'It Would Be a Real Shame for That Culture to Disappear': Final Fantasy 7 Revelation Director Says Physical Game Releases Must Continue

Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy manager Naoki Hamaguchi has said that the extremity of carnal games risked portion of our civilization disappearing, successful the aftermath of Sony's arguable determination to termination PlayStation 5 discs.

Last month, Sony made headlines erstwhile it announced and extremity to caller games shipping connected disc from January 2028 onwards, triggering a immense backlash from galore fans. Now, astatine the caller FF14 Fan Fest, Ashif’s Release Notes asked Hamaguchi for his idiosyncratic thoughts connected the matter.

"In presumption of my thoughts connected carnal editions, arsenic a gamer myself, I emotion them," Hamaguchi replied, adding that, arsenic a crippled creator, it made him blessed erstwhile fans asked him to motion their carnal copies.

"It would beryllium a existent shame for that civilization to disappear," Hamaguchi continued. "I deliberation carnal games volition inactive beryllium sold successful immoderate signifier successful the future, for illustration arsenic a download codification successful a box. Moreover, I privation carnal games to proceed — some arsenic a creator and a crippled fan."

This isn't the archetypal clip that Hamaguchi has addressed the extremity of carnal games. At the aforesaid event, the manager said helium was pushing for a carnal merchandise for Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, though admitted that the substance had not yet been decided.

The long-awaited last portion of FF7's remake trilogy, Revelation is presently slated for a outpouring 2027 release, erstwhile it volition besides motorboat crossed aggregate platforms simultaneously. Asked again astir a carnal motorboat for the title, Hamaguchi reiterated that helium would "like to person immoderate benignant of carnal variation available," though could not yet marque immoderate promises. "We are looking into what the champion options are, but I anticipation we volition beryllium capable to unrecorded up to your expectations," helium added.

"As it's nearing completion, I tin personally prime it up and say, 'this feels good, this feels satisfying'," Hamaguchi said of the crippled successful general, "so I’m rather assured astir it. Of course, the last judgement volition beryllium down to the players but I consciousness confident, I tin spot the end, and I tin yet consciousness the unit lifting."

Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth started retired arsenic PlayStation exclusives earlier being released connected different platforms, including Nintendo Switch 2. However, FF7 Revelation is owed to vessel connected PC, PS5, Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S simultaneously — a archetypal for the remake trilogy.

"For me, it is rather meaningful to beryllium capable to bring it backmost to Nintendo platforms," Hamaguchi said of Revelation's multi-platform launch. A self-confessed FF6 fan, Hamaguchi recalled witnessing Final Fantasy's determination from Nintendo to PlayStation arsenic a child, and remembers playing the archetypal FF7 connected PS1, erstwhile the bid moved from SNES cartridges to the greater possibilities offered by Sony’s compact disc format.

Other Japanese crippled creators person besides fixed their opinions connected carnal games and the all-digital aboriginal we look to beryllium heading towards. Disgaea creator and erstwhile Nippon Ichi Software CEO Sohei Niikawa addressed Sony’s determination directly, saying that though it made consciousness from a concern position Sony “may ne'er person considered what carnal editions mean to the radical who worth them." Hideo Kojima said of Sony’s determination that "I grew up with carnal media, truthful I find it truly sad." Nier creator Yoko Taro besides echoed these sentiments successful an X station wherever helium encouraged radical to bargain carnal crippled releases portion they inactive can.

Verity Townsend is simply a Japan-based freelance writer who antecedently served arsenic editor, contributor and translator for the crippled quality tract Automaton West. She has besides written astir Japanese civilization and movies for assorted publications.