Naoki Hamaguchi and Square Enix have revealed new details about the untitled finale of the Final Fantasy VII Remake saga. The Highwind is finally confirmed, alongside long-lost locations and potential deep-sea exploration. A massive scope.
Square Enix is fully aware of the gaps left in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Introducing Cid Highwind without his iconic hometown felt like a missed opportunity for many. A blow to immersion.
The freedom of the Highwind
Hamaguchi has confirmed to Bloomberg that Rocket Town and the long-awaited Wutai will play central roles in the finale. The stakes for Wutai are especially high; Yuffie’s entire motivation throughout the first two games hinges on it. Integrating these locations as core elements rather than DLC is the only logical move. A necessary course correction.
The ultimate promise is the Highwind. A fully flyable airship allowing free exploration of the world map is a mammoth technical feat for the Unreal Engine—especially after the dense world of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Hamaguchi aims to “expand” the flight experience, suggesting far more than a simple fast-travel animation. Capturing the freedom of the 1997 original in modern graphics would be the payoff fans have awaited for a decade. A technical gamble.
Chocobos, submarines, and takeoff in the ice
While the Director remains vague on Chocobo breeding, he hints at a system that differs significantly from the mechanics in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Whether we will once again spend days chasing the perfect breed remains to be seen. But without the Golden Chocobo, the trilogy wouldn't be complete. A nostalgic necessity.
The "Huge Materia" search is where it gets truly ambitious. According to Hamaguchi, both underwater exploration and a trip into space are on the table. Starting the game at the Great Glacier with high-octane snowboarding sets the perfect tone for a relentless finale. No breaks.
The confirmation of Rocket Town and the Highwind alleviates a major fan concern: that the finale's scale might be compromised following the massive scope of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. Square Enix is going all out, pushing the technical boundaries of the PS5—and potentially its successors—to exploit every bit of potential. Following these statements, expectations are at an all-time high. The pressure is on.
Will free flying with the Highwind be the highlight for you, or are you more interested in the political escalation in Wutai?
Personally, I think they can leave out Yuffie and everything related to her. That would save quite a few resources.
Nice, finally Square is doing something right.
The Highwind must be playable; it would be unworthy of the original to degrade it to something fleeting, as correctly stated in the article.