All articles tagged with #final fantasy
Kotaku reports that a Vatican-affiliated nonprofit gifted Pope Leo XIV a giant Materia orb from Final Fantasy, sparking jokes about which spell he might cast and tying the gesture to AI-era humanism; the piece questions the Saint Peter for Humanity charity and its leadership (including Kimbal Musk) and suggests the orb could be cursed, ending with a playful jab about Aeroga.
Square Enix revives the defunct Brave Exvius as Final Fantasy Resonance, trimming a massive mobile roster to 26 Visions and swapping screen-tapping for a tactical, FFV-inspired turn-based system with a sweeping stagger mechanic. Visions are unlocked through exploration and battles rather than microtransactions, delivering a tighter, mainline-like console/PC RPG. The game launches October 22, 2026 on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch and Switch 2.
Overwatch introduces D.Mon, a pro gamer turned mech pilot who shares a background with D.Va. Her ultimate, Limit Break, applies a debuff that increases enemy damage taken, echoing Final Fantasy in name but Blizzard says she isn’t a Final Fantasy fan and is more of an FPS head. D.Mon joins the roster on August 11.
At a Final Fantasy XIV Fan Fest in Berlin, Naoki Yoshida praised Naoki Hamaguchi, director of Final Fantasy VII Remake Revelation, fueling fan speculation that Hamaguchi could lead Final Fantasy XVII. Hamaguchi dodged a direct answer, and while Revelation isn’t due until early 2027, industry timelines suggest FF17 wouldn’t arrive before around 2030 given Square Enix’s usual multi-year gaps and the remake trilogy’s development pace.
At FF14 Fan Fest, Naoki Yoshida and FF7 Remake lead Naoki Hamaguchi suggested that remaking other classic Final Fantasy titles (FF6, FF8, FF9) could require four to five installments, highlighting the scale of the FF7 remake project and hinting at a potential FF17 in the future.
A Berlin fan festival clip circulated online suggesting Final Fantasy 17 could be in development with Yoshi-P (Naoki Yoshida) and Naoki Hamaguchi involved, potentially directing FF17 alongside FF7 Rebirth/ Revelation, but no official confirmation has been made.
Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner says he doesn’t recall approving the Square Enix/Disney crossover Kingdom Hearts; a Tokyo pitch and Shuji Utsumi’s account suggest he did approve it but can’t remember why. The piece notes the origin of Kingdom Hearts in Eisner’s era, mentions the KH Collection I–III releasing in October, and references KH4 with possible news at D23.
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 on July 23, 2026, featuring fully remade HD graphics, remastered music, and International Version content, plus QoL features like high-speed mode and no random encounters; save data from the original Switch version won’t transfer, and the two classic titles offer over 100 hours of gameplay across Switch 2.
Square Enix says future Final Fantasy remakes will take unique, title-specific approaches, balancing modern market trends with fan expectations rather than repeating the heavy overhauls seen in the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy.
Square Enix kicked off its biggest-ever sale on Nintendo Switch 2 and the Nintendo eShop, slashing prices on a wide lineup of RPGs and classics—including Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, Octopath Traveler 0, and Final Fantasy Tactics—across both platforms, with many titles hitting new lows. The sale runs through July 17, 2026.
Square Enix is running a large Final Fantasy sale on Steam through June 25, discounting nearly every mainline title and select spin-offs, with FF7 Remake Intergrade and FF7 Rebirth both available together for under $35; other discounted titles include Crisis Core Reunion, the FF XIII trilogy, and more, with many games reportedly Steam Deck-friendly.
Square Enix announced Final Fantasy Resonance, the first HD-2D FF game, which reimagines the Brave Exvius story (now shuttered) with new overworlds, a redesigned turn-based combat system, 3D-style cinematics in pixel art, and 33 original tracks. It’s not a simple port but a standalone reimagining that launches October 22 on PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.
FFVII Rebirth’s Switch 2 launch was achieved through a painstaking optimization process rather than simple downscaling. Director Naoki Hamaguchi explains the team redesigned LODs, materials, lighting, and even level layouts to fit Switch 2’s stricter power and memory limits, building Switch 2–specific assets while preserving the game’s open-world feel. The project leverages the original PC-forward design and focuses on balancing GPU, CPU, and bandwidth to deliver a faithful experience without shortcuts.
At the FF XIV Fan Fest 2026, Square Enix localizer Koji Fox used AI-generated images and a Copilot-kun music video during a panel, sparking fan backlash even as he explained AI was used due to time constraints and to reflect the CEO’s push for AI tools. Critics argued the AI elements undercut the artists’ work, while Square Enix leadership has signaled an aggressive stance on AI. The event also announced Evercold, the next expansion due in January 2027.
Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY explores how designers translate Final Fantasy XIV into a playable Universes Beyond set, detailing flavor-driven card design for characters like Garuda, Astrologian, Emet-Selch, Venat, Hydaelyn, Zodiark, and The Wandering Minstrel through mechanics such as Sagas for summons, job-select Equipment, and Towns to support both Standard and Commander, while balancing narrative fidelity with gameplay simplicity.