Ich möchte auch darauf hinweisen, dass er sein Logo (?) als Kette trägt. Schluck.

https://www.ntower.de/bericht/1571-final-fantasy-vii-rebirth-our-interview-with-naoki-hamaguchi-on-the-nintendo-swi/

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: Our interview with Naoki Hamaguchi on the Nintendo Switch 2 Port and exciting details about the trilogy’s finale InterviewGeschrieben von Flokaaki | Atha am 05.05.2026

ntower: At what point during development was the decision actually made that the story would be told as a trilogy? Final Fantasy VII Remake ultimately ended with the dramatic escape from Midgar, which made up just a fraction of the overall story of the original game and only took a few hours to complete. How much of the new story expansions actually stem from old ideas from the past, and what did the general thought process for expanding the story look like?

Naoki Hamaguchi: By the time I was entrusted with overall leadership of this project, the broad concept of a trilogy had already been firmly established. It wasn't so much about “wanting” to make it a trilogy—the accurate assessment is that, upon objectively evaluating the sheer volume of the story and the content that needed to be depicted, no option other than a trilogy was realistic. The Midgar segment of FINAL FANTASY VII is a relatively short part of the original game, but it is incredibly dense with information regarding the game’s world, characters, and story. It became clear early on that if we were to faithfully recreate this using modern techniques, we would need a substantial amount of content just to make it work as a standalone title. Regarding the expansion of the story, while we used the plot Nojima-san had initially outlined as a basis, we had many discussions about “how much to depict” and “where to place the narrative breaks.” One moment that particularly stands out to me is when we were discussing the structure of the second installment. In the original plan, the story didn’t clearly break at the forgotten capital and Aerith’s fate. At that time, I suggested to producer Kitase-san, “Considering the narrative focus, wouldn’t it be better to treat Aerith’s fate as a natural break to this section?” I recall that, at almost the exact same timing, I heard Nomura-san express a nearly identical idea, and from there, the overall framework for the entire trilogy came together very smoothly.

ntower: The game on the Nintendo Switch 2 also includes the Episode INTERmission and shows through Yuffie Kisaragi that the Shinra Corporation is facing massive resistance. In the original, Yuffie is rather optional in nature. How are such decisions made to dedicate separate extra content to a character like Yuffie and to fundamentally change her first encounter with the party compared to the original?

Naoki Hamaguchi: With recent AAA titles, it’s not uncommon for development to take four years or more to complete a single game. Given that development timeline, we felt it was appropriate to design the DLC for INTERGRADE not merely as additional content, but as an experience that bridges the gap between REMAKE and REBIRTH. In Episode INTERmission, while using the same setting of Midgar, we depict a different form of resistance against Shinra from Yuffie’s perspective. Our aim was to show what was happening behind the scenes while allowing players to experience firsthand how the scale of the story is expanding. In REBIRTH, characters like Yuffie and Vincent, who were optional in the original game, will be firmly integrated into the main story. As a prelude to that, we wanted to create an experience that portrays Yuffie not merely as a side character, but as a protagonist in her own right. We chose the DLC format so that players could accept these changes naturally and come to expect that “in the next title, the dynamics between the characters will shift to a whole new level.”

ntower: What internal decision actually contributed to completely forgoing a story DLC for this second part? Can we hope for new DLCs, perhaps even waiting until the trilogy's concluding title?

Naoki Hamaguchi: When it came to FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH, we seriously considered the possibility of developing a story DLC right up until immediately before the project officially moved into the planning phase. However, within the context of a long-term trilogy, we concluded that running development of the second installment’s DLC in parallel with the third installment would inevitably affect the third game’s schedule and overall quality. At that point, I believed my primary role was not to add DLC, but to deliver the third entry to fans as quickly as possible at a level of polish they would find satisfying. For that reason, we decided to forgo story DLC for REBIRTH. As for DLC beyond the third installment, I believe that will ultimately depend on how strongly fans continue to support FINAL FANTASY VII as both a title and a franchise. If there is significant demand, we’d certainly be open to exploring those possibilities proactively.

ntower: We also have a few questions in store regarding the future of Final Fantasy VII. Can we look forward to the absolute favorite summon of many fans in the grand finale: Knights of the Round? In the original, the animation took so long that you could almost breed your own Gold Chocobo in the meantime. Will the team keep this epic length as a small homage to the PlayStation 1 era, or do such gigantic attacks, as well as Sephiroth's Supernova, have to be completely rethought for modern pacing?

Naoki Hamaguchi: That’s a pretty hardcore question (laughs). There are many elements that symbolize FINAL FANTASY VII, and I definitely think the Knights of the Round and the visual effects for Sephiroth’s Supernova are among the most iconic. However, I can’t go into specifics at this point regarding how these elements will be handled in the trilogy or what decisions have been made. I believe these are all themes that require very careful consideration, especially when balancing them with the modern gaming experience. That said, speaking not only as a developer but also as a fan who played the original, I’m personally very curious about how best to recreate those iconic moments for today’s audience. I’d be thrilled if you could play the game yourselves and see for your own eyes what conclusions we’ve reached.

ntower: To properly celebrate the conclusion of the trilogy, it would naturally make sense to release the final part right on time for the original game's 30th anniversary in 2027. How far along is the planning for the third part currently, and when can fans hope for the first news? Might you be able to reveal a few small details about the grand finale to us today?

