The excitement surrounding a potential Final Fantasy 9 remake has been reignited with the launch of the official Final Fantasy 9 25th Anniversary website by Square Enix. The Japanese-language site commemorates the game's release on July 7, 2000, and its upcoming 25th anniversary in 2025. The website teases "various projects, including merchandise and collaborations," fueling speculation that a long-awaited remake could be on the horizon.

The timing of the website's launch has not gone unnoticed, particularly with Nintendo's upcoming Switch 2-focused Direct scheduled for April 2. Fans are buzzing with anticipation, hoping that Square Enix might announce the Final Fantasy 9 remake for the Switch 2 during the event. However, the website's mention of merchandise and collaborations might suggest that the "various projects" could encompass a broader range of initiatives.

Last year, Final Fantasy 14 producer Naoki 'Yoshi-P' Yoshida discussed the challenges of remaking Final Fantasy 9, citing its extensive content. He suggested that, like the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, which is part of a planned trilogy, a Final Fantasy 9 remake might not fit into a single game. This has led to speculation about how such a project might be structured.

In early 2024, Yoshi-P announced Final Fantasy 9-themed extras for the Collector’s Edition and Digital Collector’s Edition of the Final Fantasy 14 expansion, Dawntrail. These include the Ark summon as a mount and a wind-up Princess Garnet minion, with pre-orders offering a wind-up Zidane minion. During PAX East, Yoshi-P playfully hinted at the abundance of Final Fantasy 9 references, teasing that the reason behind them was a "secret."

Rumors of a Final Fantasy 9 remake have been circulating since a 2021 Nvidia leak, which included a list of unannounced games from Square Enix. Although the list has been confirmed as legitimate, it may be outdated, as several titles mentioned have since been announced or released. However, the Final Fantasy 9 remake and Final Fantasy Tactics, also on the list, have yet to come to fruition. Additionally, a Final Fantasy 9 animated series was reportedly in development in June 2021, but no further updates have surfaced since then.

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