmark title, and the Remake and Rebirth entries have garnered widespread critical acclaim. The core development team has remained consistent throughout the project, adding to the anticipation for the final chapter.
Ultimately, only time will tell if Hamaguchi's prediction will come to fruition. However, the foundation for a truly significant release is already established, thanks to the original game and its two remakes. The challenge for Square Enix lies in successfully tying together all the loose ends in a story and world that has become significantly more complex than its 27-year-old predecessor.
