Square Enix has historically been inconsistent with the platforms it releases Final Fantasy games on, though it has prioritized PlayStation consoles in most instances. The latest mainline installments in the series, Final Fantasy 16, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, all launched as PlayStation console exclusives. On the other hand, Crisis Core FF7 Reunion, which was a prequel to the original FF7, strangely launched on all platforms while its Remake counterpart did not. Then there's the 2021 Final Fantasy spin-off Stranger of Paradise: FF Origin, which was released on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. Meanwhile, 2023's Theatrhythm Final Bar Line was only ported to PS4 and Nintendo Switch.
Due to the disappointing commercial performance of FF16 and FF7 Rebirth, however, Square Enix has recently committed to a more multiplatform approach for its future titles, one that includes not just PlayStation, but Xbox, Nintendo, and PC as well. Square Enix has already started putting this new plan into action, as is evident by the recent debut of FF14 on Xbox Series X/S and the launch of the long-awaited Xbox port of the FF Pixel Remasters. WIth that being said, it seems Square is still prioritizing PlayStation for at least one series of Final Fantasy games, namely the FF7 Remake trilogy.
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Square Enix May Continue to Prioritize PlayStation Over Other Platforms With the FF7 Remake Trilogy
Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth Are Still PlayStation Exclusives
Final Fantasy 7 Remake launched as a PS4 exclusive on April 10, 2020, due to a contract that Sony had signed with Square Enix. According to marketing materials for the game, FF7 Remake would only be available on PlayStation consoles for at least one year, specifically until April 4, 2021. However, following the release of FF7 Remake Intergrade, a definitive version of the title that was enhanced for PlayStation 5, it was revealed that Sony had extended the game's exclusivity contract for an additional six months beyond its June 10, 2021 launch.
Although FF7 Remake did come to PC in December 2021 as soon as the exclusivity deal was up, it didn't land on Xbox consoles like most had expected. The same can be said for Remake's 2024 sequel, FF7 Rebirth. This title, which came out in February of this year, was said to have a short, three-month exclusivity window, unlike its predecessor. While the game could've come to other platforms as early as May 29, 2024, Square Enix has been tight-lipped about any potential plans to bring it to Xbox or PC.
Square Enix Has Yet to Comment on Bringing FF7 Remake/Rebirth to More Platforms
Square's hesitance to acknowledge demands for FF7 Rebirth on other platforms is made more suspicious by the fact that the firm was (and still is) very open about its plans to bring 2023's FF16 over to as many devices as possible. Even before the six-month exclusivity contract for the game had expired, Square was quick to reveal that a PC version of FF16 was already in development. Once this port was eventually released in September 2024, Square Enix expressed its desire to bring Final Fantasy 16 to Xbox at some point.
Recent Reports Allege that the FF7 Remake Games Are Not Currently in Development for Xbox
Xbox ports of Final Fantasy 16 and most future FF games seem more likely than ever before, but the FF7 Remake trilogy will probably remain exclusive to PlayStation for the foreseeable future. Alex Donaldson, an assistant editor and insider at VG247, recently corroborated this stance in a post on ResetEra, where he alleged that neither Remake nor Rebirth were in active development for Xbox, despite rumors to the contrary. It's possible that these two Final Fantasy games will come to Microsoft's consoles eventually due to Square's multiplatform push, but it wouldn't be surprising if the third FF7 Remake installment launches first on PlayStation nonetheless, whether due to an existing PlayStation exclusivity contract or due to the publisher's own decision-making.
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
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
- Genre(s)
- RPG
- How Long To Beat
- 40 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- N/A
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
