While the Final Fantasy 7 Remake series started out as a PlayStation exclusive project, Final Fantasy 7 Revelation is now meeting players everywhere from PC to Nintendo Switch 2. Series director Naoki Hamaguchi, who has been in charge of the remake trilogy since its inception, believes that multiplatform development isn’t just a bonus for devs, but an essential part of the AAA industry.
In an interview with EDGE Magazine Issue 429, Hamaguchi discussed the multi-platform launch of Final Fantasy 7 Revelation. For the first time, the Remake series will launch day and date across PC, Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series. The game will also be playable on handheld PCs with Valve’s Steam Deck serving as a low-end hardware target for the game.
Hamaguchi explained that the game’s multiplatform launch id “an inevitable outcome of the changing environment surrounding today’s players”. While the cost of AAA development also pushes developers towards a multiplatform launch, the Final Fantasy 7 Revelation lead explained that the scope of hardware nowadays means that players all have their own preferences.
“[Players] are no longer tied to a single piece of hardware,” the director said, adding that some players prefer to play their games entirely in handheld. While you could play the PS5 version on handheld via cloud streaming, the reality is that players still want to play their games natively, just in a portable form.
In the interview, Hamaguchi explains that Final Fantasy 7 Revelation is also an event that is rarely seen in gaming. As the conclusion of one of the most bombastic AAA games in modern times, it makes sense to bring the finale to every possible gamer to experience it together. Essentially, it’s Square Enix’s Avengers: Endgame.
Other than that, Hamaguchi continues along his track that multiplatform development is simply a sign of the times. While consoles aren’t going anywhere, he explains that the low-end is now powerful enough to bring any experience to any gamer. If FF7 Revelation can work flawlessly on Switch 2, nearly every release can, so it’s worth bringing the game to that platform.
“I believe that what will be important in future AAA development is not how high-performance an environment we can use, but rather how widely we can deliver the core of the same experience across different environments,” he said.
As AAA development struggles against rising costs, it does make sense to bring games to as many platforms as possible. Outside of first-party console exclusives, third-party titles are seemingly looking to spread on as many platforms that are feasible with games like Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Monster Hunter Wilds also coming to Nintendo Switch 2.
There will always be some games that are too big for the low-end, that’s always going to happen at some point, but right now the low-end is great, and there’s a big push to keep servicing platforms that players are happy with.
