After a prolonged period of rumors and unrelenting fan demand, Final Fantasy VII Remake was first revealed during the E3 event seven years ago. Since almost half a decade passed between the reveal and the release of the reimagined cult classic, fans of Square Enix's most popular franchise took to the long-anticipated installment like moths to a flame. Following the trend of surprise announcements, Square Enix showcased the sequel to Final Fantasy VII Remake during the original's 25th-anniversary celebration. Officially named Rebirth, the upcoming entry effectively changes the meaning of the predecessor's title while raising several questions about future installments.
The first look trailer for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth explores Remake's cliffhanger ending and the destiny that awaits its beloved protagonists. Cloud is shown walking alongside Sephiroth, prompting fans to reconsider their understanding of facts and fiction as audio cues reveal snippets from his conversation with Tifa before shifting focus to a flashback with Zack Fair, the protagonist of Crisis Core. The trailer also discloses a broad winter release date window, somewhere between the end of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024.
Players new to the franchise will not have to worry about missing out on key aspects if they begin their Final Fantasy VII journey with Rebirth, despite it being a direct sequel to Remake and the middle part of a now officially confirmed trilogy. However, the game's name adds a new flavor to the title of its predecessor, making Tetsuya Nomura's preferences all the more intriguing. When asked about the meaning behind the phrase "Remake" a few years ago, Final Fantasy VII's creative director promised to share more details at a later date, which according to his recent statement, seems to be approaching fast.
Rather than embodying the role of an on-point descriptor of the game's contents, the term "Remake" was used to accentuate a brand-new look and feel for Final Fantasy VII. By taking full advantage of creative liberties, Remake, as its name would suggest, remade the original story without straying too far from its premise. In doing so, the game provided the necessary foundation for a potential divergence in future installments. This allowed the newly established narrative to embrace previously disjointed and retconned segments into a single, continuous vision that builds on the overarching elements of all of its predecessors.
The fact that the "Remake" part of Final Fantasy VII's reimagined experience was only ever meant as a subtitle is further corroborated by its updated version, Intergrade. On the other hand, a closer look at Rebirth's teaser trailer might even suggest that the meaning behind "Remake" also pertains to the game's origins and not the trilogy's definitive direction. Though it would certainly explain why the second installment does not follow the naming convention of its immediate predecessor, one cannot help but wonder whether Remake was tentatively called "Origin" at some point.
If the first game in the Final Fantasy VII trilogy was partially envisioned as a framework that can seamlessly accommodate future narrative iterations, there is a good chance that Rebirth will stay true to its name and resurrect the lore in a new light. As possible implications surrounding the fate of certain characters in the upcoming installment remain unaddressed, Square Enix and Nomura have their work cut out for them.
With the recent announcements and the sequel's title reveal also comes the question of what the third game might entail. Although it is still too early to hazard a guess, it's safe to say that the plot and the respective name are likely to reflect the events that will ultimately lead to the grand finale of one of Final Fantasy's most prominent entries. Whatever the case, fans of the franchise will have to hold tight a while longer until new information becomes available.