Square Enix revealed the release date of the second part of the Final Fantasy remake project along with a first showcase of the upcoming installment during the 25th-anniversary stream of the original Final Fantasy VII. The developers confirmed that Final Fantasy VIII Rebirth will be the second part of a planned trilogy with a “next winter” release date on PS5. Whether that means 2023 or 2024 remains to be seen.
Following the reveal, statements from Tetsuya Nomura, the game's creative director, Naoki Hamaguchi, the game's director, and the producer Yoshinori Kitase were issued.
Nomura state that he is involved in the development of four Final Fantasy titles, and “some development has already begun on the third title” of the remake, while he has also started his involvement on the final game and is “working towards the completion of the series”. Nomura also stated that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is designed to appeal even to fans that have experienced neither Final Fantasy VII nor Final Fantasy VII Remake, so the game will aim to provide its own standalone experience post-Midgar.
Meanwhile, Kitase underlined the crucial role of the middle part in trilogies, stating “Three years may feel like a long time for all the fans who are eagerly awaiting the next game, but we want to offer the best experience possible and reassure everyone that development is proceeding at an astonishingly fast pace for such a large-scale HD title.
Making the middle part of a trilogy has its own challenges, but there are plenty of classic second installments in the world of film that are defined by stunning story twists and deeper explorations of their characters. Often these second installments become a favorite amongst the fans.
In the same vein, we are aiming to make Final Fantasy VII Rebirth an even more gripping and memorable experience than Final Fantasy VII Remake, so please wait a little longer while we finish up.”
Final Fantasy 7 Remake was released in April 2020, on PlayStation 4, while the PlayStation 5 version of the game, and its enhanced Intergrade release, arrived the following year. Square Enix brought Final Fantasy Remake Intergrade to Windows PC, via the Epic Games Store on December 16th, 2021. Final Fantasy VII remake Intergrade will be available on Steam starting June 17th, 2022.