Hamaguchi questions the longevity of FF7 Remake battles in future games

Naoki Hamaguchi, director of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and the highly anticipated "Part 3" of the trilogy, raised doubts about the longevity of the acclaimed battle system in his upcoming projects after the conclusion of the saga. The developer from Square Enix hints at a possible break in the formula that was a public and critical success.

The hybrid action and command combat system of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy has garnered acclaim, representing a success in moving away from the purely turn-based format of the original 1997. However, Hamaguchi does not believe he will use the "exact same battle system" in his next project, which puts at risk the continuity of a formula that has already proven to be functional and attractive to the fan base. He stated in an interview with Easy Allies:

"I don't think I will use the exact same format [of battle]."

The motivation to move away from the exact formula lies in the pursuit of constant innovation. For the director, the key to success lies in avoiding the familiar and ensuring that each new Square Enix title brings new elements to the JRPG genre.

"To keep it [the game] fresh, we want it to continue to be surprising for our players."

Despite the desire for change, Hamaguchi suggests that the current system will not be completely discarded, but rather transformed. He believes it is "very possible" to take the battle system from FF7 Remake and turn it into an "evolution" or something derived for future games. This indicates that the expertise and foundations developed during the FF7 trilogy will serve as a solid base for future experimentations.

The statements from Naoki Hamaguchi indicate that the future of his post-FF7 projects will bring new risks and experimentations, moving away from the familiar hybrid combat system that marked the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy (and distanced itself from the purely turn-based original from 1997). The director of Square Enix plans to keep the experience "surprising" for the players, using the current system as a solid base for what he hopes will be the evolution of future games.