Final Fantasy VII Revelation Launches Next January: Kitase Says He Is Done With Remakes for Now

A January launch for Revelation

Final Fantasy VII Revelation will launch next January and puts a period on the decade-long FF7 remake project. ^[1] If you have followed the Final Fantasy VII remake games, this is the release that ends that run. ^[1]

Kitase is producer of the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, director of the original Final Fantasy VII, and brand manager of the Final Fantasy franchise at Square Enix. ^[2] He was also director of Final Fantasy VI, VIII, X, and Chrono Trigger. ^[2]

Why the remake exists

Kitase says he and other creators who worked on the original FF7 had really strong feelings toward that game, which is why the remake was made. ^[2] He has worked on the same characters and storyline of Final Fantasy VII for 30 years since the original came out in 1997. ^[2]

He says he was very fulfilled by the development of the Final Fantasy VII remake. ^[2] He also says Final Fantasy VII is possibly his favorite Final Fantasy game. ^[2]

What Kitase wants to do next

Kitase says he would like to create new games at the moment and has no particular feeling toward any remake for a while. ^[2] He does not think he will work on another remake anytime soon. ^[2]

He says Square Enix is more likely to invest in new titles and new games. ^[2] He adds that the company may be willing to remake old projects in other cases like the FF7 remake. ^[2]

Kitase also hopes Final Fantasy can branch out to games or TV series inspired by its story. ^[2]

The Final Fantasy VI request and the Final Fantasy IX projects

Kitase says many people inside Square Enix and among Final Fantasy fans have asked for a remake of Final Fantasy VI. ^[2]

Final Fantasy IX has had its own stalled projects. ^[1][3] An animated adaptation was planned a few years ago but stalled when the French production company working on it filed for bankruptcy. ^[1]

Rumours have circulated for a few years that a Final Fantasy IX remake was in development. ^[3] An August report by RPG Site claimed it was a single title, quite far in production before it stalled. ^[3]

What Kitase says about the series

Kitase says the main quality that makes Final Fantasy special is its characters and the way they are developed throughout the game. ^[2] He says the aesthetic of the original Final Fantasy was influenced by European culture and later took more from Japanese culture. ^[2]

He says he used the Star Wars character names Biggs and Wedge as an homage to Star Wars in Final Fantasy. ^[2] He says the idea of using a sport in a fantasy setting for Blitzball in Final Fantasy X came from the pod race in Star Wars Episode 1. ^[2]

Other games in the Final Fantasy orbit

Final Fantasy Resonance is a 2D-HD game with a slightly original story that is a rework of the mobile game Brave Exvius and pulls in characters from across the Final Fantasy universe. ^[1]

Kitase says he is happy that the creators of Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 were inspired by Final Fantasy and created a new game from it. ^[2] He says new generations are very fond of battle games that focus on battle action more than story. ^[2]