Square Enix’sFinal Fantasyis arguably the most popular JRPG series in Western nations, and the franchise has been busy in recent years. In 2022, Square publishedChocobo GP,Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin,Final Fantasy 6 Pixel Remaster,Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergradeon PC, andCrisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion. Even if not all these projects garnered glowing receptions, they ensured the license remained in the pop culture zeitgeist.
Unsurprisingly, Square Enix has given little indication of plans to slow down itsFinal Fantasyoutput in the immediate future. Along with a few more niche releases, the franchise has a couple of major entries in development. What are all theupcomingFinal Fantasygames?
Final Fantasy 16
Starting development in 2015,Final Fantasy 16has officially announced its release date for June 2023. The action JRPG seems to be shaping up to be a departure from the license’s status quo in terms of content and presentation; for one, the game was rated as Mature by the ESRB for blood and gore, partial nudity, sexual themes, strong language, and violence. An M rating is not completely unheard of for Square Enix’s series, asStranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Originalso received that score, but it is unique for a mainline entry.
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Set in Valisthea,FF16envisions a dark fantasy world where magic is a valuable resource, and its depletion causes tensions to rise between the nations. Valisthea is home to Eikons, this universe’sFinal Fantasysummons like Odin and Shiva, who play a crucial role in maintaining the world’s balance. However, things go awry when a new Eikon appears.FF16is played from the perspective of Clive Rosfield, a royal son who goes on a revenge quest after his kingdom is attacked.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters
Though all the eight and16-bit Final Fantasy gameshave already been released on mobile, many series fans were unhappy with some of the changes that Square Enix made to the art style in the 3D remakes.Final Fantasy Pixel Remasterseems like an attempt to appease those fans and was first announced during the Square Enix presentation at E3 2021. In 2021, remasters ofFinal Fantasy 1-5came out on mobile devices and PC, whileFF 6debuted the following year.
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Rather than using 3D character models or newly designed sprites like the previous releases, thePixel Remasterproject will apparently be retaining the original pixel art style while also bumping up the resolution to modern-day standards. Toward the end of 2022, Square Enix confirmed that all six games will be coming out on the Nintendo Switch and PS4 at some point in 2023.
Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisis
Final Fantasy 7: Ever Crisisis anothermobile spin-off, although it is not due until 2023. The reveal trailer makes it look like a demake ofFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, which is similar to the approach that Square Enix took withFinal Fantasy 15: Pocket Edition. The latter was an episodic game with chapters released periodically, andEver Crisislooks like it will adopt a similar model.
It’s still not clear which story elements will be included in the game, although given the vast amount of material available in theCompilation of Final Fantasy 7, there’s certainly plenty for Square Enix to choose from. Between the original game,Advent Children,Before Crisis,Crisis Core,andDirge of Cerberusthere could potentially be hundreds of episodes, soEver Crisismay well be around for quite some time after it finally launches.
Ever Crisiswill be staging a closed beta test in the summer of 2023.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
It was only a matter of time before Square Enix debuted the sequel toFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, and that wait came to an end during the original game’s25th Anniversary celebratory event.Rebirthis that successor, and it is expected to drop within 2023 or 2024. At this point, very little has been revealed about the project, althoughTetsuya Nomura has indicatedRebirthwill attempt to be accessible. Newcomers should be able to jump into the sequel without needing to play its direct predecessor or the 1997 classic.
Square Enix has remained tight-lipped about the sequel’s direction. Whileplayers will get to explore locations immortalized in the PS1 JRPG, they might not visit them in the same order. In terms of gameplay, one has to assume thatRebirthwill stick close toFinal Fantasy 7 Remake’s formula, perhaps with some tweaks and quality-of-life improvements.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3
Now, this is a special case asRebirth’s sequel has not been announced, and Square Enix has provided no indication that development is ongoing. However, theFF7 Remakesaga is confirmed to be a trilogy, so one has to assume that plans for the finale are already in the works. Assuming the second chapter comes out by the end of 2024, its sequel could take another 4-5 years to become a reality.
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