Exciting news for fans of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake series: the much-anticipated Part 3 has now completed its main story, and development is progressing smoothly without any delays. In a recent interview with Famitsu, series producer Yoshinori Kitase and Rebirth game director Naoki Hamaguchi shared insights into the development process and what fans can expect from the trilogy's conclusion.

Development On Schedule, No Delays For Its Upcoming Release

Image from Famitsu

Hamaguchi confirmed that development for the third installment began immediately after concluding FF7 Rebirth, and it's proceeding as planned. "We are progressing without any delay from the schedule we set when we launched the remake project, so we hope you will look forward to it," he stated.

Kitase, who had previously mentioned that the third game's main scenario was already complete before the PlayStation 5 release of FF7 Rebirth in February 2024, provided an update. He affirmed that the story is now fully polished and completed. "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 said. He expressed confidence that the conclusion will satisfy fans.

Team Admits That They Were Worried About Rebirth’s Release At First

The second installment, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, released in early 2024, received widespread acclaim and positive reception from critics, fans, and gamers. However, Kitase and Hamaguchi admitted to Famitsu that they were initially concerned about how the game would be received, given it was 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. "In the end, I was happy to receive such positive reviews that it overcame those concerns." The positive feedback has boosted the team's confidence for the upcoming finale. "In that sense, I think we have done our job of creating a good atmosphere for the third installment," Hamaguchi added.

The success of Rebirth can be attributed to Hamaguchi's "logic-based approach" to game design. In a separate interview with Automaton, he explained how they incorporate feedback from staff and players through 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 stated.

PC Gaming Is Now The Norm

Kitase and Hamaguchi also discussed the growing trend of PC gaming. With more gamers opting to play on their computers, the industry has adapted by releasing games on PC from launch and eventually porting console exclusives. Kitase noted that rising development costs necessitate reaching a wider market. "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.

The team prioritized the PC port of FF7 Rebirth to meet the changing preferences of gamers. "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 explained.

With the insights gained from the first two releases, the grand finale of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy promises to be an eagerly anticipated conclusion. Fans can look forward to potentially experiencing it on PC sooner than the previous releases, ensuring the full 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. For those yet to embark on the journey with Cloud and his allies, the first installment, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam.