As Final Fantasy VII Revelation prepares to conclude the beloved Remake trilogy next year across PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2, the gaming community has turned its attention to what Square Enix has planned for the future of its flagship franchise. The anticipation is palpable among JRPG enthusiasts who have witnessed the extraordinary transformation of Cloud Strife’s adventure from its 1997 PlayStation origins into a stunning modern reimagining. However, fans hoping for similar treatment of other classic entries in the series may need to temper their expectations significantly.
During this year’s edition of a major gaming event, Naoki “Yoshi-P” Yoshida, one of Square Enix’s most influential creative figures, delivered a sobering assessment of what full-scale remakes of other Final Fantasy titles would entail. Yoshida, who serves as the producer of Final Fantasy XIV and Final Fantasy XVI, warned that remaking games like Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VIII, and Final Fantasy IX with the same level of detail and expansion seen in the VII Remake project would require approximately five installments each. This revelation underscores the enormous undertaking that Square Enix committed to when it decided to reimagine Final Fantasy VII as a multi-part epic rather than a single comprehensive release.
The Scale of Modern Final Fantasy Remakes
The Final Fantasy VII Remake project has been nothing short of revolutionary in its scope and ambition. When Square Enix released Final Fantasy VII Remake in 2020, it covered only the Midgar section of the original game—content that represented roughly five to seven hours of gameplay in the 1997 version. The remake expanded this into a full 30-40 hour experience, adding new story elements, characters, and dramatically reimagined gameplay systems. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth continued this trend in 2024, offering an even larger open-world experience that explored the next major arc of Cloud’s journey. The upcoming Revelation will conclude this ambitious trilogy, meaning what was once a single 40-hour game has become three massive AAA releases spanning nearly a decade of development.
Yoshida’s warning about potential five-part remakes stems from the sheer volume of content in these classic titles. Final Fantasy VI, released in 1994, features one of the largest playable casts in the series with 14 permanent characters, each with their own storylines and motivations. The game’s narrative scope, which includes a world-altering catastrophe midway through the story, would require extensive development resources to recreate with modern fidelity. Similarly, Final Fantasy VIII and IX each contain lengthy narratives, multiple explorable continents, and complex gameplay systems that would demand years of development time to properly modernize while maintaining the expanded detail fans now expect from Square Enix remakes.
Looking Ahead to Final Fantasy XVII
While discussions of potential remakes continue to generate excitement and concern among longtime fans, Square Enix has also begun teasing the future of the mainline series with hints about Final Fantasy XVII. Although details remain scarce, the acknowledgment that development is progressing on the next numbered entry provides reassurance that Square Enix remains committed to creating new experiences rather than solely revisiting past glories. Final Fantasy XVI, released in 2023, represented a significant departure for the series with its action-focused combat and mature narrative, and fans are eager to see what direction the seventeenth installment will take.
The gaming industry has watched Square Enix’s remake strategy with great interest, as it represents one of the most ambitious approaches to revisiting classic intellectual property ever attempted. The success of Final Fantasy VII Remake demonstrated that there is substantial appetite for modernized versions of beloved games, but Yoshida’s comments highlight the practical limitations of such projects. Development costs for AAA games have skyrocketed in recent years, with budgets frequently exceeding $100 million for major releases. A five-part remake series for multiple classic Final Fantasy games would represent an extraordinary financial and creative commitment that even a company of Square Enix’s stature would need to carefully consider. For now, fans can look forward to the conclusion of the VII Remake saga while keeping their hopes measured for what additional remakes might eventually materialize in the years to come.
Expert Opinion: Yoshida’s candid assessment reflects the industry-wide challenge of balancing fan expectations with development realities. Square Enix will likely pursue a more selective approach to future remakes, potentially opting for faithful HD remasters rather than full-scale reimaginings for titles like VI, VIII, and IX. The company’s focus on Final Fantasy XVII suggests a strategic pivot toward new content that can be developed more efficiently while satisfying the franchise’s dedicated global audience.
