Good news for fans of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy: director Naoki Hamaguchi has confirmed that the concluding act will not be stripped of content, despite some feedback regarding the extensive scale of FF7 Rebirth. The second part of the series offered a vast array of side activities and world intel points, some spectacular, others perceived as busywork. However, Hamaguchi’s stance suggests a commitment to a rich experience for the final game.
In a recent interview, Hamaguchi acknowledged that some players found Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s longer sections to have ‘too much to do and too much to play.’ With a plethora of engaging JRPGs available, the temptation to skip optional content is understandable. Yet, he clarified that his previous comments on wanting the third game to feel ‘more concise’ do not imply a reduction in overall content.
“I think that may have been misconstrued by people,” Hamaguchi stated. “They may have said, ‘Okay, that means they’re going to cut down on the volume and they’re going to remove story content, it’s going to be a shorter game, they’re going to cut it down,’ and that’s not what I’m saying at all.”
He elaborated, “It’s about making sure the pacing feels right. It’s not about cutting out content, it’s making sure that it feels right, the speed that the story progresses at feels right, and it is fairly quick and feels like you can get through it at a reasonable pace. But it has to feel right, so that’s what I mainly intended to say there.”
Hamaguchi also expressed strong confidence in Rebirth’s execution. “In terms of the result of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and the ultimate experience that it delivered to players, that’s actually something that I’m very confident in.” He added, “I feel that the pacing, the content, and the balance in Rebirth is exactly as I wanted it. I personally don’t feel it’s been stretched out; it doesn’t feel unnecessarily long. To me, I think I got that right, and I think a lot of people would agree with me.”
The director highlighted his hands-on approach, explaining that he plays through his games extensively during development to ensure the experience and balancing are perfected. “I mean, I don’t want to blow my own trumpet too much, but the way I work as a director, I don’t think there are many other directors out there who [do this] to the level that I do this.” He considers this a “really important” part of his daily routine and has dedicated significant effort to it.
An image shows Yuffie in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, wearing a Soldier uniform, hinting at in-game elements.
While feedback is valued, Hamaguchi is clear on his vision. “Obviously, I understand that there are maybe people who would see it like that and maybe feel differently. That’s fine, I see the people who express those opinions, and that’s definitely worth taking on board that some people felt that.”
For the third game, the focus remains on enhancing player immersion. He noted, “it’s about improving the pacing and making sure that, to achieve an even greater level of immersion in the game, we make sure that the story developments move forward in a fairly speedy manner and with the right pace essentially, rather than feeling slow and drawn out.”
As anticipation builds for the sequel, which Hamaguchi describes as ‘looking in a really good state,’ fans can rest assured that the grand narrative of Final Fantasy 7 Remake will conclude with the epic scope and meticulous pacing it deserves.