Next year is aiming to be a big one for the Final Fantasy franchise. The Final Fantasy VII Remake series is concluding with Revelation, and Final Fantasy XIV will be releasing its next expansion, Evercold, which it is aiming to take players to new levels with its updates. This month, the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest took place, where news of what’s next for the MMO was shared, including a collaboration with Final Fantasy VII for a series of Raids titled “Beyond the Lifestream” and new mini-games.
In an interview with Express, Final Fantasy VII Revelation Director Naoki Hamaguchi explained how this collaboration came to be. “The starting point was when we were having conversations internally about the release dates of both Evercold and Revelation, and the release windows are quite close together. So the idea was that instead of just keeping them completely separate, why don’t we do something together to really energize the Final Fantasy franchise as a whole?” Hamaguchi continues to share that both teams are very passionate about this collaboration, and that Final Fantasy XIV players will enjoy this content.
While this collaboration came to fruition after most of the development for VII was done, Hamaguchi still believes that “it was really interesting to have this opportunity to work with a live game, an MMO, and look at that dev cycle. It was really fresh and new for us, and I think there’s a lot that we can learn from that.” The fruits of this collaboration will start to show on October 28, 2026, with a mini-game at the Gold Saucer and bringing new rewards inspired by VII as well.
In terms of what the development goals are for Hamaguchi, he shares that he wanted the gameplay of Remake, Rebirth, and Revelation to change and evolve. One example he shares of that evolution is the change from a 2D plane layout in Remake and Rebirth into something more for Revelation: “So with Revelation, instead of that 2D exploration, you also have the addition of height with the ability to explore with the Highwind, to jump out in parachutes and even to fly on your Chocobo.” The aim of this dynamic exploration, according to the Director, is to keep the gameplay new and fresh.
Final Fantasy VII Revelation has a release date for Spring 2027, while XIV’s Evercold is scheduled for January 27, 2027. For more Final Fantasy news, stay tuned to GameObserver.
ObserverCrew Picks
bserver
