FF7 Remake's Third Game is Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place

The upcoming third installment of Final Fantasy 7 Remake is facing a unique challenge when it comes to its release strategy, particularly with how Square Enix markets the game. The publisher has already struggled to meet profit expectations for both Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, sparking discussions about whether the final game in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy should go multiplatform. However, whether it stays a PlayStation exclusive or branches out to other platforms like Xbox, the marketing dilemma remains a complex one.

A Hypothetical Multiplatform Release May Come with Significant Complications For FF7 Remake 3

Square Enix has not officially confirmed whether Final Fantasy 7 Remake‘s third game will be released on platforms beyond PlayStation, but there are strong cases for it to go multiplatform at this point, one being that a broader release could hope to help Square Enix mitigate the poor sales performance that plagued Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth.

Releasing the third game on Xbox without the first two entries of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake would be a major stumbling block. A similar issue occurred when Kingdom Hearts 3 launched on Xbox without access to the prior Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 ReMix titles. This left new Kingdom Hearts players initially missing out on crucial story elements, making the experience disjointed. With Final Fantasy 7 Remake, the problem could be even worse, given that the trilogy is more narratively cohesive than the separate arcs of Kingdom Hearts.

Would Square Enix Release All of Final Fantasy 7 Remake on Xbox Series X/S?

The ideal solution would be to release both Final Fantasy 7 Remake titles on Xbox, prior to the release of the final game, but this is likely a logistical nightmare. The development team is undoubtedly focused on completing the final installment, and delaying its release to port the previous two games to Xbox would likely not sit well with fans or investors. Time and resource constraints make it improbable that Square Enix would prioritize such a task.

A short-term fix could involve releasing a recap video, similar to how Kingdom Hearts received summary films. Still, this option is far from perfect. No summary can capture the intricate details and emotional weight of playing through the full Final Fantasy 7 Remake experience. For new players unfamiliar with the earlier entries this approach could still leave them feeling disconnected from the story, which is arguably one of the most important elements of the series.

PlayStation Exclusivity Risks Repeating Past Square Enix’s Mistakes

If Square Enix opts to keep the third game in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy a PlayStation exclusive, it risks further deepening Rebirth’s sales expectation woes if exclusivity truly is the root. While PlayStation remains a dominant platform for RPGs, the declining sales figures for exclusives like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth suggest that relying on a single platform isn’t ideal.

Square Enix finds itself in a difficult situation with the final game in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy. Going multiplatform without including the previous two games would create a fragmented experience, especially for Xbox players unfamiliar with the story. On the other hand, sticking to PlayStation exclusivity risks the same financial disappointment seen with Final Fantasy 16 and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. No matter which option Square Enix chooses, the marketing strategy for the third game is going to face significant hurdles.