Final Fantasy 7 Day celebrates the impact of the game worldwide

We’re delighted to announce “Final Fantasy VII Day” has been officially registered in Japan, to commemorate the anniversary of the launch of the original game.

To celebrate, here’s a special message from Yoshinori Kitase, producer of the Final Fantasy VII remake project. pic.twitter.com/GBphY8AYR4

— FINAL FANTASY VII (@finalfantasyvii) January 31, 2023

Square Enix marked the occasion with a statement from Yoshinori Kitase, who worked on the original FF7 and is now the producer of FF7 Remake. In it, Kitase reminisced about the game’s creation and how it marked the beginning of many things for him and his team:

The 31st of January 1997, the day that Final Fantasy VII came out, was not just a significant day for the Final Fantasy series, but also marked when so many big things started moving for those of us who worked on the game.

I remember being overwhelmed at the breakneck speed with which video game technology was evolving, but also dreaming big things for the future.

With the establishment of this official anniversary day, I will now always remember these things, and hold them dearly in my heart.

With the official designation of this anniversary, FF7’s significance and impact on the world will be remembered for years to come. And with the release of the FF7 Remake trilogy, the story of this classic game is being carried forward to a new generation of players. The second entry, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, releases this Winter, and work has already begun on the third and final game in the series.

The post January 31 Declared as Final Fantasy 7 Day in Japan appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Is there a way to download Final Fantasy 7 Intergrade PS Plus version right now?

At the time of this writing, players are still unable to download Final Fantasy 7 Intergrade so an official fix hasn’t been rolled out, and restoring licenses or removing previously-claimed versions from consoles doesn’t help. Interestingly, it’s still unclear who the issue impacts. Some users have reported that they previously owned the disc version of Final Fantasy 7 Remake on PS4, then upgraded to PS5 version, and are not facing any issues downloading Intergrade or any DLC. Based on this, our guess is that the issue impacts digital versions of the game only.

What’s worse is that Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Intergrade aren’t the only games affected by this “glitch.” Some users are reporting that they continue to face the “not available for purchase” issue when claiming a PS Plus game they’ve previously owned. So if you want to download a fresh copy on the PS5 after owning a game on the PS4, you might run into this bug.

We’ll keep our eyes peeled for solutions and update our readers if there’s a fix like we did with Spider-Man and Miles Morales PS Plus bug.

In other news, PS Plus Premium users have received PSP’s Echoshift as a bonus game for July 2022, and CD Projekt RED’s market value has been significantly wiped out since the Cyberpunk 2077 fiasco.

The post Players Who Previously Claimed Final Fantasy 7 Remake Unable to Download Intergrade via PS Plus appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

What we know about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has completely ditched the Remake moniker. The game tells the story of Cloud and his friends as they embark on a new journey that focuses on scenes the group witnesses after leaving Midgar. Series Producer Yoshinori Kitase says they’re “aiming to make Final Fantasy VII Rebirth an even more gripping and memorable experience than Final Fantasy VII Remake.” Rebirth is being designed so it can be enjoyed regardless of whether players have ever touched any of the Final Fantasy 7 games before. Series Creative Director Tetsuya Nomura even said “new players might even enjoy starting their Final Fantasy VII journey with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.”

All three of the Remake series games are interconnected and, as such, development has already started on the third game whose name was not revealed. The name “Rebirth” was deliberately chosen for the second game while “Remake” was chosen for the first, and Nomura hopes to reveal the intention behind these names in the future. Development on Rebirth is currently in full production and “is proceeding at an astonishingly fast pace” according to Kitase. The game is due to be released exclusively on PS5 during winter 2023/24.

In other news, Capcom has finally announced Dragon’s Dogma II but only via the briefest of mentions during the 10th anniversary stream. Elsewhere, Housemarque has said a sequel to Returnal is still a possibility, but it’s not going to happen until after their next game which is a brand new IP for PlayStation.

The post Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2 Rebirth Coming Exclusively to PS5 Next Winter appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

The likelihood of seeing Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Remake

??? pic.twitter.com/zpKcHARUWH

— The Snitch (@insider_wtf) June 15, 2022

The Final Fantasy 7 25th Anniversary Celebration show is supposed to bring all the latest information relating to the 25th anniversary of Final Fantasy VII. According to the latest leak from Twitter user The Snitch, who has so far proven to be incredibly reliable, this may include a Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Remake for PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The issue is that his leaks are often presented in a cryptic manner and fans aren’t 100% sure that this is what it is implying.

Other popular theories include a look at Final Fantasy VII Remake Part II as the image in his Tweet is taken from Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 1; however, the Snitch has since liked a Tweet that said the reveal was more likely to be a Crisis Core: FF7 remake. Another theory is that mobile game Final Fantasy Ever Crisis could be heading to consoles too. Either way, we’re going to have to wait until the anniversary celebration stream to find out more. Tetsuya Nomura has promised the 10-minute show “will be short and sweet, but we have packed in lots of information.” Players can tune into Youtube or Twitch at 3PM PT tomorrow, June 16, to watch the show live.

In other news, a Final Fantasy 14 free login campaign has begun today for inactive members, who will get four days of free access. Elsewhere, some PS Plus members are having issues with downloading and playing Syphon Filter through PS Plus Premium.

The post Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Remake Expected to be Announced Tomorrow appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

The likelihood of seeing FF7 Remake Part 2 in the broadcast

Join us next week for around 10 minutes to celebrate 25 years of @FinalFantasy VII: https://t.co/y074ldZMhg

Co-stream the broadcast and share your reactions with #FFVII25th. Please be excited. pic.twitter.com/DskOd2CxQj

— FINAL FANTASY VII (@finalfantasyvii) June 10, 2022

A brief statement from veteran Square Enix game designer Tetsuya Nomura reads:

We will be streaming “FINAL FANTASY VII 25th Anniversary Celebration”. At only around 10 minutes long, it will be short and sweet, but we have packed in lots of information, so I hope everyone can look forward to the unveiling.

While some fans have speculated that there might be news on Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2, others have speculated that the remake will be released on Xbox consoles and/or that Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII could be getting a full remake treatment.

Given that this is a celebration encompassing everything related to Final Fantasy 7, it’s more likely that there will be news pertaining to Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier, a mobile battle-royale game that’s already in its third season. We may also see more gameplay footage of Final Fantasy XVI, which was featured last week in Sony’s State of Play, but that’s likely not in the cards.

In other news, speculation suggests that there will be another PlayStation State of Play arriving later this month with an announcement of God of War Ragnarok’s release date, and The Last of Us multiplayer is apparently a major part of Sony’s live service efforts.

The post Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 Might Appear in FF7 25th Anniversary Stream appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 is being directed by Naoki Hamaguchi

Back in January, Square Enix said that it hopes to share more information about Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 this year, but stopped short of confirming anything. The last time we heard anything major about the game was over a year ago, when Nomura announced that Part 2 will be directed by Part 1 co-director Naoki Hamaguchi. “Since we were able to solidify the base gameplay in the first part of Final Fantasy VII Remake and are able to see what we need to improve upon in the future, Naoki Hamaguchi will be entrusted as the director on the next part, while I’ll be involved as the creative director on all things Final Fantasy VII, including the Remake and mobile titles,” Nomura said in February 2021. His latest tease came during the livestream below, around the 1:51:40 mark, as translated by Twitter user RedMakuzawa.

Tetsuya Nomura confirmed today that news regarding FFVII 25th’s anniversary will be coming next month. pic.twitter.com/UxuPA8JT0E

— Miraculous Maku #KH20th (@RedMakuzawa) May 18, 2022

It looks like we’ll also be getting news on Final Fantasy 16 sometime in the summer but it remains to be seen which game will release first.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 is in development for PlayStation platforms but Square Enix hasn’t confirmed if it’s a cross-gen game or not.

In other news, Bungie has responded to Sony’s reported “muzzling” of its studios when it comes to the abortion rights issue in the U.S., and Techland is working on an open-world fantasy action-RPG.

The post We Might Get Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 News Next Month appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

We’ve seen several different translations of Kitase’s comments but are going with Gematsu’s translation given the publication’s history. Nevertheless, Square Enix is planning to share something about Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2 this year and that’s the gist of it.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 2 news will mark the game’s 25th anniversary

The original Final Fantasy VII released 25 years ago and further news about its remake will be the perfect way to celebrate its silver jubilee. Both Kitase and Tetsuya Nomura released statements reflecting upon the original release yesterday, thanking fans for their support over the years.

“Final Fantasy VII has re-emerged as the latest game in the series once again, with titles like Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier, and you can look forward to even more exciting new developments in the future!” Kitase said.

Expect more Final Fantasy 7 projects in the future

With the success of Final Fantasy VII Remake and its mobile projects in the works, Square Enix is eyeing even more Final Fantasy VII projects in the future. Nomura confirmed as much in his 25th anniversary message. “There will be even more new Final Fantasy VII projects that started up after the remake coming in the future too,” he wrote. “The team see this 25th anniversary as a waypoint on our journey with Final Fantasy VII, and will continue pressing ahead to even greater things, so please keep supporting us going forward!”

Twenty five years ago today the original @FinalFantasy VII first launched in Japan, and to celebrate this very special anniversary we’re delighted to present messages from both Yoshinori Kitase and Tetsuya Nomura. #FFVII25th pic.twitter.com/3Py8FwarIl

— FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE (@finalfantasyvii) January 31, 2022

In other news, PlayStation Studios has several live service games in development, and Sony has said that its acquisition of Bungie isn’t a response to Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

[Source: Gematsu]

The post Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 2 News Possibly Coming in 2022 appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

But that’s not all! Episode INTERmission, the downloadable content starring Yuffie, is also 25 percent off for a limited time. Now is a great time to avail the offers and jump in, if you haven’t already.

Starting this Wednesday…

• PS Plus subscribers who previously redeemed @FinalFantasy VII Remake via @PlayStation Plus will be able to upgrade to the PS5 version of the game.

• Episode Intermission, the DLC featuring Yuffie Kisaragi, will be 25% off for a limited time! pic.twitter.com/mnkCIRR586

— FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE (@finalfantasyvii) December 19, 2021

Just to be clear, if you weren’t a PlayStation Plus subscriber in March or didn’t redeem Final Fantasy VII Remake, for some bizarre reason, this offer doesn’t apply to you. The game needs to be in your library.

In related news, Final Fantasy VII Remake finally completed its PlayStation exclusivity period, and is now available on PC as well. However, its PC launch has been marred by issues, leading to calls for refunds.

The post PS Plus Subscribers Who Claimed Final Fantasy VII Remake Can Get the PS5 Upgrade for Free This Week appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

While Remake is starting to make some curious small changes to the canon of the original game, Vincent Valentine is still fast asleep in a coffin under Shinra Mansion near Nibelheim. It seems that this element of Vincent’s story is too massive to change, even if Final Fantasy VII Remake’s story has already hinted about story changes as enormous as Zack Fair being alive. Essentially, Vincent’s canon doesn’t allow the team to play with his story as much just yet, whereas much of Yuffie’s story has blank pages that are effectively filled with the Episode Intermission story.

Toriyama told TheGamer:

Yuffie, the heroine of Episode Intermission was not guaranteed to join your party in the original game, but that actually made her a character that we had more freedom to expand on the backstory for. Toriyama-san tells us. “Compared to Vincent, who was canonically sleeping in a coffin under the Shinra Mansion and so could not be moved around, Yuffie was journeying around the world as a materia hunter. By inserting the events in Midgar from FF7R Episode Intermission into that journey, we can show the feelings that she had towards that incident that are usually hidden behind her cheery personality, and that will tie into her story further down the line.”

The other big part of choosing Yuffie was to provide additional context into Shinra, the war with Wutai, and the general state of the world beyond Midgar. While we found in our own review that Episode Intermission felt as standalone and optional as Yuffie did in the original game, the added background will become a valuable part of engaging with the story and world in the rest of Final Fantasy VII Remake.

Some elements of Vincent’s story were present in the Episode Intermission story, including additional details about Deepground, which Vincent will face off against years later in the Dirge of Cerberus story canon. Vincent himself, however, remains fast asleep until Cloud and company stumble across his not-so-final resting place, which may or may not happen in the next part, depending on how far the story of the sequel goes.

With some deviations occurring in the Final Fantasy VII Remake story, we now know for certain that Vincent’s story remains intact, at least as far as his long sleep under Shinra Manor goes. What part he will play in the new story’s fight with “destiny” should add some fascinating new elements while eventually bringing back a fan favorite character with a deep and troubled past.

The developers have also talked about elements from Episode Intermission potentially making their way into the next part of Final Fantasy VII Remake, which is still light on details at this point.

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, including the Episode Intermission DLC story chapters, is available exclusively on PS5 now.

The post Why Yuffie Was Chosen Over Vincent for Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade’s Episode Intermission appeared first on PlayStation LifeStyle.

One of the elements that Hamaguchi is interested in bringing back is the team-up moves.

I am rather satisfied with this final form, in which the strategic element of the command-based battle from the original co-exists with the real-time, action-oriented battle. Additionally, with ‘Intermission,’ there’s another element introduced: combo moves where Yuffie and Sonon team up, which makes for a different feel in battle strategy. I would like to leverage these, including other elements we tried out in ‘Intermission,’ in our next story.

Elsewhere in the interview, co-director Motomu Toriyama explained why the developers chose Yuffie as the star of Episode INTERmission.

If this were Vincent, another optional character, he would have been sleeping in a coffin in the Shinra mansion, so we wouldn’t be able to move him around. But Yuffie was traveling the world as a materia hunter in the original. By having Yuffie infiltrate Midgar as part of her travels, she can experience the same incidents Cloud and company were experiencing, depicting the same incidents from a different perspective.

Hamaguchi and Toriyama told The Washington Post that they’re doing their best to not stray from the original Final Fantasy VII while simultaneously ensuring that the remake feels fresh. The duo said that the idea is to reimagine the game and have it surpass players’ expectations.

A release date for Part 2 has yet to be announced.

[Source: The Washington Post]

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