Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is set to bring Cloud back for the next instalment in what will be a trilogy of games that reimagine the beloved RPG for the PS5. Following on from the events of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, Rebirth was announced as part of the 25th anniversary celebration last year and it's quickly become one of the most anticipated new games for 2023.
Given how Final Fantasy 7 Remake came to a close, there are a lot of questions surrounding the direction of the next game and where the story will take us. But in the lead up to the expected winter 2023 launch window, we've steadily started to see more details pop up and we're still holding out hope that we'll see more of the upcoming adventure soon. Intriguingly, towards the end of 2022, news came to light that suggested the mysterious whispers that seemingly kept the characters on their "destined path" in Part 1 apparently "cannot act" in Part 2. How curious.
Read on below to find out everything we know so far about Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth release date
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has a tentative release window of "next winter". While the winter season typically runs December through March, we're expecting Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 to land in 2023. That'll make it three long years since the original release of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, but with the enhanced 'Intergrade' version of the game now available on PS5 and PC, there's plenty of time to get caught up and play through Cloud's reimagined adventure.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth platforms
The only platform Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is confirmed to launch on is PS5. While Final Fantasy 7 Remake did originally release on PS4, it would appear that Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 is skipping the platform entirely as Square Enix focuses its efforts on the new generation of consoles. Square Enix is yet to confirm whether a Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth PC release is on the cards, although with Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade now available on Steam, there is a fair chance that Rebirth will make it there eventually.
Will Final Fantasy 7 Remake come to Xbox?
The question of whether Final Fantasy 7 Remake will come to Xbox platforms remains unanswered, although there is some hope yet. As it stands, Final Fantasy 7 Remake and its sequel, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, are PlayStation console exclusives. However, with news that Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade has finally made its way to PC, the chances of an Xbox Series X port have improved. Couple that speculation with the fact that Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion – a Remaster of the FF7 prequel in the style of Remake – is coming to Xbox One and Xbox Series X later this year, so Square Enix might be laying the groundwork for a future release of Remake Intergrade on Microsoft platforms.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth gameplay
The Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth gameplay is expected to follow in the same mold as Final Fantasy 7 Remake – high-quality production values, fast action-leaning combat, and the sort of world building that only a Final Fantasy game is able to deliver. The Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth reveal trailer was light in-engine, showcasing the fidelity strides Square Enix is taking with Part 2 of the Remake trilogy, although we're yet to see what changes are being made to combat and exploration. Expect more details in the coming months.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth trailer
The Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth trailer might have only been one minute and 34 seconds long, but we'll be dining out on it for weeks. This short glimpse into what Square Enix has planned for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 has certainly piqued our interest, particularly as it shows Cloud and Sephiroth stalking some familiar areas as the party pushes out of Midgar and into the wider world. Of course, the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth reveal trailer also gave us our first look at the upgraded visual style, with Square Enix leveraging the power of the PS5 for this new RPG adventure.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth story
If you played both Final Fantasy 7 from 1997 and Final Fantasy 7 Remake from 2020, you'll know by now that the games have drastically different storylines. Square Enix took the framework of the original and reimagined it for a new generation of players, which means there's little to know for certain on what twists and turns we can expect from the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth story. However, we do know that this will be a direct continuation of where Intergrade left off – with Cloud arriving at the village of Kalm, and Zack entering the Sector 5 church in search of Aerith – before allowing the wider party to explore the wider world beyond the boundaries of Midgar.
Additionally, creative director Tetsuya Nomura says you won't need to have played either Final Fantasy 7 or Final Fantasy 7 Remake to enjoy Part 2 of the adventure. "Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is being designed so that people can enjoy this game whether they know the original game or not. In fact, new players might even enjoy starting their Final Fantasy 7 journey with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Cloud and his friends embark on a new journey in this game, and I believe that the scenes that they witness after leaving Midgar will give players a fresh, new experience."
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth development
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth development is thought to have been ongoing since before production wrapped up on 2020's Final Fantasy Remake for PS4. Square Enix has since launched the Intermission DLC, and Final Fantasy Remake Intergrade for PS5 and PC. Producer Yoshinori Kitase acknowledges that the three year wait has been tough, although he believes the end result will be worth it: "Three years may feel like a long time for all the fans who are eagerly awaiting the next game, but we want to offer the best experience possible and reassure everyone that development is proceeding at an astonishingly fast pace for such a large-scale HD title."
Creative director Tetsuya Nomura had this to say regarding development on Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2: "The development of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has been progressing rapidly since we adopted a new development structure. A title of this scale, in which everything is interconnected even before production began is truly rare." Game director Naoki Hamaguchi adds that "development has already entered full production and the team is highly motivated in putting everything together on the project, and working to create a finished game."
Final Fantasy Remake trilogy
Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is actually the middle chapter in a larger Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy of games. Here's a fun little bit of trivia for you, which bears absolutely no standing on how Square Enix may develop this reimagined storyline: When Final Fantasy 7 released in 1997 for PS1, it came packed onto three discs – so that's some fun symmetry. Anyway, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth producer Yoshinori Kitase had this to say about the decision to make the Remake a trilogy:
"Making the middle part of a trilogy has its own challenges, but there are plenty of classic second installments in the world of film that are defined by stunning story twists and deeper explorations of their characters. Often these second installments become a favorite amongst the fans. In the same vein, we are aiming to make Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth an even more gripping and memorable experience than Final Fantasy 7 Remake."
Additionally, Tetsuya Nomura confirmed that "some development has already begun on the third title," with the creative director adding that he has already "started on the development, and am working towards the completion of the series." Nomura and his teams at Square Enix are working with what he calls an "interconnected' development structure, which could hopefully mean that we don't have to wait three years after the release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth to play the final part of this trilogy.
While you wait for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, why not return to one of the best Final Fantasy games of all-time, or one of the best RPGs that you can play today.
