FF7 Remake resolves controversies and guarantees quality of part 3

Square Enix is expanding the accessibility and reach of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy with a series of updates aimed at reassuring the community. While sales of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth allegedly did not meet expectations, the company is working to ensure the quality of the third part of the project and optimize the games for a wider audience.

Speculations about the decline in sales of each new chapter of the trilogy have raised concerns among fans. To calm the community, director Naoki Hamaguchi spoke in an interview with Automaton about the state of the project.

"I know some fans have expressed concerns, but please rest assured, we will be able to deliver a proper and high-quality third part."

He also updated the development progress, stating that the work is "going extremely well" and that "much of the content is already playable, and the direction and shape of the game are firmly established."

One of the most significant updates are the improvements in progression. The Streamlined Progression features, which allow players to activate boosts such as full HP, full MP, full Limit gauge, and maximum damage dealt, will not be exclusive to the future versions of Switch 2 and Xbox. According to Square Enix, these boosts will arrive in the PS5 and PC versions in a future update, with no confirmed date. The philosophy behind this, according to Hamaguchi, is to make the experience more flexible for players with limited time.

"I feel that the way people enjoy content has become more flexible nowadays... and that people also want the same from games, with options to adapt the experience based on the time they have and their levels of interest."

He added, stating that the feature is "very effective - to give players smooth access to the story."

The expansion of the trilogy to Switch 2 and Xbox in January is a strategic step to reach more players and boost sales, something that Hamaguchi himself commented on in an interview with Windows Central.

"I will do my best to ensure that Square Enix can continue to reach a wider audience, including Xbox."

He also addressed the technical challenges of optimization, especially for the Xbox Series S. He praised the console, stating that the challenge was not processing, but memory. For optimization, he said the team "taken some of the philosophies found in Nanite for Unreal Engine 5 and created our own solution for Unreal Engine 4." This customized approach resulted in a positive check for the Steam Deck, showing the team's optimization capability. The PS5 version will also receive the lighting improvements that were implemented in the PC version.

With the trilogy heading to new platforms, the expectation is that the third part will be released after the debut of Remake and Rebirth on Switch 2 and Xbox, possibly even a simultaneous release. Other games from Square Enix, such as Final Fantasy 16, may also be on the way to Switch 2, according to producer Naoki Yoshida.

The recent statements and announcements from Square Enix indicate an effort to strengthen the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy. The new accessibility features, technical optimizations, and expansion to new platforms are a response to concerns about the future of the saga.