Exciting news for fans of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake series: Part 3's main storyline is now complete, and development is moving forward without any delays, according to director Naoki Hamaguchi and producer Yoshinori Kitase in a recent interview with Famitsu. This progress update comes just ahead of the PC port launch of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the second installment in the trilogy.

Development On Schedule, No Delays For Its Upcoming Release

Image from Famitsu

In the interview, Hamaguchi revealed that the development of the third game is going very smoothly, having started right after the completion of FF7 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.

Kitase also shared an update on the third game's storyline. He mentioned that the main scenario was already completed before the PlayStation 5 release of FF7 Rebirth in February 2024, but it required further polishing. He now confirms that the storywriting is definitively complete, expressing satisfaction with the final product. "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 added that he believes it will be a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy for fans.

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

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, released in early 2024, has been met with widespread acclaim and positive reception from critics, fans, and gamers. Despite its success, the developers initially had concerns about how it would be received, especially as the second part of a trilogy. Kitase admitted, "I was worried about how it would resonate with players and game fans because it was a remake and the second in a trilogy. [But] 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 as they approach the finale. Hamaguchi added, "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 to its compelling storyline and engaging gameplay, which Hamaguchi attributes to a "logic-based approach." In an interview with Automaton, he explained that while they consider feedback from staff and players through beta test sessions, they follow a specific policy to determine what to include. As translated by Automaton, "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."

PC Gaming Is Now The Norm

The interview also touched on the growing trend of PC gaming. Kitase noted that with the increasing popularity of PC gaming and rising development costs, it's essential to reach a broader audience. He pointed out that while some regions may not have mainstream consoles due to various policies, PCs are ubiquitous. "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," Kitase said.

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

With the experiences gained from the first two releases, the final installment of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy promises to be a highly anticipated conclusion. Fans can look forward to potentially quicker access to the PC version, 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. 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.