On February 29, Square Enix released Final Fantasy VII Rebirth exclusively on PlayStation 5, bringing about the second part of a highly appreciated and anticipated ‘remake trilogy’. It was an instant hit with fans the world over, with gamers praising the ambitious title for its world-building and storytelling. It’s leagues bigger than the first part of the trilogy – Final Fantasy VII Remake – and has been much more of a smash hit since being released less than a week ago.
Recently, Square Enix’s Yoshinori Kitase, the franchise producer for Final Fantasy, sat down with The Washington Post and spoke at length about the project. He made a damning statement, stressing that Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has only been so successful because it’s a single-platform game.
‘Significant Regression’
In the interview with The Washington Post, Yoshinori Kitase explained the breadth and depth of Rebirth was only possible because it was developed exclusively for the PlayStation 5. It was highlighted by TWP that the exclusive development path ‘made it easier for the team to focus on building a world with diverse geography, indoor and outdoor areas populated with activities, characters friendly and hostile, all seamlessly represented with no “loading screen” interruptions.’
Kitase said:
Had it not been on a single platform, the world map would not be seamless, and game design may have had to regress significantly.
Kitase was happy to explain that the ‘speedy development’ of Rebirth – which was released just four years after Remake – was thanks to such a high quantity of the development team being retained between titles. There was little need to retrain staff and the camaraderie and bonds were already established, making the transition as seamless as possible.
It was then pointed out by the game’s director, Naoki Hamaguchi, that design documentation is already being created ahead of the development of the third and final instalment in the series.
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