FF7 Remake Part 3 Story Complete: Smooth Sailing Ahead

The long-awaited third installment of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy has reached a significant milestone, as confirmed by director Naoki Hamaguchi and producer Yoshinori Kitase in a recent interview with Famitsu. With the main scenario now complete, the development of Part 3 is progressing smoothly, promising an exciting conclusion to the epic saga.

Development On Schedule, No Delays For Its Upcoming Release

Image from Famitsu

Ahead of the PC port launch of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Kitase and Hamaguchi shared that the third game's development is on track without any delays. Hamaguchi emphasized that they started working on Part 3 immediately after concluding Rebirth's development. "We are progressing without any delay from the schedule we planned when we launched the remake project, so we hope you will look forward to it."

Kitase revealed that the main scenario for the third game was already completed by the time of Rebirth's PlayStation 5 release in February 2024, though further polishing was needed. He confirmed that the story is now finalized and expressed satisfaction with the outcome. "I gave it [the storywriting] to Nomura (FF7 Rebirth Creative Director, Tetsuya Nomura) as homework to conclude the remake project, while respecting the original and providing a sense of satisfaction that wasn't felt in the original. That was finally completed at the end of the year, and the scenario for the third installment was completed there." He believes it will be a satisfying conclusion for fans.

Team Admits That They Were Worried About Rebirth’s Release At First

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, released in early 2024, received widespread acclaim and positive feedback from critics, fans, and gamers. Despite this success, the development team initially had concerns about how the game would be received, especially as a sequel to the well-received first installment. Kitase admitted, "I was worried about how it would resonate with players and game fans because it was a remake and the second in a trilogy. [But] In the end, I was happy to receive such positive reviews that it overcame those concerns." The positive reception has boosted the team's confidence for the trilogy's finale. Hamaguchi added, "In that sense, I think we have done our job of creating a good atmosphere for the third installment."

The compelling storyline and engaging gameplay of Rebirth are credited to Hamaguchi's "logic-based approach." In an interview with Automaton, he explained their method of incorporating feedback: "If our goal is A, and we get an opinion like ‘I want B instead,’ we can’t do anything about it as it is just someone’s preference. However, if we get an opinion like ‘If you added B too, wouldn’t it be even better?’ then I’ll think about incorporating it, if possible."

PC Gaming Is Now The Norm

The interview also touched on the growing trend of PC gaming. Kitase noted that the industry has shifted towards releasing games on PC to reach a broader audience, driven by rising development costs and the global ubiquity of PCs. "As for PCs, there are no borders, so I think it's inevitable that PC versions will be released in order to allow more people to play."

Recognizing this shift, the team prioritized the PC port of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, aiming for a quicker release than that of the first game. Hamaguchi stated, "I feel like the flow of game users in the world has changed a lot there. That's why we focused on making the PC version of FFVII Rebirth shorter than the period when the PC version of FFVII Remake was released."

With the insights gained from the first two releases, fans can eagerly anticipate the grand finale of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy, which may also see a faster PC release to cater to a global audience.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is now available on PC via Steam and on its original console, the PlayStation 5. If you haven't yet embarked on the journey with Cloud and his allies, the first installment, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam.