Square Enix revealed a new trailer and official release date for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth during today’s State of Play. You can watch that trailer above, which highlights not only story beats, but the vastly expanded world outside Midgar, the Gold Saucer, mini-games, multi-colored chocobos, chocobo racing, and even the Weapons. Some fan favorite characters also get the spotlight.
Several key staff members also shared messages coinciding with the release date trailer.
Producer Yoshinori Kitase notes this second installment of the game will include “greatly enhanced features such as the vast world map to explore and synergy abilities with party members. The story will unfold more dramatically than ever before, with a rapid pace of major twists and turns. We know fans are dying to see one scene in particular…” He also claims Rebirth can be “enjoyed on its own as a standalone adventure.” The game will feature a recap of Remake for those who did not play the first title in this reimagined trilogy.
Director Naoki Hamaguchi says the team has been working “tirelessly” on Rebirth since the release of Remake and “can’t wait for you to experience our labor of love. In this title, Cloud and his friends, who have left Midgar, will be setting out on an adventure across an expansive world of untold adventure in pursuit of Sephiroth.” Rebirth‘s main story is “bigger and more ambitious” than Remake, he continues, but the 100-plus hour game also “embraces the concept of ‘free exploration,’ with compelling stories, fun mini-games, powerful monsters and so much more.”
Creative Director Tetsuya Nomura explains Rebirth will cover the story from after Midgar up until the midpoint of the original Final Fantasy VII. Remake served as an “introduction to the world and a preparation for this journey” and Rebirth an “illustration of the incidents that started that journey, an exploration of the people tied to it, and the journey itself, heading toward its climax.” Due to the nature of Rebirth being the second in a series, he goes on to say it provided the team the chance to “review and incorporate feedback” from Remake, including increasing the number of characters. “I am sure that the bar for the next work will be raised even higher now that we have included so many spectacular elements in this work, but even so, the entire team continues to work diligently and without compromise on its development. There is also the looming question of what fate awaits,” he continues. “Whether you have experienced the original title or will embark on this new adventure with fresh eyes, we hope you will face the ending of this work on your own terms.”
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will launch on the PlayStation 5 on Feb 29, 2024, and span two discs.
