Streaming Isn’t a Substitute for Play: FF7 Revelation Director Warns of an RPGs’ ‘Crisis’

Naoki Hamaguchi, director of Final Fantasy VII Revelation, warns that streaming could become a crisis for RPGs if players feel satisfied just by watching and never play themselves. To counter this, games need meaningful agency and high-stakes choices that invite experimentation. The FF7 remake series already broadens mechanics and story beats beyond the original, and while streams have helped spur RPG interest rather than diminish it, publishers have historically restricted streams to avoid spoilers.