Naoki Hamaguchi: We are not yet at the stage where we can share detailed information or a specific release date for the third title. However, as previously mentioned, development is progressing on schedule. We are carefully fine-tuning the game right up to the very end to ensure it is delivered in a form befitting the conclusion of the trilogy, so we hope you can look forward to it.

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2026/05/final-fantasy-vii-director-has-already-completed-over-40-full-playthroughs-of-the-third-game

Feature: "It's Rare For Me To Make Downtime" - Naoki Hamaguchi Talks Final Fantasy VII's "Packed And Eventful" Development

How do you find the balance between extending the story of FFVII into three games whilst staying faithful to the original vision?

The greatest challenge was thoughtfully evaluating, title by title, how far to push “nostalgia” and “innovation” respectively, so they could work in balance.

For players familiar with the original game, I think what matters goes beyond the story arc itself—it’s the relationships between the characters, and the emotions they felt upon discovering this world. Those are elements we can’t afford to treat lightly. At the same time, for players discovering FFVII today, we needed to update the presentation and design to align with modern sensibilities; otherwise, the experience itself simply wouldn’t resonate. For this reason, we adopted modern approaches to visual expression while preserving the emotional core and character relationships that were beloved by many in the original game. Rather than framing this as a simple binary of whether to “preserve or change” something, we’ve continuously reevaluated how to interpret these notions of “nostalgia” and “innovation,” and how to express them. As we’ve expanded the story as a trilogy, that thinking has remained consistent. That’s our approach to making the Final Fantasy VII Remake series as a whole.

When we spoke in 2025, you mentioned that development on the third game was progressing well – you had finalised the story and begun working on the core gameplay. Without going into too much detail, can you provide an update on the game’s progress?

We’re very excited about how the game is currently progressing. I have already completed over 40 full playthroughs! I can’t wait for as many people as possible to experience the game for themselves, and myself and the team are working hard to ensure we can create an unforgettable gameplay experience.

As you look ahead to the conclusion of the Remake Trilogy, how does it feel to bring such a significant chapter of your life to a close?

When I look back, the finish line of this project felt unimaginably far away when it first began. But now it feels like time has flown by surprisingly quickly, partly because our days in development were so packed and eventful.

For me, Final Fantasy VII is a truly special title that I’ve deeply admired, even as a creator. Because of that, I’ve always carried the belief that this remake series must live up to the expectations of fans who have continued to show their love for FFVII, and honour the efforts of my fellow creators who have run alongside me up until this point.

I, myself, have been involved with this project for over ten years, but with this final instalment, I feel a deep certainty that we’ll be able to deliver an experience that’ll make people think, “I’m glad I stayed with the series until the end.” That’s something I feel in my heart. For the many fans who have supported us over this long journey, I sincerely hope that the time you’ve spent following this story to its conclusion will stay with you, as something to cherish. My wish, from the bottom of my heart, is that we deliver a finale that’s worthy of that.

aus: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-03-06/-final-fantasy-vii-remake-director-teases-the-trilogy-s-finale?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc3MjgyMDM4NywiZXhwIjoxNzczNDI1MTg3LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUQkhPTzFLSVAzSjYwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJCMUVBQkI5NjQ2QUM0REZFQTJBRkI4MjI1MzgyQTJFQSJ9.Gpn_5j3Y392nfeJAzGvFz0lbXuhlhUvht3W0bVaiVOI&leadSource=uverify%20wall 

The third and final entry in the ‘Final Fantasy VII’ remake trilogy is expected to be revealed soonScreenshot: Square Enix

(...)

The day after the Nintendo event, I met with Hamaguchi for a lengthy interview about his career (more on that much later) and some teases for what’s coming next. Square Enix has not yet given Part 3 a title or said when it will be out — “I’m hoping it’s not going to be too far in the future,” Hamaguchi told me — but it is expected to be revealed this year.

Hamaguchi hinted that the third game will bring in new gameplay elements that weren’t in the first two. “We didn’t want the three installments to be a reskinning of the same game over and over again,” he said, speaking through an interpreter. “We want to make sure we’re expanding with every installment in terms of scale, as well as retaining that freshness as you go into each installment.”

He added that his team “already has the foundation of the gameplay in place” and is fine-tuning and polishing the game in preparation for release.

Back in 2023, Hamaguchi told me that one of the secrets to Rebirth’s success was staff retention, which was also the case for this third entry. “I think the number is closer to 95% of the Rebirth staff that stayed on for the third project,” he said.

So what about specifics? They’re saving some details for the proper reveal, but I did convince Hamaguchi to let me ask some rapid-fire questions about what will or won’t make it from the original Final Fantasy VII into the third part of the remake, given how much they changed for the last one.

