The gaming world is buzzing about the phenomenal success of Sandfall’s RPG, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. With its traditional, JRPG-inspired turn-based combat, it sold an impressive 5 million copies in just five months, signaling to many that ‘JRPGs are back.’ However, Naoki Hamaguchi, co-director for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3, isn’t letting current trends dictate his creative process. He emphasizes that the core focus remains on delivering an enjoyable game experience for fans, and the combat style for Part 3—whether action-oriented or turn-based—is still very much an open question. It’s not ‘pre-determined yet,’ he explained.
Hamaguchi reiterated that decisions for the mainline Final Fantasy series are always at the director’s discretion. While acknowledging the ‘JRPGs are back’ sentiment following Expedition 33‘s success, he stated, ‘For me, I’m thinking about what game experience fans will enjoy. That’s the most important point.’
This sentiment echoes comments made in July by Naoki Yoshida, director/producer of Final Fantasy 14 and producer of Final Fantasy 16. When asked if future mainline Final Fantasy titles might revert to turn-based combat, Yoshida highlighted that game design isn’t just about the battle system. It involves a holistic approach, considering graphical quality and narrative to build a cohesive experience. He stressed the importance of not ‘obstructing or limiting’ future directors of games like Final Fantasy 17 or 18.
Interestingly, members of the Clair Obscur development team, including game director Guillaume Broche, producer Francois Meurisse, and technical director Tom Guillermin, recently visited Square Enix’s offices. There, they engaged in a ‘creatively rich exchange of visions and ideas’ with Square Enix development leads, including Hamaguchi and Visions of Mana director Ryosuke Yoshida.
For Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3, Hamaguchi has assured fans that the team is diligently ‘striking a balance’ to ensure the story progresses smoothly and the pacing is tighter. Although he doesn’t believe parts of FF7 Rebirth were ‘longer than necessary,’ he confirmed their efforts to make the trilogy’s conclusion feel more concise.
Development for Part 3 began in June 2022, with Square Enix aiming for a 2027 release. RPG fans have eagerly awaited updates since Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth launched in early 2024, and excitement soared when the team announced the story was completed earlier this year.
Furthermore, Hamaguchi recently reassured fans not to worry about Rebirth‘s sales, despite Square Enix acknowledging last year that profits ‘did not meet expectations.’ He noted that the second part of the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy has been ‘doing very well’ on both PC and PS5, allowing the team to invest that success into crafting a ‘high-quality third installment.’
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos.