Streaming may give free publicity to a recreation, however within the case of story-heavy genres like RPGs, there’s the hazard that individuals will probably be happy simply watching another person play by the sport. Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy director Naoki Hamaguchi not too long ago spoke out about this, saying that gameplay streams pose a big problem to RPG makers, as they want to make sure that their recreation is fascinating sufficient that gamers truly need to choose it up and play it themselves.
At present onerous at work on Final Fantasy 7 Revelation (the ultimate a part of the 1997 RPG’s remake trilogy due in spring 2027), Hamaguchi advised Japanese information website 4Gamer concerning the challenges that recreation streaming poses to Final Fantasy and recreation creators.
Hamaguchi warned that “one factor that RPGs like Final Fantasy have to concentrate to at this time is the danger that individuals would possibly really feel happy simply from watching a stream,” with out truly enjoying the sport themselves.
Noting that he’s not utterly towards streaming, Hamaguchi highlighted the problem with individuals watching video games and never feeling motivated sufficient to play them. “That is a disaster for the video games themselves, or quite, not one thing that recreation builders can absolutely rejoice,” stated Hamaguchi.
So what’s Final Fantasy 7 Revelation’s answer to this subject? In accordance to Hamaguchi, it’s very important that video games supply sufficient participant alternative in order that no two avid gamers can have precisely the identical expertise. “If individuals watch a recreation stream and it makes them surprise, ‘What would I do in that state of affairs?’ or, ‘How would I experiment with that?’, then they’ll hopefully be impressed to strive enjoying it themselves.”
Apparently Revelation will supply much more participant alternative than Rebirth and a sense that every gamers’ expertise is completely different, qualities that Hamaguchi feels are “precisely the sort of options that video games want in at this time’s period” of streaming. “The world is altering, and leisure should evolve with the occasions.”
Actually, ‘alternative’ was one of many conceptual key phrases for Final Fantasy 7 Revelation’s improvement. Nonetheless, Hamaguchi did not go into particulars about whether or not participant decisions in Revelation will have an effect on small plot episodes (such because the OG FF7/Rebirth’s Gold Saucer relationship scene) or have a larger affect on the general story.
However we do know that on the gameplay aspect, there appears to be a lot of participant company and selection. Final Fantasy 7 Revelation may also characteristic an outfit-based job system (FITS), echoing Final Fantasy X-2. Nonetheless, Hamaguchi assured followers that character job and outfit look will probably be separate, permitting gamers to undergo the sport in everybody’s authentic outfits in the event that they like, whereas nonetheless altering character jobs. Gamers may also have the opportunity to select any job for every character from the get-go, giving them vastly extra alternative than if that they had to unlock particular jobs. Hamaguchi famous that entry to the Highwind Airship after the 5-hour mark will give gamers a big diploma of freedom over which a part of the world map they discover subsequent.
When Rebirth got here out to rave evaluations in 2024, one of many main criticisms the sport confronted was that it was slowed down with too many minigames. Hamaguchi famous that the group have addressed this criticism for Revelation. Though deep-diving into Rebirth’s mini-games was elective, like with the unique FF7 there have been moments when it was essential to play them to advance the plot (e.g. Queen’s Blood match) or entry sure highly effective gear or battle mechanics.
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Greatest Mainline Final Fantasy Video games
Greatest Mainline Final Fantasy Video games
In Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, Hamaguchi and the group have reworked the main focus in order that battle-focused content material will give battle-related rewards (which means that grinders who love the battle system can pursue that path), whereas minigames will give beauty rewards like character outfits. “We now have balanced the sport in order that gamers who aren’t excited by minigames don’t have to play them,” famous Hamaguchi. Minigames may also have a skip perform, that enables gamers to skip by to the reward in the event that they don’t like a explicit minigame. He does nonetheless reassure followers that Tifa and Scarlet’s slap battle from the 1997 authentic will probably be in Revelation.
Hamaguchi additionally reiterated that Final Fantasy 7 Revelation will wrap up all of the story strains and mysterious components that the FF7 remake sequence has introduced us up to now. “Moderately than increasing the FF7 IP additional, our precedence as builders is to wrap up this remake sequence correctly,” stated Hamaguchi, emphasizing that the group is deeply dedicated to repaying followers’ loyalty by giving the FF7 trilogy a stable ending.
Final Fantasy 7 Revelation was introduced at Summer season Recreation Fest 2026 and is about to launch concurrently for PC through Steam and Epic Video games Retailer, Nintendo Swap 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Collection X and S in spring 2027. A great deal of new particulars concerning the last chapter have come out since, together with affirmation that the English model of Sephiroth will probably be performed by a new actor.
Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance author who beforehand served as editor, contributor and translator for the sport information website Automaton West. She has additionally written about Japanese tradition and flicks for numerous publications.