Jason Schreier: Will Rocket Town be in the game?

Naoki Hamaguchi: Yeah, this is one of the elements we had to switch around with Rebirth. Yes.

Wutai?

It’s one of the main locations. Yuffie’s made a very prominent appearance, stating her case about her homeland. So if Wutai’s not featured, I think the fans are going to yell at me

Will the Highwind let you fly anywhere?

We want to expand on the gameplay experience. Flying the Highwind is a very large part of the third installment. Let me leave it at that.

Chocobo breeding?

I can’t say yay or nay on the actual breeding. But there is an element in the third installment involving Chocobos that is a little different than Rebirth.

Will we go to space?

I’ll keep that a secret but considering Rocket Town is a yes…

Will we go underwater?

It’s an interesting question because [Motomu] Toriyama handled the submarine portion of the game. So perhaps he has injected himself into there. And I will leave it at that.

Will the Great Glacier area be as big as it is in the original game?

Because it is a major element in the game, I won’t go deep into details. But considering that toward the end of Rebirth, we’re in the Forgotten City — and in the original you would go into Icicle Inn from there — I guess that hints at how the third installment will begin. I hope the players will look forward to it.

Keine News, ich fand das Zitat nur zum Schießen

FFVII Rebirth cutscene director Hidekazu Miyake says the team put an unexpected amount of work into making Sephiroth feel human in Nibelheim. The team debated how to do so, and decided to have him do things like cross his arms and pat Cloud on the back encouragingly (RbU, 2024) #FF7R #FF7 #Sephiroth

— Shinra Archaeology (@shinraarchaeology.bsky.social) 21. Februar 2026 um 04:05

Ich empfand das Verhalten tatsächlich als total untypisch. Wir kennen doch einen menschlichen Seph aus Crisis Core, und da ist er ja nicht so. Aber ich schätze, wenn man nur ein Kapitel Zeit hat, kein ganzes Spiel, in dem sich eine Figur entwickeln kann, dann muss man vielleicht etwas deutlicher werden.
Das war's schon. 

FFVII Rebirth Director Naoki Hamaguchi says the part of the OG he's most looking forward to in Part 3 is Cloud finding himself with the help of Tifa. He said that was the part he was looking forward to and that they nailed it. (Vinesauce, 1/27) #FF7 #FF7R

[image or embed]

— Shinra Archaeology (@shinraarchaeology.bsky.social) 28. Januar 2026 um 16:56

Ich bin noch nicht ganz wach, also kann ich nur hoffen, dass ich das hier halbwegs kohärent zusammenkriege, aber erst mal so weit: Es scheint, dass dieser Streamer (?) Vinesauce irgendwann vor Kurzem bei einem Geschäftsessen (?) mit Remake-Director Hamaguchi ein bisschen über dessen Projekt geplaudert und dabei erfahren hat, dass Hamaguchis Lieblingsszene aus dem OG die Lebensstrom-Szene ist, in der (Spoiler) Cloud und Tifa seine Erinnerungen wieder zusammensetzen. Außerdem soll Hamaguchi wohl gesagt haben, dass diese Szene für das Remake schon erledigt ist und sehr gut geworden sei. Streamer Vinesauce hat um Erlaubnis gebeten, diese Info mit seinen Followern zu teilen, und offenbar wurde daraus ein komplettes Drama.
Ich hatte die News über die Szene aus obigem Post mitbekommen, nicht aber das Fan-Drama, auf das der Streamer hier eingeht:

Jedenfalls. Falls irgendjemand irgendwelche Spekulation mitbekommen haben sollte in Bezug auf diese Szene, dass vielleicht Aerith statt Tifa im Remake vorkommen könnte o. ä., dann ist das nicht die eigentliche Info, die Vinesauce von Hamaguchi erhalten hat. Alles andere ist genau das, was ich gesagt habe: Spekulation. Oder Spekulatius, falls jemand noch welchen übrig hat.

JEDENFALLS. Für diejenigen unter uns, die mit Japanischlernen weiter vorangeschritten sind als ich, Teil 2:
Dear Destiny

╋━━━
教会の守護天使<エンジェル>が飛び去りし後、
七番街スラムの再会が運命の歯車を回し始める。
━━━╋

小説 FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Dear Destiny
著者：野島一成

✨本日発売✨
目次と、本文を一部チラ見せ👀… pic.twitter.com/dXIy8DlSjD

— スクエニ公式ゲームガイド (@SQEX_GAMEGUIDE) January 30, 2026

(Übersetzung:
╋━━━
Nachdem der Schutzengel der Kirche davongeflogen war,
Das Wiedersehen in den Slums der Seventh Avenue setzt die Räder des Schicksals in Bewegung.
━━━╋
Roman FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Dear Destiny
Autor: Kazushige Nojima
✨ Heute im Handel ✨
Inhaltsverzeichnis und ein kurzer Einblick in den Text 👀
Die Veröffentlichung der japanischen Digitalausgabe wurde beschlossen. Eine englischsprachige Veröffentlichung ist geplant ( @SquareEnixBooks ) 📕 Bitte warten Sie auf weitere Aktualisierungen 🎵 Hier kaufen →https://sqex.to/UQy5K #FF7R #FF7リバース

Übrigens ist laut Hamaguchi der Titel für den dritten Teil ausgewählt und festgelegt.

Naoki Hamaguchi remembers an interview he did about how they’d narrowed the title for part 3 down to two names. He says it was up to Mr. Nomura to decide which it is. And yes, after returning from Paris Games Week, he did choose one, so he can say the title has been locked. (Gamespot, 1/23) #FF7R

— Shinra Archaeology (@shinraarchaeology.bsky.social) 23. Januar 2026 um 22:07

Aus GameWalker 25 (1996) via Shinra Archaeology auf Bluesky

Update zum französischen Interview von vor ein paar Tagen: Es hat mittlerweile englische Untertitel, aber bisher fand ich die Infos jetzt nicht so wichtig. Ungefähr nach einer Stunde jedoch fragt der Interviewer, ob nicht durch den E3-Wegfall die Game Awards eine ideale Möglichkeit für Ankündigungen seien: 

 

Nun haben die Game Awards 2025 schon ohne Ankündigung von FFVII Remake Teil 3 stattgefunden, aber wer weiß für die Zukunft ...
Der zweite wichtige Teil kommt ungefähr ab 1:15:00, wo es um die Zukunft des dritten Teils geht, aber das hatte ich schon behandelt: http://www.animexx.de/weblog/534019/843708/

Ansonsten ist das Interview interessant für Leute, die sich für Game Development interessieren und eines Tages vielleicht selbst einsteigen wollen. 

Shinra Archaeology auf Bluesky haben ein paar wichtige Infos aus obigem Interview rausgesucht und gepostet, u. a. dass Hamaguchi und Nomura sich auf die zwei letzten Optionen für den Untertitel des 3. Teils geeinigt haben und sich bis Jahresende für eine davon entscheiden wollen. https://bsky.app/profile/shinraarchaeology.bsky.social/post/3m7gi5yh6wk26

Darüber hinaus ist das Gameplay fertig und soll ab jetzt ausgebaut werden https://bsky.app/profile/shinraarchaeology.bsky.social/post/3m7gim62dck26

Allerdings ist das Interview 1 Stunde 20 und auf Französisch, aktuell gibt es noch keine englischen Untertitel. Falls keine englischen Untertitel hinzugefügt werden sollten, werd ich mich bei Gelegenheit mal hinsetzen und mir anhören, ob da noch wichtige Infos drin sind, denn Frau Tobie ist des Französischen glücklicherweise mächtig. Bis demnächst also!

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Director Naoki Hamaguchi says the game is selling well and there is no need to worry about the final game.

“The second entry, FFVII Rebirth, has been doing very well on both PS5 and PC. I know some fans have expressed concerns, but please rest assured,we’ll be able to deliver a proper, high-quality third installment. Development is going extremely well, and the game is shaping up nicely. A lot of the content is already playable, and the game’s direction and form are firmly set in place. Right now, the team is united around refining everything.”

— Stealth (@Stealth40k) September 25, 2025

signed, your everything ~ 

https://www.square-enix-games.com/en_GB/news/final-fantasy-vii-rebirth-mayors

Let’s rank the mayors in FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH

Who’s the FINAL FANTASY VII remake trilogy’s finest mayor? We hand out our own gubernatorial seal of approval.

FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH is a wonderfully generous game. It’s overflowing with surprising scenarios, satisfying side quests, resplendent regions, pulse-pounding combat… and also a whole lotta mayors.

Indeed, fans have certainly noticed the abundance of city officials in the game, so we thought why not celebrate these sensational civil servants by pointlessly ranking them according to completely arbitrary and meaningless set of criteria?

So that’s exactly what we’re going to do. A few notes first though:

• For the sake of the list, we’re counting any town or village figurehead, even if they don’t have the title of ‘mayor’. So don’t get pedantic with us when you see that Dio’s on the list. Remember: for every comment that starts: “Actually, I think you’ll find…”, a fictional mayor sheds a tear.

• If you already played FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE, you’ll know that Midgar’s Mayor Domino is the self-declared ‘Best’. He’s not in REBIRTH though, so he’s not on the list.

• This list is the opinion of the author alone. The FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH team would like to make it clear that they have had no input or visibility into this ranking, and that the whole thing is a clear waste of everybody’s valuable time.

And now with my rear sufficiently covered, on with the list!

Kapono - Mayor of Costa del Sol

The golden beaches of Costa del Sol beckon travellers from all over FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH’s world. Blue skies, crystal waters - it’s a sun-baked paradise. Shame about the mayor then.

• Public Service - 1/5: Mayor Kapono is more about self-service than public service. He’s willing to con and cheat his way to success, be it ripping off hapless saps like Johnny or hoarding vast personal wealth for his own ends. What a jerk.

