Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is made on the same engine as Final Fantasy 7 Remake, so it’s not like it’ll take much more effort to have it running on the PC when a PC port of the first game already exists.
- Square Enix is gearing up for the release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth on February 29, 2024, exclusively for PlayStation 5.
- However, rumors suggest it may be available for PCs in the same year, a much shorter exclusivity period than usual.
- The company is currently facing challenges with platform exclusivity, which might deter a broader audience
Over many years, both fans and other developers have found solace in Final Fantasy. From small 2D beginnings to massive 3D worlds, from turn-based battles to in-the-moment encounters, the best-selling series has demonstrated remarkable adaptability, influencing imitators, spiritual successors, and more along the route. At its finest, Square Enix has provided a novel and distinct experience with every release, propelled by fresh characters, stories, and gameplay elements. Even though Square Enix’s financial woes are currently being blamed on Final Fantasy 16, which has left fans hardly able to recover from its release, a new dawn is already promised.
Presenting Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the midpoint of the intended trilogy and the follow-up to Final Fantasy 7 Remake.
Although Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is scheduled to launch solely on the PlayStation 5 on February 29, 2024, it may become accessible on other platforms earlier than anticipated. There are hints that the game could launch on PCs before the end of May 2024. Interestingly, compared to earlier entries in the series, which frequently kept fans in suspense for at least six to twelve months, if not longer, this three-month exclusivity is far shorter.
Sony’s State of Play event revealed an exciting three-minute clip for FF7 Rebirth, putting the game squarely in the spotlight rather than just revealing the release date. The director, Naoki Hamaguchi, expressed his sentiments in an emotional speech that explained the difficult road the studio traveled to bring this big production to life. Years have been spent making sure it lives up to the high expectations of the fans.
Along with hinting at around 100 hours of gameplay split across two Blu-Ray discs and peppered with captivating narrative, thrilling minigames, and tough opponents waiting to be discovered on the world map, Hamaguchi promises a tale greater in scope than the original and its precursor.
To further captivate players, a new teaser featured Cloud Strife, the now-not-so-only main character, gliding on a Segway behind an incredibly strong horse—that’s Odin’s horse, by the way.
There were hints of Chocobo racing and a boxing minigame, which are reminiscent of Final Fantasy 7’s colorful depiction of Las Vegas and pay homage to the legacy of the original game. Expecting unrestricted investigation, there are bound to be plenty of surprises in store for you.
Even though supporters of Final Fantasy are still feeling the excitement from the previous display, detractors of Square Enix—or more specifically, its release strategy—can’t help but voice their criticism.Within months of its release, PS4 sales of Final Fantasy VII Remake reached an astounding 5 million units. But during the next three years, the number slowly increased to 7 million, indicating a slowdown in momentum.
Remarkably, no one has attacked Final Fantasy 7 Remake for its poor sales compared to Final Fantasy 16, which sold almost as much in a far shorter amount of time and has been the subject of mockery and negative reviews.
In an ideal world, Square Enix has learned from its exclusivity agreements. Although it gives some players a feeling of entitlement, it depresses others as well. It looks like Square Enix is finally willing to try its hand at investing on several platforms, perhaps in an effort to learn from its previous mistakes. However, there are worries that this strategy could not work as planned. The series may not resonate as well with a wider audience due to its uneven platform releases and Square Enix’s unwillingness to use traditional FOMO strategies, buzz, and word-of-mouth marketing.
While Final Fantasy 16, Starfield, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom may all contend that they profited much from focusing on a single platform throughout development, the evidence seems to indicate otherwise.
Actually, the majority of the exclusives that have been released this year—aside from Tears of the Kingdom, which has sold almost 20 million copies since May—deal with talk of dismal sales figures.
Fans’ sentiment is evident: many are hopeful that Square Enix would alter its approach as the prospect of eventually making the transition to other platforms becomes less appealing owing to protracted waits, which are made worse by unintentional spoilers from internet forums and video clips.
It remains to be seen if Square Enix will go back to what it did with Final Fantasy XV, which moved five million copies in a single day upon its 2016 release across several platforms. However, trying things out probably wouldn’t hurt.
If the Final Fantasy 7 Remake ever makes it to the Xbox Series S/X, we’ll find out soon enough.
Remakes of Final Fantasy 9, Final Fantasy X, and Final Fantasy Tactics are reportedly in the works for Square Enix’s PC port and two DLCs for Final Fantasy 16. It is anticipated that the third installment of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy will also release in the upcoming years.