Summary
- Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi clarified his stance, expressing support for modding in gaming and acknowledging its positive impact.
- The director emphasizes the importance of caution with mods, advising both creators and players to preserve the intended game experience.
- While Hamaguchi recognizes the role of mods in revitalizing games, he urges players to research and select mods carefully.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi has clarified his previous comments against modding, saying he believes it’s a positive thing for gaming. Hamaguchi talked about the value of the modding community a week after Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth was released on PC.
Modding is a hugely popular practice among gamers, especially on PC. Over the years, many popular titles have received community mods that have significantly improved the original experience of a given game. So much so that many popular games have gotten their own mod support, offering tools and easier ways for creative players to come up with mods. However, there are occasions where mods can undermine the original vision of a game, and the developer may find them inappropriate. Back in December, Naoki Hamaguchi joined this line of requests by asking modders to refrain from sharing, creating, or installing any offensive mods in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Director Clarifies Comments on Cloud and Aerith Relationship
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth director Naoki Hamaguchi clarifies his previous statements about the nature of Cloud and Aerith's relationship.
In an interview with Automaton, Naoki Hamaguchi offered an explanation to fans about his previous request regarding the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth modding community. Although Hamaguchi still believes inappropriate mods shouldn’t be made for the game, as they can “detract from the intended game experience,” he also acknowledged that mods “breathe life” into games. The director also confessed that he uses mods himself when playing on PC and recognized that modding is a common practice that has brought enjoyment to players worldwide.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Director Believes Mods 'Breathe Life' Into the Game
Hamaguchi continued by saying he didn’t really mean to ask players not to use any mods but just to be “mindful” of them, asking both creators and players not to alter the intended game experience. He also advised players to conduct research when picking a mod for the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth PC port in order to be careful about what they are installing, as certain mods “could shock some players,” especially those that include costume changes or reverse engineering.
Nevertheless, Hamaguchi is aware of the positive transformative power of mods, acknowledging how much they can reignite players’ excitement about a game, citing examples where the modding community has kept interest in certain games alive. He considers the modding community to be a fascinating market, appreciating how fast it moves in comparison to big companies.
Hamaguchi’s comments shed light on his stance on mods, giving permission to players to create and share mods as long as they are not offensive or do not detract from the intended vision of the game. While Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is off to a strong start on PC, it will be interesting to see the kind of content modders introduce to the game moving forward.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- February 29, 2024
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
- Square Enix
WHERE TO PLAY
Discover a vibrant and vast world in this standalone entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the second entry in the Final Fantasy VII remake project, which retells the story of the genre-redefining RPG across three distinct games. Iconic heroes Cloud, Barret, Tifa, Aerith and Red XIII have escaped from the dystopian city Midgar and are now in pursuit of Sephiroth, the vengeful swordsman from Cloud’s past who was thought to be dead. This new adventure can be enjoyed by all players, even those who have yet to play Final Fantasy VII Remake or the PlayStation original. Expect a new standard of cinematic storytelling, fast-paced combat and rich exploration across a vast world.
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Franchise
- Final Fantasy
- PC Release Date
- January 23, 2025
- PS5 Release Date
- February 29, 2024
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- How Long To Beat
- 40 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