• Incorruptibility - 0/5: Make no mistake - Kapono is just as corrupt as one of Shinra’s mako-infused abominations. Lying, cheating, swindling, threats of violence - it’s all fair game to him.

• Resistance to Shinra - 0/5: Kapono’s relationship with Shinra is just as grovelling and desperate as you’d expect from such a craven man. Conning Johnny we can forgive, but making him run after a monster like Hojo? Unforgivable.

• Style - 1/5: He reflects sunny vibes, but the combo of low-cut shirt, gold chain and flamboyant mustache just screams ‘trying too hard’.

• Overall rating - 1/20: Just the absolute worst.

Zander - Mayor of Nibelheim

[Bonus: Sephs Schulter <3]

FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH starts with a flashback to the tragic Nibelheim incident. Set five years before the main story of the game, it sees Cloud and the legendary war hero Sephiroth visit the small town of Nibelheim to investigate a malfunctioning reactor.

More importantly, they meet Zander - the mayor of this charmingly rustic settlement. The cheerful chap couldn’t be more excited to meet a celebrity like Sephiroth. We’re sure that won’t come back to bite him.

• Public service - 3/5: To Zander’s credit, it seems like the town runs well. People are friendly, and there’s a strong community spirit. That speaks to a decent job. More importantly, according to the novel FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE Trace of Two Pasts, Zander gave Tifa her adorable kitty Fluffy. That gives him big points in our eyes.

• Incorruptibility - 5/5: Zander does seem to want what’s best for the town and even heads up the defense when it’s threatened.

• Resistance to Shinra - 0/5: With Nibelheim so reliant on Shinra, the mayor is understandably sycophantic. But cosying up to the company sometimes has tragic consequences and Zander is one such victim.

• Style - 5/5: Big, bushy and majestic, Zander’s beard is befitting of a man of his status. Coupled with his stylish cowboy hat, he rocks that Nibelheim look.

• Overall rating - 13/20: The definition of a big fish in a small pond.

Fritz Bellenger - Mayor of Kalm

As the mayor of Kalm, Fritz heads up one of the largest towns outside of Midgar. But is he the right man for the job?

• Public Service - 5/5: From our limited interactions with Fritz, it’s clear he has Kalm’s best interests at heart. When Kalm’s essential mako pipeline springs a leak, he doesn’t hesitate to find someone who can fix it - not for his own reputation, but for the sake of the town.

• Incorruptibility - 4/5: While not openly corrupt, Fritz does prove to be easily fooled. When Kyrie shows up pretending to be certain undercity merc, Fritz gives her the job of fixing the pipeline without doing his due diligence. Not his best decision.

• Resistance to Shinra - 1/5: As Midgar’s closest neighbor, Kalm is under Shinra’s thumb and reliant on its energy. Even so, the fact that Fritz is willing to seek outside help to keep it running means that he retains a degree of independence - or at least realizes that Shinra’s unlikely to rush to their aid with any urgency.

• Style - 5/5: A stylish green suit, that classy cravat - Fritz dresses for the role of mayor and pulls it off.

• Overall rating: 15/20: We’d probably vote for him.

Dio - Manager of the Gold Saucer

Okay, so he’s not a mayor, but he does run the Gold Saucer - one of the biggest locations in the game. He’s an important figurehead for the attraction too, so we think he belongs on the list - a metaphorical mayor if you will.

• Public Service - 3/5: The Gold Saucer is all about having fun, and Dio does what he can to ensure that’s the case 24/7. Lavish opening ceremonies, audience participation, lavishly presented arena battles… he definitely achieves his goal. However, you could also argue that the Saucer is a decadent, mako-draining monument to excess, one that ultimately harms the planet and public.

• Incorruptibility - 5/5: Dio takes a no-nonsense approach to running the Gold Saucer. If a problem arises, he deals with it - or recruits help to do so. He’s also reasonable - when Barret is suspected of violence in the Saucer, he gives Cloud and his comrades an opportunity to set the record straight. He even gives the compensation for their wrongful accusation.

• Resistance to Shinra - 3/5: The Gold Saucer is a Shinra facility, and Dio is complicit with the company as manager. That said, he is not afraid to stand against them to do what’s right - it’s a brave man who’ll take on Rude of the Turks.

• Style - 5/5: Bare chest, tight underpants, stylish facial hair, the flowing cape… it could be a fashion disaster. But you know what - Dio makes it work. Well, at least Yuffie seems to think so.

• Overall rating: 16/20: A leader befitting this gilded paradise.

Rhonda - Mayor of Under Junon

Unlike the other officials on this list, Rhonda actually has two jobs: mayor and sheriff. It’s her job to keep the town going and its people safe - not easy considering the lack of sunlight and polluted waters.

• Public Service - 5/5: Rhonda is whole-heartedly dedicated to her town and will do whatever’s necessary to protect its people. When one of its current visitors - Yuffie - is threatened by a sea monster, she press-gangs Cloud and company into the rescue effort, as well as the resuscitation.

