Square Enix Drops Another Big Final Fantasy 9 Remake Hint With New Music Recording

Can they just announce this thing already?

May 19, 2025, 3:40pm

No one knows for certain whether Square Enix is actually developing a remake of Final Fantasy IX, but there’s about a mountain of evidence to suggest that’s exactly what’s happening. The publisher hasn’t exactly done a great job throwing fans off the scent, either. This year happens to be the 25th anniversary of the RPG’s release on the original PlayStation, and Square Enix has already hinted at “various projects” currently in the works. One of those projects is an anniversary vinyl called “Timeless Tale,” and Square Enix has now released part of a newly recorded version of the track “Melodies of Life.”

Videos by ComicBook.com

The new version of “Melodies of Life” is once again performed by Emiko Shiratori, who sang the original version. In a video released by Square Enix, the recording is supervised by Nobuo Uematsu, the game’s original composer. As noted by fans on Reddit, this seems to be a lot of effort for just a vinyl soundtrack release for the game’s anniversary. This is more like the kind of thing you’d expect from Square Enix if they were working on a full blown remake of Final Fantasy IX instead. Readers can check out the video below.

In a vacuum, a newly recorded version of an older track probably wouldn’t mean anything. However, there has been a significant number of leaks and hints about a Final Fantasy IX remake, going back all the way to 2021. A remake of the game was mentioned on a leaked list from Nvidia’s GeForce Now. When that list was made public, Nvidia claimed that it included “speculative titles.” However, the last four years have seen many of those games not only announced, but even released. Obviously, that has not been the case for the remake of Final Fantasy IX, but fans continue to speculate about an announcement, and Square Enix seems to be well-aware of the rumors.

If a remake of Final Fantasy IX is going to be announced, this year would seem like the perfect time to do it. Square Enix does have a record of making announcements at Geoff Keighley’s shows, so it’s possible we could see something at Summer Game Fest next month. Of course, the publisher might also wait until July 7th, which is the actual date of the game’s 25th anniversary. We could even be kept waiting until later in the year, as rumors suggest the remake won’t be coming out until 2026. There’s simply no way of knowing, but it’s hard to imagine Square Enix isn’t building up to something in all of this.

In a worst case scenario, if a Final Fantasy IX remake isn’t announced any time soon, this year should still see a lot for fans to celebrate. The Timeless Tale vinyl is shaping up to be something special, and there’s plenty of other merchandise on the way, including figures and plushes.

How do you feel about this new version of Melodies of Life? Do you think this is another hint at a Final Fantasy IX remake? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!