Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has reignited discussion about potential Xbox ports of Final Fantasy 7 Remake.
Fans of the Final Fantasy franchise who own an Xbox Series X/S are still holding out hope that modern games in the series will end up on the platform. The franchise has had an on-again, off-again relationship with Microsoft since the original Xbox was first released, and mainline installments like Final Fantasy 15 launched on Xbox and PlayStation consoles simultaneously. That hasn’t been the case recently with major releases like Final Fantasy 16, Final Fantasy 7 Remake, and the Rebirth sequel launching as PlayStation exclusives.
Over the past few months, there have been reports regarding the changing nature of Square Enix’s current approach to game development and the state of console exclusives in general. This has been prompting discussion about where the Final Fantasy series fits into the gaming industry in general, and how modern installments might land on Xbox Series consoles.
Will Final Fantasy 7 Remake or Rebirth come out on Xbox?
There are no signs of Final Fantasy 7 Remake coming out on Xbox Series X/S consoles any time soon. However, there are reports that fans shouldn’t give up hope.
During the Xbox Two Podcast, the hosts discussed the future of the iconic RPG series on Xbox. According to Windows Central’s Jez Corden, there is “evidence” of “discussions” regarding a Final Fantasy 7 Remake on Xbox a reality.
Xbox seemingly hinted at this release through social media in 2023. To celebrate Father’s Day in Brazil, Xbox shared a collage that included Marlene and Barrett from FF7 Remake alongside other iconic fathers in video games.
Many recent Final Fantasy games have an exclusivity period with PlayStation which limits their releases on other platforms. Those periods have gotten shorter over time, going from over a year to merely three months for Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Just because the exclusivity period expires doesn’t mean an immediate release on another platform, but Square Enix has discussed strengthening its relationship with Microsoft and announced Visions of Mana during the 2024 Xbox Developer Showcase.
The release of FF7 Remake on Xbox might be affected by Square Enix’s plans for the year, as Corden speculated that Square Enix wouldn’t want to distract from the release of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. If true, the publisher may space out any announcement of a port to Xbox platforms.
Xbox fans don’t necessarily need to go without Final Fantasy in the meantime. Final Fantasy 14 will be coming to Xbox consoles in 2024, and is set to be operational before the release of the Dawntrail expansion. There are also other Final Fantasy games on the platform including classics like Final Fantasy 9 and 10.
Is Final Fantasy is coming for Nintendo Switch 2?
Final Fantasy 7 Remake is not confirmed to be coming out on Nintendo consoles. However, there have been reports that the game has been made playable on the console.
In September 2023, a leaker who has accurately preempted Square Enix’s official announcements stated that the company had ported the game onto Nintendo Switch 2 devkits. This doesn’t confirm that the game will actually be released, but there is a pattern of evidence regarding Final Fantasy 7 Remake in particular being ported to other consoles.
The Nintendo Switch 2 hasn’t been officially confirmed and details remain vague but the next Nintendo console will almost certainly boast enough technical horsepower to run a game that initially dropped on PlayStation 4. Whether Final Fantasy 7 Remake will receive a simultaneous release on Xbox and Nintendo consoles, or whether it will remain on PlayStation and PC, is uncertain.
