Naoki Hamaguchi: “FFVII Rebirth Is a Work Where We Deliberately Chose to Make Change and Preservation Coexist.”
- ⚡Xe⚡
- May 14
- 3 min read
In an interview with Nintenderos, Naoki Hamaguchi discussed the narrative approach of the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, particularly how it balances deviation from the original with the preservation of its core identity.
He explained that the story is structured as a trilogy specifically to keep players engaged until the end, leaving the central question of whether the protagonists’ fates will truly change unresolved until the final game. At the same time, the team made a conscious decision not to compromise the emotional core of the characters or the main themes of Final Fantasy VII.
“There are elements we have changed to create that sense of unpredictability that accelerates the pulse, and elements that allow those familiar with the original to feel that ‘this is really Final Fantasy VII.’ If we leaned too heavily toward either side, the game simply wouldn’t work. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a work where we deliberately chose to make change and preservation coexist.”
Hamaguchi also confirmed that Zack’s expanded role was part of the concept from an early stage. Instead of explaining everything directly, the team uses Zack’s presence to help players naturally notice changes in the world’s point of view. He said this approach continues throughout the whole trilogy.
On fan theories, Hamaguchi said he was surprised by how deeply fans have analyzed the story, but the team intentionally avoids labeling any interpretation as “correct” or “incorrect.” The staggered releases were designed to encourage ongoing discussion and personal interpretation between games.
“Rather than judging whether a theory is correct or close to what I intended, what surprised me was how seriously the fans have been engaging with and debating the underlying premises and meanings of the story.”
Regarding iconic scenes, the team enhances them with modern technology while sometimes presenting them from new angles to create fresh emotional impact, always aiming to respect the original while positively subverting expectations.
Finally, when asked about a favorite character (specifically Tifa or Aerith), Hamaguchi declined to pick one. After more than ten years working on the project, he views the entire cast as a valuable whole and prefers not to create any bias.
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-⚡Xe⚡
About FINAL FANTASY VII
First released in 1997 on the PlayStation® computer entertainment system, FINAL FANTASY VII celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2022. The game is universally regarded as a hallmark title of the RPG genre. The original title received high praise for its epic storyline, unique characters, and movie sequences that utilized the most cutting-edge technology of the time. Since then, the game revolving around iconic hero, Cloud Strife and his pursuit of the antagonist Sephiroth has sold over 15.3 million copies worldwide and continues to receive widespread acclaim from critics and fans around the world. The popular game has even expanded into spin-offs, films and merchandise.
Now, Square Enix’s FINAL FANTASY VII remake project created by a team of original and new developers, retells the story of the genre-redefining RPG across three distinct, and standalone games. The first game of the trilogy, FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE is now available on Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, PS5® and PS4® consoles and PC. FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH, the second game in the trilogy, has been praised by both players and critics across the globe, earning more than 125 perfect scores from media and 40 Game of the Year awards, and is available now for PC and the PS5® console. It will launch on Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X|S and Xbox PC with Xbox Play Anywhere support on June 3, 2026.
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