With the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy reaching its conclusion next year, franchise fans are already asking which game will be next for a modern-day glow-up. The subject was brought up during the Final Fantasy Fan Festival in Berlin on the weekend, and Final Fantasy 14’s Naoki Yoshida said that some of the most-requested titles for a remake would need multiple games to pull off successfully.
Final Fantasy 6 appears to be at the top of the list–with Final Fantasy 8 and 9 also in contention–but Yoshida said that this would be a mammoth undertaking. “Of course I understand the feelings of the players, but you’ve got to think about it,” Yoshida (via a translator and GamesRadar). “Look at Final Fantasy 6, it’s such an incredibly huge game. The scale is just immense. So, of course, now because you are working on the Final Fantasy 7 series, I do get that people would be asking for remakes of other titles. But if we did remake those other titles, we’d probably end up having to release them in four or maybe even five installments.”
Yoshida isn’t joking, as Final Fantasy 6 on its own is a massive title. With over a dozen protagonists, several major battles, and some of the best worldbuilding in the series, it’s a miracle that it even managed to squeeze onto an SNES cartridge back in the day. Final Fantasy 8 and 9 are also incredibly massive games, combining a huge scope with distinct gameplay systems and stories. They might look primitive by today’s standards, but in terms of content, they are considerable timesinks.
Compare that to today, and creating a game of similar size has become even more complex as hardware–and audience tastes–have become more advanced. The other challenge is that creating a game on that scale requires a talented team, one that you’d want to keep around for sequels down the line, as that would make the process easier. Final Fantasy 7 Remake is a prime example of this, as the majority of developers who worked on the first chapter in the trilogy have stuck around for the two sequels, Rebirth and Revelation.
It’s safe to say that a Final Fantasy 6, 8, or 9 remake probably won’t be happening anytime soon, but if Square Enix did decide to remake its beloved SNES classic, it has the perfect format for it: HD-2D. Square Enix has produced multiple games in this style, which merges retro-inspired two-dimensional pixel-art with modern 3D environments, lighting, and effects. Games like Octopath Traveler and The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales scratch that itch for a nostalgic adventure that also looks modern, and at long last, a Final Fantasy game featuring this eye-catching art direction will be out soon.
Final Fantasy Resonance reimagines the original free-to-play mobile game as a dedicated single-player adventure, and so far, it looks like a clever way to recycle an adventure that many Final Fantasy fans might have missed out on or dismissed due to its gacha gameplay elements. While a project like this isn’t any less complex than a full-fledged 3D remake, the consistent pace at which Square Enix publishes its HD-2D games suggests that development is quicker and smoother in comparison to something like Final Fantasy 7 Remake.
There might even be a push for this project to happen inside of Square Enix, as Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake producer Masaaki Hayasaka mentioned that Final Fantasy 6 would be at the top of his list for his next HD-2D game project. Final Fantasy 6 is also beloved for just how far it pushed the SNES to create its world of steampunk and magic, and seeing those nostalgic visuals reimagined in HD-2D could make it an easy sell. It’d be the best of both worlds, as fans of the original could experience a revitalized version of the classic game, while newcomers could find out why Final Fantasy 6 is still considered to be one of the best games in the franchise.
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