The long-awaited third installment of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy has reached a significant milestone: its main story is now complete. In an insightful interview with Famitsu, director Naoki Hamaguchi and producer Yoshinori Kitase shared exciting updates on the development of Final Fantasy 7 Part 3. This news comes just ahead of the PC port launch of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the second game in the series, and signals smooth sailing for the trilogy's conclusion.
Development On Schedule, No Delays For Its Upcoming Release
Image from Famitsu
Hamaguchi revealed that the team began working on Part 3 immediately after wrapping up Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. "We are progressing without any delay from the schedule we planned when we launched the remake project, so we hope you will look forward to it," he stated confidently. This seamless transition ensures that fans can anticipate a timely release of the trilogy's finale.
Kitase, who had previously mentioned the completion of the main scenario before the PlayStation 5 release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth in February 2024, provided an update. He confirmed that the story is now fully polished and complete. "I gave it [the storywriting] to Nomura (FF7 Rebirth Creative Director, Tetsuya Nomura) as homework to conclude the remake project, while respecting the original and providing a sense of satisfaction that wasn't felt in the original. That was finally completed at the end of the year, and the scenario for the third installment was completed there," Kitase explained. He expressed his confidence that this conclusion will satisfy fans.
Team Admits That They Were Worried About Rebirth’s Release At First
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, released in early 2024, received widespread acclaim and positive reviews from critics, fans, and gamers worldwide. Despite this success, Kitase and Hamaguchi admitted to initial concerns about how the game would be received, especially given its status as a remake and the second in a trilogy. "I was worried about how it would resonate with players and game fans because it was a remake and the second in a trilogy," Kitase confessed. However, the overwhelmingly positive feedback alleviated these worries and boosted the team's confidence for the upcoming finale. Hamaguchi noted, "In that sense, I think we have done our job of creating a good atmosphere for the third installment."
The success of Rebirth can be attributed in part to Hamaguchi's "logic-based approach" to game development. In a separate interview with Automaton, he discussed how the team incorporates feedback from beta test sessions. "If our goal is A, and we get an opinion like 'I want B instead,' we can’t do anything about it as it is just someone’s preference. However, if we get an opinion like 'If you added B too, wouldn’t it be even better?' then I’ll think about incorporating it, if possible," he explained.
PC Gaming Is Now The Norm
The duo also touched on the rising popularity of PC gaming. Kitase acknowledged this trend, noting that development costs are increasing, and reaching a broader market is essential. "As for PCs, there are no borders, so I think it's inevitable that PC versions will be released in order to allow more people to play," he said. This shift in the gaming landscape prompted the team to prioritize the PC port of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. "I feel like the flow of game users in the world has changed a lot there. That's why we focused on making the PC version of FFVII Rebirth shorter than the period when the PC version of FFVII Remake was released," Hamaguchi added.
With the experiences gained from the first two releases, the grand finale of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy promises to be a thrilling conclusion. Fans can look forward to potentially quicker access to the game on PC, ensuring the complete Remake Project experience reaches a global audience.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is now available on PC via Steam and on its original console, the PlayStation 5. If you haven’t yet embarked on this epic journey with Cloud and his allies, the first installment, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam.
