No FFVII remake, says Square Enix

We're approaching the ten year anniversary of Final Fantasy VII, Square Enix's most popular series installment, and already rumors are starting to strengthen that the RPG powerhouse may release a Tomb Raider Anniversary-style remake to celebrate the occasion.

That's not happening, according to Square Enix character designer Tetsuya Nomura, who's made the biggest debunk yet of the persistent rumor in Japanese magazine Dorimaga. "It appears that there are often overseas rumors like 'Are you currently developing a VII remake?' My apologies, but we're absolutely not making [such a game]," he said.

But Final Fantasy nuts, fear not; overall game director Yoshinori Kitase says all hope is not lost for a remake: "When we ask the staff who are making FFXIII why they entered the company, there are many people who say, 'I'm an FFVII fan, I also want to do a remake.' "

Nomura adds: "We of course know ourselves what the fans want so we'd like to continue thinking up a variety of things. As long as there are people who want to make it and people who are waiting for it, we don't want to proclaim 'the end.' "

So if the design man's strong denials are anything to go by, there'll be no FFVII remake anytime soon. Still, it wouldn't be the first time a developer has lied to a magazine, would it?

June 5, 2007