When it released back in 1997, Final Fantasy 7 required an impressive 3 discs to play. The story itself wasn’t that long by today’s standards, but for a PlayStation release, it was a lot of data. To keep with tradition, apparently, Square Enix’s remake of the game will span 3 different entries. On the plus side, that offers a lot of space to expand on and build out the world and story. But it also means waiting several years between new installments of what is, essentially, one very long game.
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Final Fantasy 7: Remake released in 2020, taking gamers through the first 5 or so hours of the story. It is set almost entirely in Midgar, but it expands the content to the tune of around 40-50 hours of gameplay. Once players left Midgar, they had to wait 4 years before the game’s next installment. Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth, too, ends in the middle of a story waiting to be continued. We still don’t know exactly when Part 3 is set to arrive, but it likely won’t be until 2027 or later. That means another 3-4 year wait between installments. And apparently, it could’ve been even longer.
Only a Franchise Like Final Fantasy Can Pull Off This Kind of Wait for One Big Game
Final Fantasy 7 was incredibly popular, and its reputation has arguably only grown over time. That means even people who didn’t necessarily play the entire game back in the day are often familiar with its main story beats. Characters like Sephiroth and plot points like the fate of Aerith transcended the game to become internet lore of the aughts. But although many fans did experience the story in its original form, plenty of players are stepping into Final Fantasy 7: Remake and Rebirth fresh. And for them, that wait is really something.
It’s exciting to have a Final Fantasy 7 remake that offers so many hours of gameplay. Between the first two installments alone, the once 40-50 hour game can span upwards of 200 hours or more. That means more time to explore the world, more time to get to know key characters. But it also means the story takes a lot longer to tell, and that’s especially tricky with the wait between games.
Rather than drop all 3 remake titles at once, Square Enix is releasing them as they go. That certainly helps build hype, but it does pose a dilemma. Should you play Final Fantasy 7: Remake and Rebirth when you know there’s a many-year gap before the story will be complete? If your memory doesn’t hold up, will you need to replay upwards of 200 hours of content to pick up when Part 3 finally arrives? Gamers are used to waiting many years between installments in a series, but those stories tend to be a bit more loosely connected or feature a lot of reminders. Waiting for the next “disc” of one game, on the other hand? That’s a bit of a bigger ask.
Because fans are so dedicated to Final Fantasy, and FF7 in particular, Square Enix can pull it off. Fans are happy to wait years between games that are, really, three chunks of one massive remake. But not many franchises could make it happen, and Square Enix could’ve really fumbled if it went forward with an earlier plan – releasing DLC for Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth.
Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth Could’ve Had DLC… And A Longer Wait for Part 3
In a recent interview with WCCF Tech, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Director Naoki Hamaguchi shared details about a potential DLC for the game. He shared that the team initially developed some ideas for DLC to follow the second installment in the remake trilogy. Ultimately, however, Square Enix decided not to move forward with bonus content for the game. “We figured that what fans want the most is to bring the third installment as soon as possible,” he said. And that was a very smart move.
DLC is something of a controversial topic in video games these days. While getting additional content for games we love is exciting, it really depends on the content and the price tag. Fans were not happy when Pokemon Legends: Z-A announced DLC before the game was even out, and Digimon Story: Time Stranger got some heat for paywalling in-game content at launch. But even if the bonus content released for Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth felt like a worthwhile addition, it still would have been an odd choice while the trilogy is still unfinished.
Even if Remake and Rebirth are massive games, they are 2 parts of an unfinished story. Releasing more content for Part 2 before Part 3 even came out would be frustrating for fans eager to finish the full story. And working on DLC would take time away from developing Part 3, extending the wait. After all, Square Enix still hasn’t confirmed the exact title of the final installment, let alone a firm release date. So, adding on to the middle before finishing the promised product would almost certainly rub fans the wrong way.
For those who are hoping for even more FF7, don’t worry. DLC could still happen, but it has been shelved for after the conclusion of the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy. Then, it would be an opportunity to give fans more of a good thing, rather than a consolation prize while we’re waiting for the final entry. Opting to go this route rather than delay Part 3 by dishing out DLC for Rebirth was a really smart move, and one that will no doubt serve players better in the long run.
What kind of DLC would you like to see for the FF7 remake trilogy eventually? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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