• Incorruptibility - 5/5: Rhonda’s no straight arrow - she’s more than willing to bend the rules when necessary. But it’s always to help others, be it the town or her estranged family. That makes her a leader that the people can look up to.

• Resistance to Shinra - 5/5: There’s no love lost between the people of Under Junon and Shinra. While Rhonda is careful to toe the line publicly to avoid Shinra’s reprisals, she subverts the company at every opportunity - for example, taking its money to fund the assassination of its new president. Sneaky!

• Style - 3/5: Rhonda’s not interested in pomp - she’s more of a ‘roll your sleeves up and get to work’ kind of mayor. That utilitarian look may reflect her strong character, but we like a mayor with a little more pizazz!

• Overall rating: 18/20: The gold standard by which other mayors should be judged.

So, there you have it - a completely unofficial and unnecessary ranking of FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH’s top officials. 

Hamaguchi spricht Japanisch, ist aber Englisch übersynchronisiert

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is coming to PC on January 23, 2025!

Here’s everything you need to know about it: https://t.co/FtO78bJlQf #FF7R

— Square Enix (@SquareEnix) December 13, 2024

aus https://www.square-enix-games.com/de_DE/news/final-fantasy-vii-rebirth-pc 

FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH is coming to PC on January 23, 2025!

The news was announced during The Game Awards 2024, where the
game also won Best Score & Music.

So, what can you expect from the PC release of the game? Check out
the trailer, or read on and we’ll tell you everything you need to know.

• Get FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH on Steam
• Get FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH Standard Edition on Epic Games Store

 

What is FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH?

The second entry in the FINAL FANTASY VII remake project is a full-length standalone adventure that takes Cloud and his allies on a journey around the world, on the trail of the legendary SOLDIER Sephiroth.

They’ll explore many beautiful regions, from the verdant plains of Grasslands to the stony spires of Cosmo Canyon, and face many dangers, from vicious fiends to agents of the sinister Shinra Electric Power Company.

In addition to an epic main story, you’ll also be able to explore a wealth of additional content, including side quests that change up the gameplay, World Intel that rewards you for exploration, optional battles, minigames and much more.

The game also features an exceptional combat system, which combines fast-paced real time action with strategic menu-based commands. FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH also adds new Synergy abilities, where two members of the team can join forces in attacks that are as flashy as they are effective.

All said, it’s an epic, exciting, funny and emotional RPG that captures everything that’s great about the FINAL FANTASY series. Now, PC players get to see what all the fuss is about!

What can you expect from the PC version?

The PC version of FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH features a range of
graphics settings that will allow players to get the best quality across
their different machines.

There are features three default graphics presets and the ability to customize
the settings. These presets have been optimized to allow PC players to
experience the game with optimised quality across various different set-ups.
You can also deep dive to tweak individual settings to suit the PC that you are using.

Depending on your rig, you’ll be able to play the game with frame rates of up
to 120FPS and a range of visual enhancements, including refined lighting,
improved environment detail, more detailed textures. You’ll also potentially
be able to experience enhanced framerates and image quality with NVIDIA
DLSS. VRR is also supported.

As for controls, connecting a DualSense controller with a PC allows players
to use the same controls as the PS5 version. Keyboard and mouse support
has also been added, alongside the option to freely customize the controls
between world exploration and combat or mini-games.

What are the recommended specs?

Here are the recommended specifications for FINAL FANTASY
VII REBIRTH on PC:

Minimum

• Graphic setting: 30FPS / 1080p (Graphics quality “low”)
• OS: Windows 10 64-bit
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1400 / Intel Core 14-8100
• GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6600 / Intel Arc 1580 / NVIDIA GeForce
  RRX 2060 (AMD Radeon RX 6600 or later model required / NVIDIA
  GeForce RTX Series or later model required)
• Memory: 16GB
• Storage: 155 GB SSD
• Notes: GPU Memory of 12GB or greater recommended if a 4K
  monitor is used. Graphics card supporting ShaderModel 6.6 or a
  later version & OS supporting DirectX 12 Ultimate required.

Recommended

• Graphic setting: 60FPS / 1080p
• OS: Windows 11 64-bit
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600/ AMD Ryzen 7 3700X / Intel Core i7-8700
  / Intel Core i5-10400
• GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT / NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070
• Memory: 16GB
• Storage: 155 GB SSD
• Notes: GPU Memory 12GB or greater recommended if 4k monitor is used

Ultra

• Graphic setting: 60FPS / 2160p
• OS: Windows 11 64-bit
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 5700X / Intel Core i7-10700
• GPU: AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX / NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080
• Memory: 16GB
• Storage: 155 GB SSD
• Notes: GPU Memory 16GB or greater recommended if 4k monitor is used

Will the game be Steam Deck Verified?

The team is working hard to optimize the game for Steam Deck.
We’ll have more information about official Steam Deck verification
in the future, so keep an eye on our social media accounts for confirmation.

