If Final Fantasy VII Remake co-director Tetsuya Nomura has his way, we could see a sequel to the reimagined classic sooner rather than later. On April 27, Square Enix published Final Fantasy VII Remake: Ultimania. It’s a 752-page tome containing art, character profiles, and developer interviews. The book is currently exclusive to Japan, but IGN has translated a passage from Twitter user @aibo_ac7.
FF7R:(続き)北瀬氏「(何部作?)大体のイメージはあるがまだカチっと決まってない。明言できない状況。3部作と言われているのは推測が一人歩きしている」
— aibo (@aibo_ac7) April 28, 2020
野村氏「(次回作は?)何部作かによる。大きく分ければ時間が掛かり、細かく分ければ短いスパンに。自分としては早く出して欲しい気持ち」
When asked how many parts Final Fantasy VII Remake will ultimately comprise, Nomura explained, “We have a rough idea on that, but it’s not been completely decided yet. It’s impossible to talk about this right now. It seems that many people think it will become a trilogy.”
At 30 to 40 hours, the first release of Remake takes place entirely in the city of Midgar, representing roughly one-fifth of the original 1997 classic. To make a trilogy, the next two entries would have to be fairly massive. But Nomura’s comments in Ultimania suggest we’re more likely to see three or four more installments from the Remake team.
“If we separate it into bigger chunks it will take more time, but if we take smaller portions it can be done on a shorter span,” Nomura said. “Personally, I would like to deliver it fast.”
“We’ve already begun working on the next one,” Nomura said in a Square Enix blog post back in November. “I’m confident that playing through this title will expand your expectations just like the world that extends beyond Midgar.”
![The Final Fantasy VII Remake PS4 Dynamic Theme](https://legendary-digital-network-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/13044512/Final-Fantasy-VII-Remake-Key-Art.jpg)
Square Enix
Final Fantasy VII Remake launched on April 10 to favorable reviews. Writing for Wired, critic Julie Muncy praised its “thoughtful, humanistic approach” to the fantasy world’s quieter, more mundane sections. In EGM, however, reviewer Reid McCarter lamented the game’s “hours-long detours through locations packed with time-sucking obstacles.” Nerdist‘s Dan Case called the game, “an audacious, politically charged cyberpunk thriller that feels more relevant than ever.”
“I believe that the role of entertainment is the fact that it is able to provide some comfort during these difficult times,” Nomura told Nerdist earlier in April. “The spread of COVID-19 around the world has still yet to slow down, but if people who play Final Fantasy VII Remake could feel even a little bit of comfort, or be moved and feel encouraged to press forward to tomorrow, then I feel that the efforts we’ve put in as creators is all well worth it.”
A good game takes years to get right, so there’s no word yet on when we might see the next Remake. It seems possible we’ll be getting a total of four or five Final Fantasy VII Remake releases within the next decade.
Featured Image: Square Enix