With Final Fantasy 7: Revelation due next spring, attention is beginning to shift toward what comes after the remake trilogy. Square Enix has spent years rebuilding one of the most celebrated RPGs ever made, and the third game carries the enormous responsibility of bringing that journey to a close. That makes the prospect of DLC particularly interesting. Even if Revelation delivers the definitive ending fans expect, there could still be room for smaller stories that explore characters, locations, or ideas that the main adventure cannot fully accommodate. The key is to make that content feel worthwhile without making it mandatory, allowing the trilogy to tell the complete story.
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That is why I keep coming back to God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla. Santa Monica Studio took a finished story, created an epilogue around it, and used the expansion as an opportunity to experiment with the game’s combat. It was free, replayable, and built around a roguelite structure while still giving Kratos a story that added another layer to his journey. Final Fantasy 7 could take that same approach. Rather than producing another conventional story chapter, Square Enix could build DLC around the remake trilogy’s excellent combat and give players a reason to keep fighting long after Revelation‘s credits roll.
God of War: Valhalla Proved DLC Can Expand a Story Without Feeling Essential
God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla is a perfect example of how DLC can continue a story without making the original ending feel incomplete. Santa Monica Studio created an epilogue that explored Kratos’ journey after the main game while introducing a new replayable combat-focused structure. Instead of adding a traditional story chapter, the expansion used familiar mechanics in a fresh format, allowing players to experience more of the world without requiring them to understand the main narrative.
That approach would work well for Final Fantasy 7: Revelation. With the remake trilogy’s conclusion expected to complete the main story, any future DLC should feel like an additional adventure rather than a missing piece. A smaller character-focused story, similar to Final Fantasy 7: Remake Intergrade‘s Episode Intermission, could work, but Square Enix could also take inspiration from Valhalla and build something centered around combat challenges.
The biggest lesson from God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla is that great DLC does not need to expand the size of a game. It needs to find a reason for players to return. For Final Fantasy 7, that reason could come from giving fans more opportunities to master one of the trilogy’s strongest features: its combat system. The alternative is for Square Enix to explore another side character’s background, possibly even as a prequel.
Final Fantasy 7’s Combat Is Begging for More Reasons to Keep Playing
The Final Fantasy 7: Remake trilogy has earned praise for transforming the original game’s turn-based battles into a hybrid action system that still rewards strategy. Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth expanded on that foundation with deeper party mechanics, Synergy Abilities, and more complex encounters that encouraged players to experiment with different character combinations and Materia setups. New characters also added to the game’s depth and brought fan favorites into the narrative.
Because of that, Square Enix has a solid foundation for DLC focused on combat. The series already includes battle challenges through Chadley’s Combat Simulator, proving that players enjoy testing their skills outside the main story. A larger expansion could build on that idea with new enemies, special rules, and difficult encounters designed for experienced players.
A DLC inspired by God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla could let Square Enix create a focused experience where the story supports the gameplay rather than competing with it. Players could return to Cloud’s party, unlock new challenges, and explore the limits of a combat system that has become one of the remake trilogy’s biggest strengths. Adding a roguelike element to the game’s combat would be a fantastic addition to an already incredible trilogy.
The Right Expansion Could Give Fans More Than Just New Story Content
The best Final Fantasy 7: Revelation DLC would give fans a reason to return beyond simply seeing another chapter of the story. While additional character-focused content would be welcome, a combat-driven expansion could offer something with much stronger replay value. Players who have mastered Cloud, Tifa, Yuffie and the rest of the cast would finally have new challenges designed specifically around their skills.
Square Enix could create a series of battles that test every part of the combat system. Different encounters could require unique party setups, different Materia combinations, or new strategies. This would allow the developers to experiment with mechanics that may not fit into a traditional story campaign or feel out of place. I could even see Square Enix leaning further into the original’s turn-based combat and implementing a fully dedicated mode.
But that idea aside, the biggest advantage of this approach is that it would satisfy both sides of the fanbase. Story-focused players could enjoy a new adventure, while combat fans would have a reason to continue playing after finishing Revelation. A well-designed expansion could turn the remake trilogy’s combat into an experience that continues evolving even after the main story concludes, giving further insight into the beloved world.
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