• FINAL FANTASY VII on X
• FINAL FANTASY VII on Facebook
• FINAL FANTASY VII on Instagram
• FINAL FANTASY on YouTube

How do you get FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH on PC?

FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH will launch January 23, 2025 and is available
to pre-purchase now on Steam and Epic Games Store.

Ordering now gives an up to 30% discount* across all editions for a limited time.
Additionally, preorder to get the following preorder bonus items:

• “Moogle trio” summoning materia
• Armor: Shinra Bangle Mk. II
• Armor: Midgar Bangle Mk. II

*Discount to conclude on Feb. 5, 2025. Certain restrictions may apply.

Für: Best Storytelling, Best Soundtrack, Briana White, Cody Christian 
 

Huge congratulations to @ItsBrianaWhite for winning Best Supporting Performer as Aerith at the #GoldenJoystickAwards! 🌼 #FF7R

— FINAL FANTASY VII (@finalfantasyvii) November 21, 2024

He didn't stall the show for me when I was running late 😤

— Briana White💚Vote FF7R for TheGameAwards (@ItsBrianaWhite) November 22, 2024

Best Lead Performer goes to @ReallyCody at the #GoldenJoystickAwards 2024!

— Golden Joysticks (@GoldenJoysticks) November 21, 2024

The #GoldenJoystickAwards 2024 for Best Soundtrack goes to @finalfantasyvii Rebirth from @SquareEnix! Congrats!

— Golden Joysticks (@GoldenJoysticks) November 21, 2024

The #GoldenJoystickAwards 2024 is live! And the first winner of the night is @finalfantasyvii Rebirth from @SquareEnix for Best Storytelling 🏆

— Golden Joysticks (@GoldenJoysticks) November 21, 2024

https://www.vg247.com/final-fantasy-7-remake-part-3-mini-games-naoki-hamaguchi-interview
https://www.eurogamer.de/final-fantasy-7-rebirth-regisseur-im-wollte-kein-fan-service-aber-fans-sollen-spekulieren
https://www.dailystar.co.uk/tech/gaming/final-fantasy-7-rebirth-wont-34152228

Es gibt neue Interviews mit Remake-Director Hamaguchi (oben verlinkt), doch hier die wichtigsten Punkte zusammengefasst:

- Das Team konzentriert sich auf Teil III statt auf DLC-Ergänzungen zu Rebirth, um die Fortsetzung so schnell wie möglich auf den Markt zu bringen. 
- Es soll die Möglichkeit bestehen, manche Dinge vom Original abzuändern und manche nicht, anstatt alles gleich zu lassen oder alles zu ändern. So besteht weiterhin Spannung, was auf welche Art gestaltet werden wird. 
- Es soll im dritten Teil weniger Minigames geben (ein Glück)
- Hamaguchi betont, dass die beiden Teile bisher komplett aus Clouds Sicht geschildert wurden. Hm .... 

Mehr Perspektivwechsel im dritten Teil, vielleicht à la Birth By Sleep? 
 

Ich bin über Twitter (ich weiß, böse) so ein bisschen zurück in FF-Spaces und ENDLICH sehe ich wieder Diskussionen über Sephiroth, Genesis und Angeal. Und ich hab mir einfach mal zwei davon rausgepickt, über die ich hier sprechen wollte^^

I've seen people discussing if Sephiroth had money. Some say he had no money, to control him. I think there are certainly elements of financial control, however it's more complex than straight-up deprivation. After he had proven himself in the war... 🧵

— noctona (@three_frogs_) November 3, 2024

Frage Nummer 1 betrifft Sephs Bezahlung durch Shin-Ra, wobei ich denke, dass sich die Dimension der Frage dann doch bis in sein Erwachsenenalter zieht. Es scheint einen gewissen Fan-Konsens zu geben, dass Seph nicht normal bezahlt wurde wie andere, um ihn mehr unter Kontrolle zu halten. Ich persönlich sehe da auch mehrere mögliche Szenarien.
Möglichkeit 1: Er wurde zwar eigentlich voll bezahlt, hatte aber irgendwie keinen Zugang zu diesem Geld bzw. gar keine Idee, dass es existiert. Folglich ist alles, was er "besitzt", von Shin-Ra. 
Möglichkeit 2: Er wurde zwar eigentlich voll bezahlt, aber irgendjemand anders (Sideeye Hojo) hatte Zugang zu diesem Geld bzw. Kontrolle darüber. Folglich hätte Seph um jedes bisschen von seinem eigenen Geld (= seine Eigenständigkeit) bitten müssen. 
Möglichkeit 3: Er wurde irgendwie gar nicht bezahlt und hat alles von Shin-Ra bekommen, ähnlich Möglichkeit 1.
Möglichkeit 4: Er wurde nur gering bezahlt, also eher symbolisch, und hat alles, was er möglicherweise haben wollen könnte, von Shin-Ra bekommen, sodass der Eindruck entsteht, dass er diese Dinge (was auch immer das so genau sein soll) ohne Shin-Ra niemals haben könnte. 
Möglichkeit 5: Er wurde immer sehr gut bezahlt. So entsteht wiederum der Eindruck, dass es sich wenigstens irgendwie lohnt, von Shin-Ra kontrolliert zu werden? Weiß nicht, ob das Sinn ergibt. 

