Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has plenty of mini-games for players to enjoy, but none quite compare to Queen's Blood. Known for being far more than a shallow side activity, Queen's Blood is one of those mini-games that players can easily sink dozens of hours into, collecting cards and advancing their rank as they defeat the game's many opponents in a match. Since Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's launch, Queen's Blood has garnered praise that only mini-games like The Witcher 3's Gwent have received. Now, according to director Naoki Hamaguchi in a recent interview with Polygon, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 will bring back the acclaimed mini-game, and somehow make it even better.
Queen's Blood is a turn-based collectible card game in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth that plays out on a three-row, five-column board where each player builds a 15-card deck and places cards to claim space and earn points in each lane. Each card has a power value and placement requirements, and players take turns placing cards to capture tiles, boost their own lanes, and disrupt their opponent. Winning lanes by having the higher total power adds those points to the player's score at the end of the match, and some cards also include special effects that buff their board or debuff their opponent. As players travel the world in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, beating other Queen's Blood players not only earns them new cards but also raises their rank through a rather lengthy side quest, making it one of the most strategic and rewarding mini-games in gaming. As such, it's hard to believe that Part 3 could improve it, but according to Hamaguchi, it will.
Queen's Blood Will Be Even Better in Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3
It's ultimately good news that Queen's Blood is returning in Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3, regardless of whether it's improving the mini-game or not. However, its return was already confirmed in August 2024. It wasn't until recently that Hamaguchi mentioned it wouldn't be the same game that players remember but would instead be even better.
"Queen's Blood is a very popular and beloved minigame, and I believe a lot of people are still wanting something like that," Hamaguchi said during the interview. "I want to expand on Queen's Blood so that we are enhancing it, and giving you a more powered-up version of it when you see that third installment… Queen's Blood is still going to be available in the third installment. We just want to expand on it."
Any mention of improvements being made to Queen's Blood is great news, but Hamaguchi neglected to state during the interview exactly how the team would expand on the mini-game in Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3. Even so, there are several possible ways Queen's Blood could be taken to the next level in the third and final entry of the Remake trilogy, like new board layouts and better late-game balance.
How Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 Could Improve Queen's Blood
- NEW BOARD LAYOUTS OR RULE VARIANTS to keep matches from feeling solved late-game.
- STRONGER ARCHETYPE SUPPORT so decks feel themed, not just optimized.
- BETTER LATE-GAME BALANCE to curb dominant strategies and reward adaptation.
- WORLD-BASED CARD ACQUISITION like quests, bosses, or exploration rewards.
- OPTIONAL PVP OR CHALLENGE MODES for players who want mastery beyond NPCs.
- MORE NARRATIVE INTEGRATION tying Queen’s Blood to characters or Part 3’s story.
- ROTATING TOURNAMENTS WITH MODIFIERS to keep repeat play fresh.
While these improvements are purely speculative based on the current state of Queen's Blood in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, new board layouts or rule variants could prevent late-game matches from feeling predictable, while stronger archetype support would encourage experimentation instead of funneling players toward a handful of optimal strategies.
Expanding how cards are earned through exploration, bosses, or side content would also help Queen's Blood feel more naturally embedded in the world, and rotating tournaments or optional challenge modes could give dedicated players reasons to keep returning between major story beats. If Square Enix also finds ways to tie Queen's Blood more directly into character arcs or Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3's story, the mini-game could feel less like a side activity and more like a natural extension of the narrative.
Queen's Blood already stands as one of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's most memorable surprises, which is why expanding it in Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 feels right. Rather than simply bringing the mini-game back for nostalgia's sake, Hamaguchi’s comments suggest a version that builds on what worked while addressing the places where it could grow. If Part 3 delivers a better Queen's Blood experience overall, it could cement the card game as a defining pillar of the Remake trilogy and one of the best mini-games the series has ever produced.
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
- Genre(s)
- RPG
