Summer Game Fest is approaching on June 6, 2025, and Geoff Keighley’s latest event has announced its longest list of industry partners yet. Including surprise appearances like the return of Nintendo, the SGF kickoff should reach plenty of gaming communities with over 60 developers and publishers in attendance, not the least of which is Square Enix. Holding the reins of Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and plenty of other storied franchises, Square Enix would normally be an expected sight at an industry show like this. However, it and Final Fantasy are both in a strange place at the moment.
After Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth both underperformed in sales, and Final Fantasy 14 might have seen its first significant drop in subscribers after its Dawntrail expansion, Square Enix is allegedly making some big changes. Several insiders have indicated that the company won't launch any major titles in the next year, only small projects, with its AAA efforts being reduced to a few specific games like Kingdom Hearts 4. Even so, rumors of various Final Fantasy projects still leave room for their appearance at the upcoming Summer Game Fest, and they could still line up with Square Enix’s new plans.
Why Now is the Perfect Time to Play Four Specific Final Fantasy Games
Magic: The Gathering’s upcoming Universes Beyond crossover with Final Fantasy gives four entries some extra attention, and fans should follow suit.
Final Fantasy Could Bring Small, But Exciting Games To Summer Game Fest
Some Leaked FF Projects Are Overdue For Announcements
Two FF titles have been sitting in limbo for quite some time, in spite of the fact that they were both leaked years ago. First, and most pertinent, is a Final Fantasy 9 remake or remaster, possibly with a tie-in show. The Nvidia GeForce Now database leak from 2021 famously had a good track record of predicting upcoming games, and a Final Fantasy 9 remake is the only Square Enix title on it that hasn't been released. Combined with FF9’s 25th anniversary celebration on July 7, and the significant FF9 parallels in FF14: Dawntrail, Final Fantasy 9 could easily show up at this Summer Game Fest.
FF9’s biggest hold up is that one of the insiders behind the recent Square Enix leaks specifically called it out as not releasing this year, whereas a Final Fantasy Tactics remaster was noted to have the exact scope that Square Enix titles will have for a while. This game is another one that has been subject to years of leaks, and now that Tactics Ogre: Reborn has been out for a while, it feels like it's Final Fantasy Tactics’ turn. Being a fan-favorite entry, Final Fantasy Tactics would be a welcome sight at the Summer Game Fest.
Major Final Fantasy Games Square Enix Could Bring To Summer Game Fest
Square Enix has a lot more to show than just smaller Final Fantasy projects, and the third part of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy could be the biggest. This wouldn't include a release date, especially since Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth just came out in 2024, but a teaser revealing its name could appear at the Summer Game Fest. Now is an especially good time to bring up Final Fantasy 7, as it is one of the Final Fantasy games focused on by the Magic: The Gathering crossover set that launches in mid-June.
Final Fantasy Port Announcements Aren't Out Of The Question
It isn't the most exciting option, but Square Enix could also use its screen time at the Summer Game Fest to advertise some Final Fantasy ports. Xbox platforms are missing several modern Final Fantasy games, including the FF7R games and Final Fantasy 16, and there's never a bad time to fix that. More details on the Nintendo Switch 2 port of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and potentially Rebirth, FF16, and even Pixel Remaster ports could also be on the way. Even spin-offs like Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin could get a second life on the Switch 2, so Final Fantasy’s time at Summer Game Fest 2025 could be fruitful indeed.
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
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Genre(s)
- RPG