In meinem Headcanon wurde er auch seit seiner Jugend offiziell bezahlt, hatte aber keinen Zugang dazu bzw. nicht mal eine richtige Idee davon, dass er für seine Einsätze bezahlt wird, dass sozusagen seine Arbeitsleistung etwas wert wäre. Jedes Detail hab ich allerdings für mich persönlich noch nicht wirklich durchgearbeitet. Mir ist auch klar, dass es normal ist, dass Jugendliche, die eine größere Menge Geld verdienen (Kinderschauspieler z. B.) nicht sofort vollen Zugriff darauf haben, mir geht es jedoch mehr um die Verschleierung und darum, nicht das Gefühl zu haben, dass man etwas wert ist. Ich denke, dass er erst um Umgang mit Genesis und Angeal etwas über (sein) Geld lernt. Das alles führt eigentlich auch zu Frage 2:

Wie wohnt Sephiroth? 

so i know sephiroth as a child did not have an actual bedroom (he slept on a damn crate) but does anyone think as an adult, he got an actual bedroom? curious to see ppls thoughts bc i may or may not be writing something 😊

— josh ☻ (@sephirothhrt) October 28, 2024

Ich hab darüber vor einer ganzen Weile mit einer Chat-Freundin auf fanfiktion.de gesprochen, wobei unser Ausgangspunkt eigentlich Genesis' Bemerkung in Crisis Core war, dass aufgrund von Angeals Pflanzen Käfer in Genesis' Zimmer krabbeln. Daher haben wir uns gefragt, ob das bedeuten soll, dass die beiden zusammenwohnen. Dann ist uns aufgefallen, dass Zack auch nach seiner Beförderung zum First sagt, dass er Seph nie sehe, wenn der es nicht möchte, also scheiden gemeinsame Wohnquartiere für Firsts ein Stück weit aus. Und ich weiß, dass viele Fans sich für den erwachsenen Sephiroth super coole, stylische Wohnräume vorstellen (wobei ich persönlich tatsächlich eher zur Vermutung tendieren würde, dass er spartanisch wohnt), nur, wie ist das als Kind? Ich spiele EC nicht und kann daher die Aussage, "ich weiß, als Kind hat er auf einer Kiste geschlafen" nicht ganz einordnen, aber ich denke, dass die Natur der Frage in eine ähnliche Richtung zielt wie Nummer 1. Was hat Shin-Ra ihm alles entzogen, um ihn unter Kontrolle zu halten?

Ich muss allerdings sagen, ich finde es gleichzeitig ein starkes Argument, wenn Leute sagen, es wäre eine Schande für Shin-Ra, eine Marke, die mit Luxus verbunden wird, wenn rauskäme, dass ihr Aushängeschild in so ärmlichen Verhältnissen gehalten wird. Dann wiederum (und ich zähle hier einfach nur Argumente auf, deren Wert ich sehe, ich kann mich selbst noch nicht so recht für eine Seite entscheiden) wäre es glaub ich typisch, dass eigentlich wichtige Leute in großen Operationen unterbezahlt sind. Um wieder mit dem Show Business zu kommen: Schauspielerinnen und Serien-Autorinnen, die gar nicht bezahlt werden oder sich ein einziges Gehalt teilen müssen. In seiner Kindheit ist Seph ja noch ein kleines Rädchen im Getriebe, "Firsts" und "P0" existieren als Konkurrenzprojekte und Hojos bzw. Holländer SOLDAT-Züchtungen haben sich noch nicht final durchgesetzt. Dass Seph sozusagen der Goldjunge werden würde, war noch nicht abzusehen. Denken wir, dass er im Grunde so gehalten wurde wie Aerith und Ifalna? 
Es ist klar, wenn er als Erwachsener in CC sagt, dass Firsts bestimmte Dinge verlangen oder ablehnen können, dass er zu dieser Zeit mittlerweile in einer Verhandlungsposition ist, das zu bekommen, was er will. Die Frage ist, was er lernt, haben zu wollen. Reichen ihm ein kleines Gehalt (Tseng sagt immerhin, dass er deutlich besser bezahlt wird, denken wir wirklich, dass Turks so reich sind?) und ein kleines Zimmer mit eigenem Bad, solange er nur die Tür hinter sich schließen kann? Oder verlangt er ein großes Gehalt und ein Luxus-Apartment als Wiedergutmachung für alles, was er aushalten musste, und einfach als Ausgleich für den Nutzen, den er für Shin-Ra darstellt? Oder interpretier ich hier zu viel rein, worüber sich die Entwickler nie Gedanken gemacht haben? 

Ich würde mich freuen, andere Meinungen und Headcanons/Fanons zu hören. Verfolgt hier jemand Ever Crisis/First Soldier? 
Schönes Wochenende <3 
Tobie