Square Enix has explained why classic Final Fantasy games such as FF6, FF8, and FF9 would be difficult to remake on the same scale as the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy. According to Naoki Yoshida, their massive stories could require as many as four or five separate games to reimagine fully.
Why Classic Final Fantasy Games Would Be Difficult to Remake
During a recent Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival Q&A, Square Enix director Naoki Yoshida opened up about why we likely won’t see more Final Fantasy remakes on the scale of Final Fantasy VII Remake anytime soon. According to Yoshi-P, a Final Fantasy VI Remake would be so massive that it would require multiple titles just to complete it.
“Of course I understand the feelings of the players, but you gotta think about it. Look at Final Fantasy VI, it’s such an incredibly huge game. The scale is just immense. And the same applies for other titles like Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy IX. So of course now because you are working on the Final Fantasy VII series.”
The legendary developer compared it to Final Fantasy VII Remake needing three games to reimagine the original 1997 story. “I do get that people would be asking for remakes of other titles. But if we did remake those other titles. We’d probably have to release them in 4 or even 5 installments!”
Smaller Final Fantasy Remakes Could Still Happen
To be clear, Yoshi-P didn’t say Square Enix would never remake another classic Final Fantasy game. His comments were specifically about rebuilding them on the same scale as the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy. To be fair, those games are closer to full reimagining’s than the typical remakes we see in the industry.
FF7 Remake doesn’t just rebuild the entire game from the ground up, but it also completely overhauls the game’s plot with a new story and characters. At this point, Final Fantasy VII Remake might as well be treated as its own game. It is that expansive. Despite releasing in 2020, FF7 remake is only now concluding next year with its third title Final Fantasy VII Revelation launching in 2027.
However, according to Naoki Yoshida, classic Final Fantasy games such as FF6, FF8, and FF9 are already massive in scope with their original stories. As a result, a remake on the level of Final Fantasy VII could take as many as four or five games to release. Remember when some fans were initially upset about Final Fantasy VII Remake needing three games to complete? Yeah. I totally see his point.
That said, smaller remakes with updated graphics could still happen. Square Enix wouldn’t necessarily need to rebuild every classic game on the scale of Final Fantasy VII Remake. A more traditional remake could preserve the original story and gameplay while updating its visuals, combat, and quality-of-life features.
Personally, I’m still hoping that we one day get an HD-2D Final Fantasy VI remake in the style of Octopath Traveler. The format would allow Square Enix to modernize the beloved RPG without stretching its enormous story across five separate games. Now that would be a dream come true!
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