Summary
The producer ofFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthhas indicated that Square Enix will adopt a multiplatform strategy for futureFinal Fantasygames.Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthlaunched in early 2024 as a PS5 exclusive and accrued strong critical acclaim, but the game’s supposedly lukewarm commercial reception seems to have contributed to Square Enix changing its position on “single platform” exclusivity.
As the follow-up to 2020’s highly successfulFinal Fantasy 7 Remake,Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthimpressed critics and fans alike when it debuted in February 2024. Shortly after launch, though, Square Enix announced thatFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthfell short of sales expectations. This was followed up with a formal shift to a multiplatform release strategy, with Square Enix apparently pivoting away from exclusivity contracts for futureFinal Fantasyentries.
A recentIGN Brazil interviewwithFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthproducer Yoshinori Kitase sheds more light on Square Enix’s outlook towards the game. Contrary to online sentiments, Kitase stated that Square Enix is actually “safe and satisfied” withFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s sales performance. However, he added that the current “modernity of games” has left Square Enix in a position wherefutureFinal Fantasyentries “cannot be exclusive to a single platform,“likely alluding to multiplatform releases being the norm moving forward.
Square Enix is Shifting Away from “Single Platform” Exclusivity for Future Final Fantasy Games
Kitase believes thatFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthshould be offered to as many players as possible. This sentiment was also echoed byFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthdirector Naoki Hamaguchi, who recently expressed support for bringing theFinal Fantasy 7 Remakeseries to Xbox platforms. While the Xbox ports have yet to be announced, aPC release forFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirthwas confirmed at The Game Awards 2024. PC seems to be an important platform for Square Enix, and it wouldn’t be too surprising if day one PC releases were prioritized for futureFinal Fantasygames.
While we are confident and happy that we are reaching a certain level of [Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth] sales, it is clear that with the modernity of games, we cannot be exclusive to a single platform. I think we need to offer the game to as many players as possible.
It’s currently undetermined whether Square Enix is considering Xbox versions ofFinal Fantasy 7 Remake,Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, andFinal Fantasy 16, but given the company’s outspoken commitment to multiplatform releases, one can only imagine it’s on the cards. With the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 reportedly packing much more power than its predecessor, it may also be a viable platform for Square Enix to expandFinal Fantasy’s audience. Time will tell howSquare Enix’s multiplatform strategy for futureFinal Fantasyentrieswill unfold, but for now at least, the prospect of PlayStation timed exclusivity appears increasingly less likely.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
WHERE TO PLAY
Discover a vibrant and vast world in this standalone entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project, which retells the story of the genre-redefining RPG across three distinct games. Iconic heroes Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII have escaped from the dystopian city Midgar and are now in pursuit of Sephiroth, the vengeful swordsman from Cloud’s past who was thought to be dead. This new adventure can be enjoyed by all players, even those who have yet to play Final Fantasy VII Remake or the PlayStation original. Expect a new standard of cinematic storytelling, fast-paced combat and rich exploration across a vast world.
