Hamaguchi: final fantasy 7 remake part 3 ‘proceeding on schedule’ – but details remain locked down
The wait continues for Final Fantasy 7 Remake fans, but director Naoki Hamaguchi is offering a reassuring, albeit frustratingly vague, update on the ambitious Part 3 project. Despite persistent speculation and a lengthy gap since Rebirth, Square Enix insists development is ‘steadily underway,’ a statement that feels less like a breakthrough and more like a carefully worded holding pattern.
A measured response, lacking concrete dates
Speaking to Comicbook, Hamaguchi reiterated the project’s timeline – a ‘steady’ progression towards a ‘confident’ delivery, ultimately concluding the trilogy. He’s understandably tight-lipped, refusing to divulge any release windows, a critical flaw for a fanbase accustomed to agonizing over potential dates. Frankly, the opacity is bordering on insulting.
“What I can say is that development itself is proceeding on time and on schedule,” Hamaguchi stated. “We believe it’ll become a title we can deliver with confidence as the culmination of the trilogy. We know many fans are eagerly waiting, and preparations toward the announcement are steadily underway. Please look forward to it just a little longer.”
Balancing nostalgia and innovation – a herculean task
The director acknowledged the most significant challenge facing the team: meticulously calibrating the delicate balance between honoring the original game’s legacy and injecting genuinely innovative elements. “The greatest challenge was thoughtfully evaluating, title by title, how far to push ‘nostalgia’ and ‘innovation, respectively, so they could work in balance,” he explained. “For players familiar with the original game, I think what matters goes beyond the story arc itself – it’s the relationships between the characters and the emotions they felt upon discovering this world. Those are elements we can’t afford to treat lightly.”
Interestingly, Hamaguchi also shed light on the return of Queen’s Blood, the strategic card game from Rebirth, now ‘powered-up.’ “From the very beginning, Queen’s Blood wasn’t designed to be just a mini‑game, but rather a strong, standalone gameplay experience within the world of Rebirth,” he revealed. “As players progress through their open-world RPG journey, an early focus for us was finding ways to integrate immersive moments, even during shorter stretches of play. A trading card game was one answer to that, and we paid special attention to ensure that everything — including its strategic depth and interplay — didn’t feel half-baked.”
Despite the protracted development, Hamaguchi hinted at forthcoming additions – new gameplay mechanics and unexplored locations, expanding upon the established framework. The team is currently in the ‘refining and polishing’ phase, a crucial step before unleashing the final chapter. And despite Square Enix’s insistence that the multi-platform release won’t compromise the quality, the extended wait – nearly six years since Part 1 – raises legitimate questions about the scope and ambition of this undertaking.